How to get a work permit for Australia – If you work in Australia and seek to get a work permit or apply for an Australian visa, then am glad to inform you that the Commonwealth country offers a variety of visa types for professionals.
Some of these visas can even lead to temporary or permanent residency for both you and eligible family members. All you need to know on how to get a work permit for Australia has been compiled together in this article, kindly find below the details you need to apply and process for a work permit and Australian visa.
Work Permit Visas exist for the Following Professions:
- Skilled workers
- People participating in specific activities
- Highly specialized workers
- Trainees
- Experienced businesspeople
- Investors
Types of Work Permit Visas in Australia
Australian work permits vary and they have been categorized based on different skill sets, industries, and work timeframes. Work Permit Visas for skilled foreign professionals who want to legally work in Australia include:
- Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa: This visa allows an employer to nominate a skilled worker abroad who, if accepted, can live and work on that employer’s behalf in Australia. To qualify, the applicant needs to complete a skills assessment.
- Skilled independent visa: Allows invited workers, certain skilled New Zealand workers, and skilled Hong Kong or British National Passport holders to permanently live and work in Australia.
- Skilled nominated visa: Employers invite prospective migrants to apply for this work permit, who need to take a skills assessment to qualify. If accepted, the visa holder can work or study anywhere in Australia and sponsor some relatives to become permanent residents.
- Skilled regional visa: Allows those who have previously lived and worked in a specified region of Australia to continue working in that region.
- Regional Sponsor Migration Scheme: A work visa where employers nominate employees to permanently live and work in a certain Australian region.
- Temporary Skill Shortage visa: Allows businesses to address labor shortages by sponsoring foreigners to temporarily work in Australia for one to four years.
- Business Innovation and Investment visa: This permanent visa is for Australian business owners, investors, and entrepreneurs who had a separate work permit that expired and would like to continue working in the country.
- Working Holiday visa: Geared towards young adults who want to travel throughout Australia while intermittently working, these visa holders can legally stay in Australia for up to three years.
- Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa: This allows a foreigner to perform short-term, specialized labor that isn’t readily available to an Australian employer.
- Work and Holiday visa: Geared toward young adults who want an extended holiday and to work in Australia to fund it, these visa holders can legally stay in Australia for up to one year.
Basic requirements for Australian work visas
Each Australian work visa has separate eligibility requirements depending on the type of work, length of stay, and prior work authorization. Requirements can include:
- A skills assessment
- A medical exam
- Language Proficiency in English
- Age limit of 45
- Relevant work experience
- Broad knowledge of the Life in Australia booklet for immigrants
- Signing an Australian values statement
Below are the important steps to expect when applying for an Australian work permit:
- Applicants can apply to the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs website to select the type of visa they’d like. Before applying for any visas that require skilled work, they should do a proper check if the job they’d like is on the department’s skilled occupation list to determine eligibility.
- If an applicant is vying for a sponsored visa, they need to get nominated by an approved work sponsor. To be an approved sponsor, employers either need a Transaction Reference Number (TRN) or employer ID.
- Complete and submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect, the government’s application system for work visas. The applicant then gets an invitation to formally apply for the visa, which must be done within 60 days.
- The application is assessed (often with a points-based system) based on skills, age, and other criteria.
- The employer must provide a copy of the positive LMIA (if applicable) along with a detailed job offer letter, which doubles as an employment contract, with information about the role, salary, working location, and other relevant details.
- The worker applies for the visa. They can start the process online. They’ll be required to submit documents including their positive LMIA, job offer, proof of identity, health records, financial records, and biometrics. They may also need to meet with a visa officer.
- If the worker meets the eligibility requirements for a visa, they will receive an approval letter. They can present this letter at the port of entry when they arrive in Australia, where they’ll receive their work permit.
Necessary Documents required to apply for an Australia work permit
When applying for an Australian work permit, a worker will often need:
- A valid passport
- Photo ID
- National Identity Card
- Education certificates
- Financial statements
- A sponsorship letter from an approved sponsor (for employer-sponsored visas)
- An invitation letter to fill out the visa application
- A police certificate
- Evidence of temporary stay in Australia (possibly including an itinerary)
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