Visas

AUSTRALIA

Introduction

Australia is one of the most popular destinations given the vibrant economy, temperate climate and the outdoor lifestyle.

Do I need a visa?

There are two main forms of visas, based on the time you want to spend in the country. Typically if your swap is going to be less then 90days, then its possible to get a Short Stay work visa which is open to 30 countries and has limited requirements. more information look here: For everyone else, you will need to apply for a longer duration work permit.

Really useful sites:

Main visa types

There are two main types of visa:

Working holiday visas:
For people aged between 18 and 30 from arrangement countries to have an extended holiday supplemented by short-term employment.
Temporary visas:

Working holiday visas

Are you eligible?

You must meet the following requirements to be able to apply the Working Holiday Visa:
Aged between 18 and 30 years (inclusive) – this means you can apply for a visa when you are 30 years of age;
Have no dependent children;
You must have sufficient funds (generally deemed to be at least- AU$5,000) to support your trip and purchase a return airfare;
Passport holder from one of the following Nationalities: The United Kingdom, Canada, The Netherlands, Japan, The Republic of Ireland, The Republic of Korea, Malta, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Hong Kong (SAR - Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China), Finland, The Republic of Cyprus, Italy, France, Taiwan

Main conditions

You can not work for the same employer for more than 6 months;
You can not engage in study or training for more than 4 months;
Please note there may be other discretionary conditions imposed on this visa when it is granted.

Application process

Follow these links for more information:

Temporary Business long stay Visas

Are you eligible?

Your swap company based in Australia would need to sponsor you to work for them. This is the most popular route for swappers to work in the country. To be eligible you will need to consider the following main conditions as an employee. There are additional requirements for the employer:

be sponsored by an employer to fill a nominated position
have skills, qualifications, experience and an employment background which match those required for the position
have English language skills equivalent to an average band score of 4.5 across the four test components in an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test, or higher where required for licensing/registration/membership. You may also be required to demonstrate these skills through a formal test, unless you have been exempted under the regulations
be eligible for any relevant licences or registration required for the nominated position
Demonstrate that you are to be paid at least the minimum salary level that applies at the time a decision is made on your visa.

Health requirements

There are a number of health requirements that must be met by Medical Practitioners and their accompanying family members.

Character requirements

You must meet all character requirements.

Limitation of applications

If you are in Australia, your current visa may have restrictions which will prevent you from applying for this visa.

Australian Values Statement

If you are aged 18 years or over, you must declare that you will respect Australian values and obey the laws of Australia. For this visa, the values statement is included in the general declaration section of the application form. When you sign the application form it means you will also be signing the values statement. You will not be required to have read the Life in Australia book, but may do so if you wish. You are also encouraged to gain an understanding of Australia, its people and their way of life, before applying for this visa.

Main conditions

With this visa you can be employed as an overseas workers for a period of between three (3) months and four (4) years.

With this visa you can:

work in Australia for a period of between three (3) months and four (4) years
bring any eligible secondary applicants with them to Australia – secondary applicants can work and study
after entering Australia, have no limit on the number of times they travel in and out of Australia.

Application process

Follow the link for more information: www.immi.gov.au/skilled/skilled-workers

for more infomation select from the links below:
A. Introduction A quick overview about applying for visas and work permits
B. Documentation what you will need for your application
C. Visas by swap destination a look at the main visa types

Visas by destination: Australia; New Zealand; Canada; South Africa; UK; US; China; Singapore; UAE; Europe (General Advice)