Fact Sheet 47 - Temporary Residence in Australia
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Australia’s temporary residence program is designed to allow overseas people to come to Australia for specific purposes that benefit Australia. The program consists of three categories:
- skilled
- social and cultural
- international relations.
Temporary residents are required to pay taxes on income earned in Australia. They do not have access to social welfare benefits or national public health cover.
Applicants must be assessed to satisfy Australia's strict health and character requirements.
See: Fact Sheet 22 The Health Requirement
Information on Student visas and short term Business and Tourist visas is available.
See:
Fact Sheet 50 Overseas Students in Australia
Fact Sheet 48 Helping Skilled and Business People
Citizens of countries where Australia has Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (RHCA) are entitled to emergency medical cover in Australia. This cover does not extend to pre-existing medical conditions. RHCA countries include Finland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Travellers should check if they need to maintain private health insurance.
Skilled visa classes
Business Entry visas - this visa allows employers to recruit skilled people from overseas for a stay of up to four years. The position being
filled must meet minimum skill and salary thresholds.
See: Fact Sheet 48 Helping Skilled and Business People
Educational visas - allow education and research institutions or organisations to fill academic, teaching and research positions, unable to be filled from the Australian labour market.
Temporary Medical Practitioner visas - this visa allows employers, or in some cases Government or community bodies to sponsor suitably qualified medical practitioners into positions which satisfy labour market requirements, for a stay of up to four years. Visa grants to medical practitioners have a strong focus on providing service to rural and remote communities.
Social and cultural
Temporary residence visas are also available for people taking part in sporting, entertainment and cultural activities. They cover:
Entertainment visas - for people involved in a wide range of social and cultural events and activities taking into account the need to protect the employment of Australians in the industry.
Media and Film Staff visas - for correspondents or other professional media staff members posted to Australia by overseas news organisations. Also for visiting photographers, film and television crews making documentaries or commercials for overseas use.
Sport visas - for amateur or professional sports people to engage in competition with Australian residents and to improve general sporting standards in Australia through high calibre competition and training.
Religious Worker visas - for religious workers, including ministers, priests and spiritual leaders, to serve the spiritual needs of people of their faiths in Australia.
Retirement visas - for self-funded retirees who are 55 years or older, have no dependants (other than a spouse who can be any age) and who want to reside in Australia during their retirement years. The visa is temporary and will not lead to Australian permanent residence or citizenship. Visa holders must also be able to make a significant long term financial investment in Australia and meet asset and income requirements.
Visiting Academic visas - for people whose presence in Australia will contribute to the sharing of research knowledge.
International relations
Working Holiday visas - This visa allows young people from certain arrangement countries to experience Australian culture and lifestyle through an extended holiday and incidental employment, with special focus on regional Australia.
The program is an integral part of Australia’s tourism industry and also supports the Australian economy by providing supplementary labour for industries requiring short-term casual workers.
See: Fact Sheet 49 Working
Holiday Program
Work and Holiday visas – This visa is similar to the Working Holiday program, except that the Work and Holiday visa program requires additional documentation from arrangement countries. Applicants may need to provide a letter of approval from their government agreeing to their stay in Australia, hold tertiary education qualifications and have functional English.
See: Fact Sheet 49a Work and Holiday Program
Foreign Government Agency visas - for foreign government employees conducting business or teaching duties on behalf of their governments, who do not have diplomatic or official status in Australia.
Exchange visas - for skilled people overseas wanting to broaden their work experience and skills under reciprocal arrangements which allow Australian residents similar opportunities overseas. Includes people seeking entry under certain bilateral exchange agreements.
Special Program visas - for people coming to Australia under approved programs to participate in youth exchange or community-based, non-commercial programs.
Diplomatic visas - allow for temporary entry of people wanting to travel to Australia in a diplomatic or official capacity, on advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Eligible people should apply for this visa regardless of their intended period of stay in Australia.
Domestic Worker (Diplomatic/Consular) visas - for domestic staff working in diplomatic households and consular staff posted to Australia, on advice from DFAT.
Domestic Worker (Overseas Executive) Visas - for domestic staff of people holding certain visas in class 457 (long-stay temporary business entry). A visa in this class may only be granted where it is shown that the entry of domestic staff is necessary for the proper discharge of the executive’s representational duties.
Occupational Trainee visas – This visa allows people from overseas to complete structured and supervised workplace-based training programs or academic research that will provide additional or enhanced skills in their present occupations, tertiary studies or fields of expertise.
See: Fact sheet 52a Occupational Trainee visa
Professional Development – This visa allows for the temporary entry of groups of professionals, managers and
government officials from overseas who are seeking to enhance their professional/managerial skills by taking part in tailored
training programs designed by an Australian sponsoring organisation.
See: Fact Sheet 51 Professional Development Visa
Access to retirement savings
Eligible temporary residents are now able to access their retirement savings (superannuation) upon permanent departure from Australia.
More information on accessing this money is available on the Australian Taxation Office's website.
See: http://www.ato.gov.au/super and follow the links for
temporary residents.
Statistics
| 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| Skilled visa classes | 48 652 | 55 675 | 74 666 |
| Social/Cultural Stream | 26 400 | 25 314 | 27 782 |
| International Relations Stream | 104 925 | 118 878 | 122 514 |
| TOTAL | 179 977 | 199 867 | 224 962 |
Further information is available on the department's web site.
See: www.immi.gov.au
The department also operates a national telephone service inquiry line.
Telephone: 131 881
Hours of operation: Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm (recorded information available outside these hours) for the cost of a local call anywhere in Australia.
Fact Sheet 47. Produced by the National Communications Branch, Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Canberra.
Revised 7 July 2007.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2007.