Visa pathways
Australian visas
VisaAffairs advises on the most common Australian visa pathways — study, post-study work, skilled migration, employer sponsorship, partner and family reunion, and short-term visits — for clients worldwide.
- Subclass 500
Subclass 500 — Student visa
Australia's standard student visa for non-citizens enrolling in a full-time CRICOS-registered course.
Temporary EducationRead overview → - Subclass 485
Subclass 485 — Temporary Graduate
Temporary visa for international students who have just completed an eligible Australian qualification.
Temporary Post-studyRead overview → - Subclass 482
Subclass 482 — Skills in Demand
Employer-sponsored skilled work visa (replaced TSS from late 2024).
Temporary Employer-sponsoredRead overview → - Subclass 189
Subclass 189 — Skilled Independent
Permanent skilled visa with no sponsor required — assessed entirely on the points test.
Permanent Points-testedRead overview → - Subclass 820/801
Subclass 820/801 — onshore partner visa (temporary 820 → permanent 801)
What is the subclass 820 visa? The onshore partner visa for spouses and de facto partners — temporary 820, then permanent 801. Eligibility, processing time and the 820 → 801 pathway.
Permanent FamilyRead overview → - Subclass 186
Subclass 186 — Employer Nomination Scheme
Permanent skilled visa where an Australian employer nominates you directly to PR — the common outcome of the 482 → 186 pathway.
Permanent Employer-sponsoredRead overview → - Subclass 190
Subclass 190 — Skilled Nominated
Permanent skilled visa nominated by an Australian state or territory — PR immediately with a moral commitment to live and work in the nominating state ≥2 years.
Permanent State nominationRead overview → - Subclass 491
Subclass 491 — Skilled Work Regional (Provisional)
5-year provisional visa for skilled workers nominated by a state or family sponsor — live and work in a designated regional area; transition to 191 PR after 3 years.
Temporary RegionalRead overview → - Subclass 309/100
Subclass 309/100 — Partner (offshore)
Partner visa for applicants lodging while outside Australia — 309 temporary, 100 permanent. The offshore counterpart of 820/801.
Permanent FamilyRead overview → - Subclass 600
Subclass 600 — Visitor
Short-term tourist, family-visit and business visa — Tourist, Business Visitor, Sponsored Family, Frequent Traveller streams.
Temporary Short-stayRead overview → - Subclass 191
Subclass 191 — Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional)
The permanent visa that completes the regional pathway — for 491/494 holders who have lived and worked in a designated regional area for 3 years, complied with their visa conditions and hold 3 years of tax records.
Permanent RegionalRead overview → - Subclass 494
Subclass 494 — Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional
5-year provisional visa for skilled workers nominated by an employer in regional Australia — transition to subclass 191 PR after 3 years.
Temporary Employer-sponsoredRead overview → - Subclass 858
Subclass 858 — National Innovation visa
Invitation-only permanent visa for individuals with an internationally recognised record of exceptional achievement — replaced the Global Talent visa from December 2024.
Permanent TalentRead overview → - Subclass 300
Subclass 300 — Prospective Marriage
Temporary visa for people engaged to an Australian — enter Australia, marry within the visa period, then apply for the onshore Partner visa at a reduced charge.
Temporary FamilyRead overview → - Subclass 143
Subclass 143 — Contributory Parent
Permanent visa for parents of settled Australians who can fund the contributory charge — far faster than the non-contributory queue, at a substantial cost.
Permanent FamilyRead overview → - Subclass 103
Subclass 103 — Parent (non-contributory)
The low-cost permanent parent visa with an extremely long capped queue — currently estimated in decades. Onshore aged parents may apply via subclass 804.
Permanent FamilyRead overview → - Subclass 101/802
Subclass 101/802 — Child
Permanent visa for dependent children of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible NZ citizen — offshore (101) or onshore (802). Related: Adoption (102), Orphan Relative (117/837), Dependent Child (445).
Permanent FamilyRead overview → - Subclass 116/836
Subclass 116/836 — Carer
Permanent visa for someone moving to Australia to provide substantial ongoing care to a relative with a certified long-term medical condition — offshore (116) or onshore (836).
Permanent FamilyRead overview → - Subclass 115/835
Subclass 115/835 — Remaining Relative
Permanent visa for a person whose only near relatives live in Australia — offshore (115) or onshore (835). A narrow definition with a very long capped queue.
Permanent FamilyRead overview → - Subclass 114/838
Subclass 114/838 — Aged Dependent Relative
Permanent visa for an aged, single relative who is financially dependent on their Australian family — offshore (114) or onshore (838).
Permanent FamilyRead overview → - Subclass 866
Subclass 866 — Protection visa (permanent, onshore)
The permanent Protection visa (subclass 866) for people already in Australia who engage Australia's protection obligations and arrived lawfully — eligibility, process and fees.
Permanent HumanitarianRead overview → - Subclass 200–204
Subclass 200–204 — Refugee & Humanitarian (offshore)
Permanent offshore humanitarian visas — Refugee (200/201/203/204) and Global Special Humanitarian (202) — within Australia's capped annual Humanitarian Program.
Permanent HumanitarianRead overview → - Subclass 192
Subclass 192 — Pacific Engagement
Ballot-based permanent visa for citizens of participating Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste with a job offer in Australia — 3,000 places per year.
Permanent BallotRead overview → - Subclass 444
Subclass 444 — Special Category Visa for New Zealand citizens (SCV)
The Special Category visa (subclass 444) that New Zealand citizens receive automatically on arrival — indefinite stay and work rights, the protected SCV, and a direct citizenship pathway after 4 years' residence.
Temporary New ZealandRead overview → - Subclass 151
Subclass 151 — Former Resident
Permanent visa for people with a strong historic connection to Australia — long formative residence as a citizen/PR, or relevant Australian defence service.
Permanent Former residentRead overview →