Overview

Australia operates a universal, non discriminatory system of entry through an Immigration program which is divided between permanent and temporary entry. This means that the Law relating to entry to Australia is the same for people from all countries, although there can be variations in the procedural and documentary requirements.

With the exception of New Zealand citizens, all overseas nationals who wish to enter Australia must obtain approval to do so prior to entry. The only authority for entry is termed a visa. If work rights are required, a special type of visa must be applied for, but there is no requirement for a separate work permit as is the case in many countries.

There are over 100 visa categories each of which contain an individual set of criteria to be met. As we cannot provide a comprehensive overview of all the visa options, we encourage you to visit the excellent website of the Department of Immigration & Citizenship (DIAC) at www.immi.gov.au

Such a large number of visa types or categories leads to confusion and many applications fail simply because an application is made for the wrong type of visa.