To get a work visa for Australia, you match your situation to one of three main subclasses — a points-tested Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), a state-nominated Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190), or an employer-sponsored Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) — then clear a skills assessment, English test, health examination, and character check before the Department of Home Affairs will grant the visa. The 189 and 190 are permanent from day one and run through an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect. The 482 is temporary and needs an Australian employer willing to sponsor you. Everything else in the process flows from which of these you’re eligible for.
Pick the Right Visa Subclass First
Choosing the wrong subclass costs months and thousands of dollars, so this decision matters more than any other step.
Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)
The 189 lets you live and work permanently anywhere in Australia without an employer or a state backing you. You qualify entirely on your own skills, education, and experience through a competitive points test. Your occupation must appear on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List, and you need at least 65 points, though in practice most successful applicants score well above that because invitations go to the highest-scoring candidates first.1Department of Home Affairs. Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)
Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190)
The 190 is also permanent, but it requires nomination by a state or territory government filling a local labor gap. In return, you typically commit to living and working in the nominating state for an initial period. It uses the same points test as the 189, and the nomination itself adds five points to your score.2Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated Visa
Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482)
If you already have a job offer, the 482 is the main temporary pathway. It replaced the former Temporary Skill Shortage visa on December 7, 2024, and runs in three streams.3Department of Home Affairs. Temporary Skill Shortage (Short-Term) Visa (Subclass 482) Your employer sponsors you and must show they couldn’t fill the role locally.
- Core Skills stream, for occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List. From July 2026, the position must pay at least AUD 79,499 per year.
- Specialist Skills stream, for professionals earning at least AUD 146,717 per year from July 2026. This stream gets priority processing.
- Labour Agreement stream, for niche roles where the employer has negotiated a specific agreement with the Australian Government because the occupation isn’t on standard lists.
The 482 often works as a stepping stone. After two years of full-time work with the same sponsoring employer, you can apply for the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186) for permanent residency.4Department of Home Affairs. Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) Visa
One boundary worth noting: the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) is a different animal. It’s for younger travelers (18 to 30, or up to 35 for a handful of nationalities), lets you work for the same employer for only six months, and doesn’t lead to permanent residency on its own.5Department of Home Affairs. First Working Holiday Visa If a skilled or sponsored visa is your goal, treat the 417 as a bridge to buy time, not a work visa in the usual sense.
Check That Your Occupation Is on a List
Before you spend anything, verify your occupation appears on the relevant skilled occupation list. The 189 and 190 draw from the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List. The 482 draws from the Core Skills Occupation List. Each occupation carries an ANZSCO code that fixes its skill level and duties — a Software Engineer is 261313, a Civil Engineer is 233211.6Department of Home Affairs. Skilled Occupation List
The lists also tell you which authority will assess your qualifications: the Australian Computer Society for software professionals, Engineers Australia for civil engineers, and so on. If your occupation isn’t on any list, the skilled pathways aren’t open to you. The lists change, so check the current version on the Department of Home Affairs site before proceeding.
Meet the General Eligibility Requirements
Whichever subclass you target, you have to clear age, health, character, and (for the 189 and 190) points criteria. Failing any one of these bars the visa regardless of how strong the rest of your file is.
Age
For the 189 and 190, you must be under 45 when you receive an invitation to apply. The points table rewards applicants aged 25 to 32 most heavily (30 points) and drops to 15 points for ages 40 to 44.7Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Points Table for Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) The 482 doesn’t impose the same hard cutoff, though its salary thresholds work as their own filter.
Health
Every applicant undergoes a medical examination with a physician approved by the Department. The government evaluates whether a health condition would impose significant costs on the Australian healthcare system or limit access to services for residents. The criteria, known as Public Interest Criteria 4005 and 4007, were amended in 2024 to create exemptions for certain children born in Australia.8Migration Alliance. Migration Amendment (Public Interest Criteria 4005 and 4007) Regulations 2024 You’ll get scheduling instructions after you lodge your application or EOI.
Character
Section 501 of the Migration Act 1958 requires every applicant to pass a character test. The Department reviews your criminal history across every country you’ve lived in, and a sentence of 12 months imprisonment or more triggers mandatory refusal or cancellation. Suspended and concurrent sentences count toward that threshold.9AustLII. Migration Act 1958 – Sect 501 Refusal or Cancellation of Visa on Character Grounds You need police clearance certificates from every country where you lived 12 months or more in the past ten years. U.S. citizens need an FBI Identity History Summary based on fingerprints.
The Points Test
For the 189 and 190, points are scored across age, English proficiency, work experience, education, and (for the 190) state nomination. The minimum pass mark is 65 points, but competitive invitation rounds routinely require scores in the 80s or 90s.
- Age: up to 30 points, highest for ages 25 to 32.
- English proficiency: up to 20 points for “Superior” English.
- Work experience: up to 20 points for overseas experience, more for Australian experience.
- Education: up to 20 points for a doctoral-level qualification.
- State nomination: 5 points (Subclass 190 only).
English weighs heavily. “Competent” earns zero points, “Proficient” adds 10, and “Superior” adds 20. If your points are borderline, retesting for a higher English band is usually the fastest lift.7Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Points Table for Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)
Gather Your Documents Early
Documents are the slowest part of the process, and several have validity windows that can expire on you. Start well before you plan to apply.
Skills Assessment
A formal skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority is mandatory before you can submit an Expression of Interest. The assessor evaluates whether your education and work experience meet Australian standards for your nominated occupation. Fees vary widely — the Australian Computer Society, for example, charges AUD 1,498 for a general skills assessment as of late 2025.10Australian Computer Society. ACS Migration Skills Assessment A positive assessment is typically valid for three years from issue. If your invitation arrives after expiry, you’ll pay for a renewal.
English Language Test
Most subclasses require formal proof of English proficiency. As of August 7, 2025, the Department expanded the approved list to include Cambridge C1 Advanced, CELPIP General, LANGUAGECERT Academic, the Michigan English Test, and TOEFL iBT, alongside IELTS, PTE Academic, and OET.11Department of Home Affairs. English Language Visa Requirements Results remain valid for up to three years depending on the visa subclass. Tests taken before August 7, 2025 can be used until August 6, 2028.
Employment Records
Every period of work experience you claim points for needs documentation: reference letters on company letterhead describing your specific duties, dates of employment, and full- or part-time status, backed up by tax records, payslips, and contracts. Each role has to map to the ANZSCO code for your nominated occupation, and the duties described have to match the code closely enough for the assessor to accept them.
Character and Personal History Forms
The Department may ask for Form 80 (personal particulars for character assessment) and Form 1221 (additional personal details). Both require a detailed history of every residential address and international trip for the past ten years, plus any military service.12Department of Home Affairs. Form 80 – Personal Particulars for Assessment Including Character Assessment Filling these out from memory is where applicants trip. Any inconsistency between these forms and your visa application can trigger a refusal under Public Interest Criterion 4020. A PIC 4020 refusal for providing false or misleading information carries a three-year ban on future applications, and a failure to establish your identity carries a ten-year ban.13Department of Home Affairs. Providing Accurate Information Pull old passports, flight records, and any other travel documentation before you start.
Identity Documents and Translations
You need a valid passport, birth certificate, and any national identity cards, scanned in high resolution. Any document not in English needs a certified translation. Applicants inside Australia must use a NAATI-certified translator. From overseas, check with the nearest Australian embassy or consulate for accepted translators in your country.
How You Actually Apply
Expression of Interest Through SkillSelect (189 and 190)
For the 189 and 190, you don’t apply directly. You submit an Expression of Interest through the SkillSelect online platform, which records your details, skills assessment, English scores, and claimed points, then ranks you against other candidates in your occupation.14Department of Home Affairs. SkillSelect Expression of Interest
Meeting 65 points doesn’t guarantee an invitation. The Department issues invitations in rounds, picking the highest-scoring candidates first. A competitive score can attract an invitation within weeks. A borderline score can wait months, or never surface. You can update your EOI at any time before invitation, so improving your English or adding qualifying work experience lifts your score in real time.
Once invited, you have exactly 60 days to complete and submit your full visa application. Miss it and the invitation expires; you rejoin the pool. That’s why gathering documents before you submit an EOI matters — scrambling for police certificates, assessment renewals, and translations inside 60 days is how applicants file incomplete.
Lodging Through ImmiAccount
All visa applications are lodged through the ImmiAccount online portal.15Department of Home Affairs. Applying Online in ImmiAccount You create an account, complete the form, upload documents, and pay the Visa Application Charge. Label files clearly and attach them to the correct sections.
Visa Application Charges
The VAC for the primary applicant on a 189 or 190 is approximately AUD 4,765, with extra charges for a partner or children. The 482 primary charge is approximately AUD 3,210. The 186 (permanent residency through the Employer Nomination Scheme) starts at AUD 4,910.4Department of Home Affairs. Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) Visa All fees are non-refundable regardless of outcome and adjust annually. Check the Department’s pricing page before lodging.16Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Fees and Charges for Visas
Including Family Members
Your partner and dependent children can go on the same application. Each additional person adds to the VAC and independently has to satisfy health and character requirements. On a 189 or 190, included family members get the same residency rights, including unrestricted work rights. On a 482, dependents also get work rights but only for the visa’s duration.
What Happens While You Wait
After lodgment, the Department may issue a Request for Information if anything needs clarifying, and you may be asked to give biometrics at a service center. Respond quickly. If you don’t, the Department can decide on the incomplete file, which usually means refusal.
Bridging Visas
If you’re already in Australia on a temporary visa and apply for a new one before it expires, you’re typically granted a Bridging visa A. It activates when your current visa ends and keeps you lawful while the new application is processed. Whether it carries work rights depends on the conditions attached; you can check yours through VEVO. A BVA does not allow travel: leave Australia while holding one and it ends immediately, with no re-entry on it.17Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. Bridging Visa A (BVA)
Processing Times
Processing times vary widely by subclass, occupation, and how complete the file is. Healthcare and education occupations are currently designated priority sectors and tend to move faster. The Department publishes updated estimates monthly. Check them before you lodge so you know what to plan for. Applications with missing documents, complex character issues, or multiple family members generally take longer.
After You Arrive
The visa is only the legal starting point. A few obligations kick in fast.
Tax File Number
You need an Australian Tax File Number before you start working. Without one, your employer must withhold tax at the highest marginal rate. Inside Australia, apply online through the Australian Taxation Office. Still overseas, you complete a paper form and mail it with certified copies of your identity documents. Applying is free, and processing takes about 28 days.18Australian Taxation Office. People Living Outside Australia – TFN Application
Superannuation
Australian employers must make superannuation contributions on your behalf. The current rate is 12% of your ordinary earnings, paid at least quarterly into a super fund.19Australian Taxation Office. Super Guarantee You can nominate an existing fund or let your employer use a default. If you leave Australia permanently, you may be eligible to claim your super as a departing Australia superannuation payment, subject to tax.
Health Insurance
Some visa subclasses impose condition 8501, which requires adequate health insurance for the entire stay. Read the conditions in your grant notification carefully. Permanent visa holders (189 and 190) are generally eligible to enroll in Medicare, which reduces the need for private cover. Temporary 482 holders typically arrange private health insurance before arriving.
Workplace Protections
Whatever your visa type, you have the same workplace rights as Australian employees under the Fair Work Act 2009: minimum wage, leave entitlements, protection from discrimination, and proper notice of termination. These protections apply even if you have breached a visa condition or are working without authorization, so an employer can’t use your immigration status to withhold pay or threaten you.20Fair Work Ombudsman. Visa Holders and Migrants
If Your Visa Is Refused
A refusal isn’t necessarily the end. Most refusal decisions can be reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal (formerly the Administrative Appeals Tribunal). You must lodge within the time limit stated in your refusal notification, which varies by subclass and by whether you’re in Australia or overseas. The Tribunal reviews the decision on the merits, looking at your case fresh rather than only checking Department procedure. If it overturns the refusal, the Department must grant the visa. Beyond the Tribunal, further review through the Federal Circuit and Family Court is possible but limited to errors of law rather than factual disputes.
Before going to review, assess honestly whether the reason for refusal is correctable. A failed character test based on a criminal conviction is unlikely to be overturned. A refusal based on missing documents or a technical points calculation error is a much stronger candidate.