Immigrating to Australia
A high number of people are interested in immigrating to Australia due to a b economy, employment opportunities and a relaxed way of living. At June 30 2011, 27% of Australia’s resident population (6 million people) were born overseas.
The Australian Government controls immigrating to Australia through the Department of Home Affairs and determines who can and cannot enter Australia. Programs allow in excess of 120,000 people into Australia each year however many more apply.
Immigrating to Australia is possible through a number of different immigration visas that can be temporary or permanent.
Visa Categories Include:
Employment visas
Australian working visas (also known as an Australian work permit) allow highly skilled workers to immigrate to Australia. These types of visas are often sponsored by individual states, which recruit workers according to specific needs. Visas may be approved to immigrants who are to be sponsored by an Australian business.
There are two types of schemes offered by the Australian government for employment visas:
- The Employer Nomination Scheme which allows Australian employers to recruit workers to fill full-time skilled positions. The prospective employee will need to have a confirmed job offer from an Australian employer which meets the criteria to be a sponsor.
- The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme allows regional employers to recruit workers on permanent visas to fill full time skilled positions. The prospective employee will need to have a confirmed job offer from an Australian employer which meets the criteria to be a sponsor. The most popular form of skilled immigration to Australia is the subclass 457 visa.
Student visas
There are a number of immigration visas that allow individuals to study in Australia, most of which need a confirmed offer from an educational institution. The passport that the student holds will determine the requirements for the visa application as it differs from one country to another.
Many students that come to Australia find that they would like to immigrate to Australia permanently once they finish studying. The course that the student has studied will determine eligibility for further stay visas.
Family visas
Bringing families together is an important component of Australia’s overall immigration program. If an individual has a family member in Australia that is already a permanent resident there may be opportunities for immigration to Australia. Some of the different visa types available for people with family connections in Australia include the Parent Visa, Remaining Relative Visa and the Spouse/Partner/Prospective Spouse Visa.