Visa Types — Australia
Updated July 20, 2026
Australia Immigration Visa Categories
*Note: All fees are approximate as of 2024-2025 and are subject to change. Processing times are indicative and vary based on individual circumstances, application volume, and complexity. Always verify current details on the official Department of Home Affairs website (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au).*
Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)
Who it's for: Skilled workers not sponsored by an employer, state, or family member, points-tested.
Key eligibility requirements:
- Nominated occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)
- Positive skills assessment for nominated occupation
- Age under 45 at time of invitation
- Competent English (IELTS 6.0 or equivalent minimum)
- Minimum 65 points on points test (age, English, experience, education)
- Submit Expression of Interest (EOI) via SkillSelect and receive invitation
Processing time: 8–15 months (varies significantly by occupation and volume)
Cost:
- AUD $4,640 (main applicant)
- USD ~$3,020
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Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190)
Who it's for: Skilled workers nominated by an Australian state or territory government.
Key eligibility requirements:
- Nominated occupation on relevant state/territory skilled occupation list
- State/territory nomination (often requires commitment to live/work in that state)
- Positive skills assessment
- Minimum 65 points (nomination adds 5 points)
- Competent English
- Under 45 years of age
Processing time: 8–15 months
Cost:
- AUD $4,640 (main applicant)
- USD ~$3,020
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Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491)
Who it's for: Skilled workers willing to live and work in designated regional areas of Australia (provisional, 5-year visa, pathway to permanent residency via subclass 191).
Key eligibility requirements:
- Nomination by state/territory government or sponsorship by eligible regional-area relative
- Occupation on relevant skilled list
- Minimum 65 points (regional nomination/sponsorship adds 15 points)
- Competent English
- Commit to living/working in designated regional area
Processing time: 8–13 months
Cost:
- AUD $4,640 (main applicant)
- USD ~$3,020
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Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186)
Who it's for: Skilled workers nominated by an Australian employer for permanent residency (three streams: Direct Entry, Temporary Residence Transition, Labour Agreement).
Key eligibility requirements:
- Employer nomination approved by Home Affairs
- Relevant skills assessment (Direct Entry stream)
- Competent to Proficient English depending on stream
- Under 45 (some exemptions apply)
- Relevant work experience (usually 3+ years)
- For Temporary Residence Transition: minimum 3 years on subclass 482/457 with same employer
Processing time: 8–20 months (varies by stream)
Cost:
- AUD $4,640 (main applicant)
- USD ~$3,020
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Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 494)
Who it's for: Skilled workers sponsored by a regional employer (provisional, pathway to subclass 191 permanent visa).
Key eligibility requirements:
- Employer sponsorship in designated regional area
- Relevant skills assessment
- At least 3 years relevant work experience
- Competent English
- Under 45 years of age
Processing time: 10–20 months
Cost:
- AUD $4,640 (main applicant)
- USD ~$3,020
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Partner Visa (Subclasses 820/801 Onshore; 309/100 Offshore)
Who it's for: Spouses, de facto partners of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens.
Key eligibility requirements:
- Genuine and continuing relationship (married or de facto for 12+ months, with exceptions)
- Sponsor must be Australian citizen/PR/eligible NZ citizen
- Meet health and character requirements
- Two-stage process: temporary visa (820/309) then permanent (801/100) typically after 2 years
Processing time:
- Onshore (820/801): 12–24 months for temporary stage
- Offshore (309/100): 12–29 months (varies widely by country)
Cost:
- AUD $9,095 (combined application charge, main applicant)
- USD ~$5,920
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Prospective Marriage Visa (Subclass 300)
Who it's for: Fiancé(e)s of Australian citizens/PRs intending to marry in Australia.
Key eligibility requirements:
- Genuine intention to marry within visa validity (9 months)
- Met sponsor in person as adults
- Genuine relationship
- Health and character requirements
Processing time: 13–24 months
Cost:
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Parent Visa (Subclasses 103 & 804 - Non-contributory)
Who it's for: Parents of Australian citizens/PRs seeking permanent residency (standard, slower queue).
Key eligibility requirements:
- Balance-of-family test (at least half of children live in Australia, or more children in Australia than any other country)
- Sponsorship by settled child in Australia
- Health and character requirements
Processing time:
- Subclass 103: 12–30+ years (extremely long queue due to capped places)
- Subclass 804: Similarly long (10-30+ years), onshore
Cost:
- AUD $6,415 (base application charge)
- USD ~$4,170
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Contributory Parent Visa (Subclasses 173 & 143)
Who it's for: Parents wanting faster processing via higher fees (temporary 173, then permanent 143).
Key eligibility requirements:
- Same balance-of-family test as non-contributory
- Sponsorship by settled child
- Assurance of Support required
- Higher visa application charges for faster processing
Processing time:
- Subclass 143: 12 months to 4 years (much faster than non-contributory)
Cost:
- AUD $4,765 (first instalment) + AUD $43,600 (second instalment) approx. = ~AUD $48,000+ total
- USD ~$31,200 total
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Child Visa (Subclasses 101 & 802)
Who it's for: Dependent children of Australian citizens/PRs.
Key eligibility requirements:
- Biological, adopted, or step-child relationship
- Under 18 (or dependent full-time student under 25, or disabled dependent)
- Sponsor is Australian citizen/PR/eligible NZ citizen
Processing time: 12–34 months
Cost:
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Business Innovation and Investment Visa (Subclass 188, Provisional)
Who it's for: Business owners, entrepreneurs, and investors (multiple streams: Business Innovation, Investor, Significant Investor, Premium Investor, Entrepreneur).
Key eligibility requirements:
- State/territory nomination required
- Business Innovation stream: business turnover, ownership stake, net assets (varies by state, generally AUD $1.5M+ net assets)
- Investor stream: AUD $2.5 million investment
- Significant Investor stream: AUD $5 million investment
- Age under 55 (waivable by state nomination for exceptional cases)
- Points test for some streams
Processing time: 12–24 months
Cost:
- AUD $9,905–$10,655 (varies by stream)
- USD ~$6,440–$6,930
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Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) Visa (Subclass 888)
Who it's for: Holders of subclass 188 visa transitioning to permanent residency after meeting investment/business conditions.
Key eligibility requirements:
- Held relevant subclass 188 visa
- Met investment/business ownership requirements for required period (usually 1–4 years depending on stream)
- Ongoing business or investment activity in Australia
Processing time: 8–15 months
Cost:
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Global Talent Visa (Subclass 858)
Who it's for: Highly skilled individuals with internationally recognized record of exceptional achievement in a target sector (permanent visa).
Key eligibility requirements:
- Nomination in an eligible target sector (e.g., tech, health, energy, agtech)
- Internationally recognized record of exceptional and outstanding achievement
- Ability to attract salary at or above Fair Work high income threshold (AUD $175,000+ typically expected)
- Continued prominence and ability to contribute to Australia
Processing time: 3–6 months (generally fast-tracked)
Cost:
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Distinguished Talent Visa (Subclass 858)
Who it's for: Internationally recognized individuals with exceptional talent in a profession, sport, arts, or academia (subset of Global Talent framework).
Key eligibility requirements:
- Evidence of national/international recognition and achievement
- Still active in the field
- Would be an asset to Australia
- No sponsor required, but nomination by an Australian organization/individual helps
Processing time: 6–12 months
Cost:
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Refugee and Humanitarian Visa (Subclass 200 - Refugee)
Who it's for: People subject to persecution in their home country, referred by UNHCR, seeking permanent protection in Australia.
Key eligibility requirements:
- Compelling refugee claim under UNHCR referral
- Outside home country and unable/unwilling to return due to persecution
- Health and character requirements
- Subject to Australia's annual Humanitarian Programme quota (~13,750 places/year, subject to government policy changes)
Processing time: 12–24 months (highly variable, dependent on referral and location)
Cost:
- No visa application charge (fee waived for humanitarian entrants)
- USD $0
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Protection Visa (Subclass 866)
Who it's for: Onshore asylum seekers already in Australia who claim to be owed protection under the Refugees Convention.
Key eligibility requirements:
- Must be physically present in Australia when applying
- Meet definition of refugee or complementary protection grounds (risk of significant harm if returned)
- Health and character requirements
- Must not be an unauthorized maritime arrival (subject to policy restrictions, some exceptions apply)
Processing time: 12–36+ months (often long due to case complexity and review processes)
Cost:
- No visa application charge
- USD $0
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Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (Subclass 482)
Who it's for: Skilled workers sponsored by an approved Australian employer to fill a genuine skills shortage (temporary, pathway to PR in many cases).
Key eligibility requirements:
- Sponsorship by approved Standard Business Sponsor
- Nominated occupation on relevant occupation list (STSOL, MLTSSL, or ROL depending on stream)
- Relevant skills/qualifications and at least 2 years work experience
- Competent English (varies by stream)
- Three streams: Short-term (up to 2 years, renewable once onshore), Medium-term (up to 4 years, PR pathway), Labour Agreement
Processing time: 1–4 months (Medium-term stream may take longer)
Cost:
- AUD $1,455 (Short-term) / AUD $3,035 (Medium-term and Labour Agreement)
- USD ~$945 (Short-term) / ~$1,970 (Medium-term)
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Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417) and Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462)
Who it's for: Young adults (typically 18–30, or 35 for some nationalities) from eligible partner countries wanting an extended working holiday in Australia.
Key eligibility requirements:
- Passport from an eligible country (417: e.g., UK, Ireland, Canada, Germany; 462: e.g., USA, China, Indonesia)
- Aged 18–30 (up to 35 for some countries)
- Sufficient funds for initial stay (approx. AUD $5,000 recommended)
- No dependent children accompanying
- Functional English (462 stream requires proof)
- First-time applicants; subsequent visas require specified regional work (88 days for second visa, 179 days for third)
Processing time: 1–4 weeks (generally fast)
Cost:
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Student Visa (Subclass 500)
Who it's for: International students enrolled in a registered course of study in Australia.
Key eligibility requirements:
- Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) from registered education provider
- Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement (demonstrating genuine intention to study)
- Sufficient financial capacity to cover tuition, travel, and living costs (approx. AUD $29,710/year living costs as of 2024)
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
- English language proficiency (IELTS 5.5–6.0 depending on course level)
Processing time: 4–8 weeks (varies by country and course provider risk level)
Cost:
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Visitor Visa (Subclass 600)
Who it's for: Tourists, business visitors, or those visiting family, not intending to work (except limited business visitor activities).
Key eligibility requirements:
- Genuine intention to visit temporarily (tourism, family, business visitor activities)
- Sufficient funds for stay
- Health and character requirements
- Health insurance recommended
- Streams: Tourist, Business Visitor, Sponsored Family
Processing time: 2–4 weeks (varies by stream and nationality; some subject to longer delays)
Cost:
- AUD $195–$1,065 (varies by stream; Tourist stream typically AUD $195 for 3-year multiple entry, higher for Sponsored Family/Business)
- USD ~$125–$695
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Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 804 - Aged Parent stream) / Contributory Aged Parent (Subclasses 864/884)
Who it's for: Parents of Australian citizens/PRs who have reached Australian pension age at time of application.
Key eligibility requirements:
- Applicant must be of Australian age pension age (currently 67)
- Balance-of-family test applies
- Sponsorship by settled child
- Contributory stream requires Assurance of Support and bond, but offers faster processing
Processing time:
- Non-contributory (804): 10–30+ years
- Contributory (864): 1–3 years
Cost:
- Non-contributory: AUD $6,415
- Contributory: ~AUD $48,000+ total (first + second instalments)
- USD ~$4,170 (non-contributory) / ~$31,200 (contributory)
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Skilled Recognised Graduate Visa (Subclass 476)
Who it's for: Recent engineering graduates from specified institutions wanting to gain skilled work experience in Australia.
Key eligibility requirements:
- Engineering degree completed within last 2 years from a recognized institution (specific list of universities, mainly Asia-Pacific region)
- Under 31 years of age
- Competent English
- No sponsor or nomination required
Processing time: 3–6 months
Cost:
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Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)
Who it's for: International students who have recently graduated from an Australian institution, allowing temporary work rights (two streams: Graduate Work stream and Post-Study Work stream).
Key eligibility requirements:
- Recent graduate (within 6 months) of relevant degree from Australian institution
- Relevant occupation on skilled list (Graduate Work stream only)
- Competent English
- Under 50 years of age
- Post-Study Work stream: bachelor's degree or higher, no occupation restriction, visa length depends on qualification level and location of study (2–4 years, longer for regional study)
Processing time: 4–8 months
Cost:
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Resident Return Visa (Subclass 155/157)
Who it's for: Australian permanent residents/former citizens wanting to travel to/from Australia after their travel facility has expired.
Key eligibility requirements:
- Former or current permanent resident of Australia
- Substantial ties to Australia (residence for at least 2 years in the past 5, or other qualifying criteria)
- Health and character requirements
Processing time: 1–3 months
Cost:
- AUD $455–$475 (varies by stream)
- USD ~$295–$310
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*Disclaimer: Visa subclasses, eligibility criteria, fees, and processing times are subject to frequent change based on Australian government policy updates, annual migration program planning levels, and bilateral agreements. This information should be verified against the official Department of Home Affairs website (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au) or by consulting a registered migration agent (MARA) before making any decisions or applications.*
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Immigration laws, costs, and policies change frequently. This guide is AI-researched for information only and is not legal advice. Always verify with official government sources and licensed immigration professionals before making decisions.