Studying and training visas in Australia

Australia is one of the best destinations for students looking to pursue education abroad. Australian universities are strong in research, excelling in areas such as arts and humanities, education, and sciences. Australia has 8 universities in the top 100 universities in the world, and also offers an amazing learning environment.

Depending on the type of study and the length of time you plan to be in Australia you may need a student visa, a training visa or a visitor visa. Visit the Studying in Australia page on the Department of Home Affairs protection website to find out more about which visa to apply for and how to apply.

What is a student visa in Australia?

The Student visa (subclass 500) visa allows you to live, work and study in Australia for a maximum of five years, in line with your course. Compared to other countries, it is easier to get a student visa for Australia. Students wanting to study in Australia must meet certain requirements to qualify for a visa. You will be eligible for a student visa only if you want to study a registered course or part of it on a full-time basis. Once you are enrolled in a full-time study course you can apply for a visa under Subclass 500.

How many types of student visa are there in Australia?

There are 2 types of student visas in Australia: Student Visa (Subclass 500) – for all the courses registered under CRICOS (courses registered for international students); Student Visa (Subclass 590) – for the student's guardian (Guardian Visa) if a student is less than 18 years old (this visa does not allow to work).

With student visa, you can include family members when you lodge your visa application. Your family member is: your partner, or your or your partner's dependent child who is unmarried and has not turned 18 years of age. There are currently no restrictions on work for international students. This means that international students can work before their course commences and work more than 40 hours a fortnight in any sector of the economy.

The Student Guardian Visa (Subclass 590) allows you to come to Australia to provide care and support for a student visa holder who is under 18 years of age (or over 18 in exceptional circumstances). You can't work with a student guardian visa while you are in Australia. However, you may study English for less than 20 hours a week if your first language is not English. You may also attend training or another course for three months.

How long is an Australian Student visa valid for?

The validity of the student visa is tied to the duration of the course of study in Australia. The type of course and its length will determine the length of stay. Usually, Australian student visas are valid for a maximum of 5 years. Primary school children enrolled in year 1-4 are generally issued student visas for a maximum validity period of 3 years.

The Australian student visa is a temporary visa. To see when you must leave, use Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO). Once it expires, you will need to apply for a new visa if you wish to remain in the country.

What is a training visa in Australia?

The Training Subclass 407 Visa is a short stay visa for people to undergo occupational training or professional development in Australia. The 407 visa allows you to take part in workplace-based occupational training activities to improve your skills for your job, area of tertiary study, field of expertise or in a professional development training program in Australia. This visa is granted for a specific period, anywhere from six months to two years. Although the process is quite similar to the Temporary Employer Sponsored Visa (Subclass 482), The training visa is not designed to fill labour shortages and is, therefore, not an appropriate visa for persons whose sole intention is to undertake work.

What do I need to apply for a Training Visa?

In order to be eligible for the Training Visa, you must meet some basic requirements, such as being over 18 years of age, having functional English, and holding private health insurance. The Department also wants to know that you are genuinely intending to live in Australia for a temporary period to undergo a training.

To secure the 407 visa, it is must for your occupation to be covered in the Subclass 407 Training Visa Occupations List. Also, you must have recent and suitable prior experience. Recent and suitable experience includes employment or study experience that: is equivalent to at least 12 months full-time experience in the occupation; and has occurred in the 24 months immediately before the nomination is lodged.

The applicant must also meet the Department’s health and character requirements. Finally, it is integral that the business intending to sponsor the applicant is an approved Temporary Activities Sponsor with a valid Sponsorship and Nomination. They cannot be a sole trader or an individual.

How do you apply for an Australian student visa?

Australian visas are issued by the Department of Home Affairs. If you plan to study in Australia you need a student or training visa. Start by finding a course that suits you then apply to study. When you have applied to study at your preferred university, college or school, apply for the appropriate visa, for example a Student visa (subclass 500).

Nowadays you normally apply online for Australian visas. To apply online, you need to open an account with the department, called an ImmiAccount. They will ask you to submit your name, phone number and e-mail address. Then you get to create a password and accept their conditions. If you need help, an education agent in your home country may be able to assist you apply to study in Australia.

How do I get PR after studies in Australia?

If you have finished your studies and want to stay in Australia temporarily to work, you may be able to apply for a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485). The Temporary Graduate visa give you an extra 18 months or more to work and live in Australia after your studies. It is often used to help meet up the requirements to apply for a PR visa. This could be by achieving Australian work experience for example, or by applying the time to achieve higher English scores for extra points for skilled migration.

The Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482) is considered to be the best chance for international students to secure their permanent residency in Australia after they have completed their education. The training visa 407 can help bridge the gap to satisfying the requirements to apply for the visa 482. There are 3 main streams of the 482 visa: Short-term Stream, Medium-term Stream, and Labour agreement. All 3 streams of the 482 visa have a pathway to permanent residence and all there have requirements that the Training visa 407 can help you achieve