Unlike in other countries, to enter Australia, as a tourist, student or worker it is mandatory to apply for a visa before traveling. There are numerous types of visas, which may vary depending on several factors. Age, country of origin, goals and reasons for the trip are just a few discriminating factors. It is therefore necessary, if you are planning to come to Australia, for any reason, to inform yourself and try to understand which is the most suitable visa for you, before buying the plane ticket.
Visa for Australia: the online procedure:
Australia is an avant-garde and extremely modern country, which is why the government wants all visas to be requested online on the Australian immigration website, through a procedure called eVisa. In particular, from 1 July 2016 it is mandatory to apply for your visa online, while before that date it was also possible to submit a paper application.
The online visa for Australia was born with the idea of simplifying and speeding up applications, it has been designed so that anyone can use it for their visa, regardless of the type.
The process begins with the creation of an IMMIAccount. This is an account that is created on the Australian immigration site https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. Simply enter your personal information, email address and passport details to create a profile. Then the immigration site offers a very useful tool that helps you understand which type of visa is best suited to your needs: the Visa Finder.
Once you’ve found the right one for you, it’s time to start the step-by-step application process and finally pay a fee that varies depending on the type of visa you are applying for.
The cost of the visa for Australia:
You can pay the cost of the visa online, by credit card or rechargeable card without any problem. The price, as previously mentioned, varies according to the type of visa you are requesting. There are generally three price spheres: free visas such as the Tourist Visa (tourist visa) which has no cost, temporary visas such as the Student Visa (student visa) and the Working and Holiday Visa (work and holiday visa). ) which cost $ 629 and $ 495 respectively (including credit card fees). And finally, the visas that can lead to a Permanent Residence costing several thousand Australian dollars.
The tourist visa for Australia:
The tourist visa, also called eVisitor Visa (subclass 651), is a completely free visa that is valid for one year and allows you to enter and stay in Australia for up to 3 months at a time. It is a type of visa created in order to allow the tourist visit. This means that it is absolutely forbidden to work.
However, it is possible to study for up to 12 weeks, so it can be an excellent choice if you want to strengthen your English level and have no interest in work.
The working holiday visa:
The Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417) is undoubtedly the best known Australian visa internationally. The requirements for applying for this type of visa are: be between 18 and 31 years of age and be in possession of the passport of a particular country.
Not to be confused with the Work and Holiday (subclass 426), it is more commonly known as the work-holiday study. It costs AU $ 495 and allows you to stay in Australia for up to 12 months. Being a working holiday visa for Australia it also allows you to work full time. However, there is a maximum limit of 6 months of employment for the same employer.
Another key feature of this visa, which is also the main difference with the 426 subclass, is the fact that it can be extended for another 12 months, provided you have completed a minimum 88 days of work at an Australian farm in certain regions. of the continent. It is also possible to study for up to 17 weeks. For longer study paths it is necessary to apply for a Student Visa.
The student visa:
The Student Visa (subclass 500) is a student visa costing AU $ 629 and can be applied for by citizens from all over the world.
In order to apply for the Student Visa, you must first enroll in a course of study. Australia offers many types of courses and many different levels (certificates, diplomas, three-year degrees, masters, etc.). Starting with English courses to improve your command of the language, up to more specialized professional cooking courses, or perhaps international Trade and Business.
Once you have chosen the most suitable school, you can proceed to apply for a visa. The student visa also allows you to work part-time (to support yourself during your studies) up to a maximum of 40 hours every 15 days. At Just Australia, as an educational agency we specialize in following you throughout this process, from course selection, visa application to support here in Australia.
