Work Visas in Australia
How to get a work permit and which routes actually exist
Australia separates skilled work into two families: points-tested visas where the applicant competes in a central pool without any employer, and employer-sponsored visas where a business nominates a specific person for a specific role. Both require the occupation to appear on a relevant list, and most require a formal skills assessment by a designated assessing authority. The employer-sponsored temporary route was restructured in late 2024, when the Skills in Demand visa replaced the former Temporary Skill Shortage visa.
| Points-tested routes | Subclasses 189, 190 and 491, selected through SkillSelect source |
| Employer-sponsored temporary | Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), replaced the TSS visa in late 2024 source |
| Precondition | Skills assessment by the assessing authority named for the occupation source |
| Youth route | Working Holiday and Work and Holiday visas, commonly for applicants aged 18 to 30 or 35 source |
The points-tested family
The three points-tested skilled visas share one machinery. A candidate lodges an expression of interest in SkillSelect, is ranked against everyone else, and can apply only if invited. Nothing is guaranteed by meeting the minimum score; the invitation depends on where the score sits relative to other candidates in the same occupation.
The Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) requires no sponsor at all and grants permanent residence on approval. It is the most competitive of the three, and in many occupations the effective cut-off has sat well above the published minimum.
The Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) requires nomination by a state or territory, which adds points and generally makes an invitation far more likely, in exchange for a commitment to settle in that jurisdiction. It also grants permanent residence.
The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is nominated by a state or territory or sponsored by an eligible relative in a designated regional area. It is temporary, commonly for around five years, and leads to permanent residence through a separate regional visa once residence and income conditions have been met.
How the points are earned
The points test is published and scored against a pass mark that is low relative to the scores actually invited. Points come from a small set of factors, and two of them dominate.
Age is the largest single block, peaking for applicants roughly in their late twenties and early thirties and falling away sharply after that, with no points at all once the upper age band is passed. English is the second: the higher testing bands, described as proficient and superior, are worth substantially more than the competent level that merely satisfies the minimum.
Skilled employment experience, Australian qualifications, study in a regional area, a professional year, credentialled community language accreditation, and the skills of a partner all add smaller amounts. State nomination adds points on the 190, and regional nomination or family sponsorship adds a larger amount on the 491.
The skills assessment is the real bottleneck
Before any of the above matters, the nominated occupation must appear on the list relevant to the visa, and the assessing authority named against that occupation must issue a positive assessment. Different authorities cover different fields, and each sets its own evidence standard for qualifications, employment references and, in some trades, practical demonstration.
Assessments carry their own fees and can take months. Some authorities discount years of experience that do not match the qualification, which can reduce the points claimable for employment even when the assessment itself is positive. This step is commonly underestimated and is the most frequent point of failure in an otherwise plausible plan.
Employer-sponsored and other routes
- Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482). The replacement for the Temporary Skill Shortage visa, structured in streams that differ by salary level and skill, with a shorter employment history requirement than its predecessor and clearer scope to change employers.
- Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186). The permanent employer-sponsored visa, reached either directly or after a qualifying period working for the sponsoring employer.
- Global Talent route. A route for individuals with an internationally recognised record of exceptional achievement in target sectors, which has been restructured under the National Innovation visa; it does not use the standard points test.
- Working Holiday and Work and Holiday visas (subclasses 417 and 462). Open to young applicants from participating countries; specified work in designated regional areas can extend stay into a second and, in some cases, a third year.
- Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485). An open work right after Australian study, with age and eligibility narrowed by recent changes.
Indicative costs
| Item | Approximate cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Points-tested skilled visa charge, main applicant | commonly around 4,000–4,900 |
| Additional adult applicant | commonly around half the main charge |
| Skills assessment | commonly around 500–1,200 depending on authority |
| English test | commonly around 400–450 |
| Health examination | commonly around 300–500 per person |
| Police certificates | varies by country |
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Official sources
Checked against these pages in September 2026. Fees and processing times change without notice — confirm before you act.