Yes. As a student visa holder, you can currently work up to 48 hours per fortnight during study periods and unlimited hours during official course breaks. You must, however, remain enrolled in your course and maintain satisfactory attendance and academic progress.
Most student visa applicants must provide proof of English proficiency through approved tests such as IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, OET, or Cambridge (CAE). The required score will depend on your education provider and course level. Some exemptions may apply if you are from an English-speaking country or have completed previous study in English.
Commonly required documents include:
The GTE requirement ensures that you are entering Australia genuinely to study, not for permanent migration purposes. Your GTE statement should outline your academic background, career goals, reasons for studying in Australia, and ties to your home country that show your intention to return after completing your studies.
Yes, but conditions apply:
Yes. Graduates may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485). This visa allows you to live, study, and work in Australia for 2–4 years, depending on your qualification. This is often a key step toward permanent residency for many international students.
Processing times vary but usually take between 1 to 3 months. Factors that affect processing include your country of application, the completeness of your documents, whether additional information is required, and the course you are enrolling in.
Yes. You must maintain Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the entire duration of your stay in Australia. This is a mandatory requirement and your visa cannot be granted without proof of adequate health insurance.
Yes. You can include eligible family members (spouse/partner and dependent children) on your application. They will be granted dependent visas linked to your student visa. Family members can generally study and work in Australia, although work rights may be limited.
If your application is refused, the Department of Home Affairs will provide a written notice explaining the reasons. Depending on your circumstances, you may have the right to appeal the decision through the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) or reapply with stronger supporting evidence.
Common visa subclasses are:
You earn points based on your age, English language ability, education, skilled work experience, state/territory nomination, and other factors. The general minimum to lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) is 65 points, but higher points improve your chances.
SkillSelect is an online platform where applicants lodge an EOI, and then wait for an invitation to apply for a visa. State/territory governments may nominate applicants, and selection depends on occupation, points score, and nomination.
Yes. Most skilled visas require a positive skills assessment from an authorised assessing body (e.g. VETASSESS, ACS, etc.) to verify your qualifications and work experience.
Yes. You can include a spouse or de facto partner and your dependent children as secondary applicants; their eligibility (health, character etc.) will also be assessed.
Usually, you need to show “Competent English” e.g. IELTS, TOEFL, or equivalent. Higher English scores can help you get more points in the points test.
This varies a lot depending on subclass, state nomination, completeness of documents, whether extra information is required, etc. As of mid-2025:
If you hold a Subclass 491 visa (regional provisional), you must live, work, and meet residence requirements in a designated regional area for 3 years (among other criteria). After that, you may be eligible to apply for Subclass 191 (Permanent Residence – Skilled Regional).
The annual permanent migration intake is set at 185,000 places for 2025–26. Skilled migration remains a priority.
Yes. If you apply for a temporary partner visa (Subclass 820 or 309), you generally receive a Bridging Visa upon lodgement, which allows for full work rights while your application is being processed.
Subclass 820/801 is the onshore pathway: you apply while in Australia. 820 is temporary; 801 is the permanent stage once the relationship is confirmed over time.
Subclass 309/100 is the offshore pathway: 309 is temporary (while you wait outside Australia), 100 is permanent.
Yes. Dependent children can generally be included as secondary applicants in both partner and family-visa applications, subject to health, character, and dependency criteria.
Usually a de facto relationship requires living together for at least 12 months and sharing a genuine, ongoing relationship, unless the relationship is registered under a state/territory law. You must provide evidence of this.
Yes.
Processing times vary by subclass, completeness of application, how busy the department is, etc. Some estimates (as of mid-2025) are:
If you are engaged to an Australian citizen or permanent resident, the Subclass 300 visa lets you enter Australia to marry them within 9 months. After marriage you can apply for a partner visa (onshore).
Parent visas are for parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible NZ citizens. They include:
They are very long in many cases: