Australia has strict laws governing the entry of non-citizens into its country. Naturally, applying for a tourist visa is comparatively straightforward. Providing you don’t have a criminal record and give them all the necessary documents you should get a tourist visa quickly.
This will allow you to stay for a set period and you can’t work while you’re in the country.
But, if you want to work, regardless of what the job is, you will need a visa. It should be noted that working without a valid visa is punishable by a fine and potentially deportation. Worse, you won’t be allowed back into the country.
Even visiting or living in Australia without working requires a visa. If you want to head to Australia it’s a good idea to speak to a specialist immigration lawyer Sydney. They can make sure you choose the right type of visa and that you provide all the necessary documents to facilitate the process.
There are several options if you’re looking to work in the AU:
Temporary Visa
This visa is specifically designed for employers to offer short-term contracts to people. It is one of the most effective ways of ensuring the specialist skills are there when needed. For the worker, you’ll simply need to apply for the temporary job and the company will handle the visa side of things.
It’s worth noting you can also get a temporary working holiday visa. These are only available to young people, it gives them a chance to see Australia and potentially choose to live there permanently in the future.
Permanent Visa Options
A permanent visa allows you to stay indefinitely in Australia and work legally. This type of visa can be hard to obtain but there are several options.
- Employer-sponsored
As the name suggests this type of visa must be requested by a company. The business can sponsor a person currently in Australia under a temporary working visa. This will effectively turn the temporary status into a permanent one and allow someone to stay in Australia indefinitely.
Equally, the business can choose to sponsor someone who is currently overseas. To get a permanent visa for someone overseas the company will need to show that their skill set is vital to the business and can’t be located within Australia.
- Skilled visa
The skilled visa is also known as the independent visa. This is when you apply to gain permanent residency through a work visa but you are not currently affiliated with a specific business.
You can be in Australia or anywhere in the world and apply. But, there are strict criteria that need to be fulfilled before a visa will be issued.
- Enterprise visa
If you’re hoping to move to Australia and create a business then you can apply for the enterprise visa. To qualify you’ll need to demonstrate you have the necessary funds or financial backing to get the business off the ground. It’s also necessary to show your market research to confirm there is a need for what you are selling and that it’s not encrouching on established Australian businesses.
If you have all the right documents getting a work visa isn’t difficult. But, although it is possible to work illegally without a visa, the punishments are severe and it is not recommended.