Australian Visa Bureau   »  Visas and Immigration

Australian Immigration and Visa Services

Australian Immigration requires you to have a visa to enter Australia unless you are an Australian passport holder or qualifying New Zealand passport holder. 

If you are visiting Australia on holiday, you will require an Australian ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) Tourist or Visitor Visa. To obtain a holiday visa, please visit the Travel Visa Australia section of this site.

Currently, Australia is looking for a variety of skilled people who wish to immigrate and enjoy the Australian way of life. There are several streams of Australian visas leading to immigration and permanent residency in Australia.

Australian Immigration offers two classes of visas for holidays, work rights and immigration. These classes are broken down into two categories:

•  Temporary Australian Visas, for travel and working holidays.
•  Permanent Australian Visas, for immigration and permanent residence.

Temporary Australian Visas

Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) and Visitor Visa

• The ETA replaces the visa label or stamp in a passport and removes the need for application forms. If you are taking a holiday in Australia for less than 3 months, you are required to obtain a Tourist or Visitor Visa prior to travelling.
  Apply Here For An ETA Visa

Long-Stay Tourist Visa

• Is valid for a maximum stay in Australia of up to 12 months, depending on the length applied for. To apply for a Tourist Visa (subclass 676), you must also hold one of the listed eligible passports (which is more expansive than the list of ETA-eligible countries).
  Apply Here For a Long-Stay Tourist Visa (subclass 676) 

Working Holiday Visa

• The Australian Working Holiday Visa gives young people between the ages of 18 and 30 the opportunity to work while travelling in Australia for a period of 12 to 24 months.
  Apply Here For An Australian Working Holiday

Business Visas

• Business Visas are provided to visitors who are travelling to Australia to attend conferences or training sessions, business meetings, or for those establishing a business in Australia. There are no work rights associated with these visas.
  Read More About Short-Term Business Visas

Student Visas

• To apply for an Australian Student Visa, you will need a letter of offer or Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) from your education provider. Student status can lead to permanent residence in Australia and Bonus Points under the Skilled Visa class.
  Read More About Student Visas

Retirement Investor Visa

• The Australian Retirement Investor Visa came into effect in mid-2005. This visa is temporary and does not lead to permanent residency in Australia. Under this new visa scheme, visa holders are required to invest significant funds in the Australian economy in the form of a government held bond.
  Read More About Retirement Visas

Sponsored Business Visitor Visa

• The Sponsored Business Visitor Visa is designed to enable members of local, state and federal government and government agencies, as well as specified organisations in Australia, to offer formal sponsorship to short stay business visitors. The visa is designed for applicants who wish to enter Australia for a period of no more than 3 months for business purposes.
  Read More About Business Sponsored Visas

Need help deciding which travel visa you need? 

Still confused about which travel visa you require for your trip to Australia?  Use our fast, easy online travel visa advisor to find out exactly which visas you are eligible for when travelling to Australia.

Permanent Australian Visas

The following Australian visas lead to permanent residency and settlement in Australia.

Under the Australian General Skilled Migration Program (GSM), applicants use their qualifications, work experience and language ability to satisfy Australian Immigration requirements. Candidates must meet the Basic Requirements and must pass the Points Test.

Skilled - Independent

• The Skilled Independent Visa is a permanent visa for skilled people wishing to live and work in Australia. The visa grants work and settlement rights for anywhere in Australia, but carries the highest points pass mark of any Australian visa.
  Australian Immigration Visa Assessment

Skilled - Sponsored

• An Australian skilled visa category for skilled migrants who have been nominated by a participating State/Territory or who have a family sponsor in Australia.
  Visa Assessment For Skilled Sponsored Visas

Skilled - Regional Sponsored

• The Skilled Regional Sponsored Visa is a sponsored work visa for skilled people wishing to live and work in a regional or low population growth area in Australia. The Skilled Regional Sponsored Visa is a temporary visa valid for a period of 3 years. After the 3 year mark, visa holders may apply for permanent residency.
  Online Visa Assessment For Skilled Regional Sponsored Visas

Skills Matching Visas

• The Australian skilled migration category for those who may or may not meet the Points Test and are seeking to be nominated by and Australian State/Territory.
  Read More About Skills Matching Visas

Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS)

• The Australian Government's RSMS is limited to certain areas of Australia. It allows employers to sponsor skilled migrants for job vacancies. The RSMS visa provides permanent residency.
  Online Visa Assessment For RSMS

Labour Agreements

• Labour Agreements enable Australian employers to recruit a specified number of workers from overseas in response to identified skills shortages in the Australian labour market. Employees may come to Australia on either a temporary or permanent basis.
  Read More About Labour Agreements

Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS)

• Permanent residents entering Australia under the Employer Nomination Scheme have a job waiting for them. Alternatively, you can apply for this visa if you hold a temporary working visa, such as the Working Holiday Visa or a Student Visa.
  Read More About ENS Visas

Family and Partner

• These visas require sponsorship by an Australian or eligible New Zealand citizen. Children and other family members may apply to join their Australian citizen or permanent resident family members in Australia.
   Immigration Assessment For Family And Partner Visas

Parents

• Parents may be able to migrate to Australia if they have a child in Australia who is an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
  Assessment For Family Immigration

Business Visas

• The Australian Business Visa program encourages successful business owners, investors and senior executives to settle in Australia while developing new or existing opportunities in Australian business. Business Visa holders are initially granted a provisional visa and can apply for residency after 4 years.
  Assessment For Business Immigration Visas

Resident Return

• A Resident Return Visa (RRV) is valid for 3 months or 5 years, depending on the circumstances. It allows Australian permanent residents to travel to and from Australia as often as they wish within the validity of the visa, while maintaining their status as permanent residents.
  Read More About Resident Return Visas