Temporary Visa

Australia's Temporary Residence Programme is designed to allow overseas people to come to Australia for specific purposes that benefit Australia. The programme consists of three categories:

• Skilled
• Social and cultural
• International relations

Temporary residents are required to pay taxes on income earned in Australia. They do not have access to Social Welfare Benefits or National Public Health Cover.

Applicants must be assessed to satisfy Australia's strict health and character requirements.

See:Fact Sheet 22 The Health Requirement.

Information on Student Visas and short term Business and Tourist Visas is available.

See:

Fact Sheet 50 Overseas Students in Australia

Fact Sheet 48 Helping Skilled and Business People

Citizens of countries where Australia has Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (RHCA) are entitled to emergency medical cover in Australia. This cover does not extend to pre-existing medical conditions. RHCA countries include Finland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Travellers should check if they need to maintain private health insurance.

Skilled Visa Classes

Business Entry Visas - allow employers to recruit skilled people from overseas for a stay of up to four years. The position being filled must meet minimum skill and salary thresholds.

See:Fact Sheet 48 Helping Skilled and Business People.

Educational Visas - allows education and research institutions or organisations to fill academic, teaching and research positions, unable to be filled from the Australian labour market.

Temporary Medical Practitioner Visas - allows employers, or in some cases Government or community bodies, to sponsor suitably qualified medical practitioners into positions which satisfy labour market requirements, for a stay of up to four years. Visas granted to medical practitioners have a strong focus on providing service to rural and remote communities.

Social and Cultural

Temporary Residence Visas are also available for people taking part in sporting, entertainment and cultural activities. They cover:

Entertainment Visas - are for people involved in a wide range of social and cultural events and activities taking into account the need to protect the employment of Australians in the industry.

Investor Retirement Visas - are for self-funded retirees who are 55 years or older, have no dependents (other than a partner) and are able to make a significant long term financial investment in Australia. The visa is temporary and will not lead to Australian permanent residency or citizenship.

Media and Film Staff Visas - are for correspondents or other professional media staff members posted to Australia by overseas news organisations. Also for visiting photographers, film and television crews making documentaries or commercials for overseas use.

Religious Worker Visas - are for religious workers, including ministers, priests and spiritual leaders, to serve the spiritual needs of people, of their faith in Australia.

Retirement Visas - are available to current Retirement Visa holders and their partners, and to certain former holders of this Visa who have not held another substantive Visa since their last Retirement Visa ceased. New or first time applicants considering spending a period of their retirement in Australia should consider the Investor Retirement (Subclass 405) Visa.

Special Programme Visas - are for people coming to Australia under approved programmes to participate in youth exchange or community-based, non-commercial programmes or the Seasonal Labour Mobility Scheme.

Sport Visas - are for amateur or professional sports people to engage in competition with Australian residents and to improve general sporting standards in Australia through high calibre competition and training.

Visiting Academic Visas - are for people whose presence in Australia will contribute to the sharing of research knowledge.

International Relations:

Working Holiday Visas - allow young people from certain countries (arrangement) to experience Australian culture and lifestyle through an extended holiday and short term employment, with special focus on regional Australia.

The programme is an integral part of Australia's tourism industry and also supports the Australian economy by providing supplementary labour for industries requiring short-term casual workers.

See: Fact Sheet 49 Working Holiday Programme.

Work and Holiday Visas - are similar to the Working Holiday Programme, except that the Work and Holiday Visa Programme requires additional documentation from arrangement countries. Applicants may need to provide a letter of approval from their Government agreeing to their stay in Australia, hold university education qualifications and have functional English.

Note: These extra provisions do not apply to applicants from the United States of America.

See: Fact Sheet 49a Work and Holiday Programme.

Diplomatic Visas - allow for temporary entry of people wanting to travel to Australia in a diplomatic or official capacity, on advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Eligible people should apply for this Visa regardless of their intended period of stay in Australia.

Domestic Worker (Diplomatic/Consular) Visas - are for domestic staff working in diplomatic households and for consular staff posted to Australia, on advice from DFAT.

Domestic Worker (Overseas Executive) Visas - are for domestic staff of certain subclass 457 - (Long Stay) Temporary Business Entry Visa holders. This Visa may only be granted, where it is shown, that the entry of domestic staff is necessary for the proper discharge of an executive's representational duties.

Exchange Visas - are for skilled people overseas wanting to broaden their work experience and skills under reciprocal arrangements which allow Australian residents similar opportunities overseas. Includes people seeking entry under certain bilateral exchange agreements.

Foreign Government Agency Visas - are for foreign Government employees conducting business or teaching duties on behalf of their Governments, who do not have diplomatic or official status in Australia.

Occupational Trainee Visas -  allows people from overseas to complete structured and supervised workplace-based training programmes or academic research that will provide additional or enhanced skills in their present occupations, tertiary studies or fields of expertise.

See: Fact sheet 52a Occupational Trainee Visa.

Professional Development Visas - allows for the temporary entry of groups of professionals, managers and Government officials from overseas who are seeking to enhance their professional/managerial skills by taking part in tailored, training programmes designed by an Australian sponsoring organisation.

See: Fact Sheet 51 Professional Development Visa.

Special Programme Visas - for people coming to Australia under approved programmes to participate in youth exchange or community-based, non-commercial programmes.

Access to Retirement Savings - Eligible temporary residents are able to access their retirement savings (superannuation) upon permanent departure from Australia.

More information on accessing this money is available on the Australian Taxation Office's website (temporary residents).

See: Australian Taxation Office > Superannuation.

See also: Accessing Superannuation Benefits

Statistics:

Further information is available on the Department's website.

The Department also operates a national telephone service inquiry line.

Telephone: 131 881

Hours of Operation: Monday to Friday from 9 am to 4 pm (recorded information available outside these hours) for the cost of a local call anywhere in Australia.

Fact Sheet 47. Produced by the National Communications Branch, Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Canberra.

Revised 1 July 2009.

© Commonwealth of Australia 2009.

NOTE: The above information is obtained from the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship website.