How this Visa Works

This visa allows suitably qualified and experienced religious workers, including ministers, priests and spiritual leaders to serve the spiritual needs of people of their faith in Australia.

This visa is not intended for people who want simply to undertake work for a religious organisation. It must be for work that specifically requires a religious worker and not merely a religious adherent.

The process for obtaining a Religious Worker visa is summarised in the table below.

Who	Responsibility
Religious institution	apply to be an religious worker sponsor to employ or engage religious workers from overseas nominate the position to be filled  nominate the person to fill the position act as a sponsor for the nominated persons listed in the nomination cooperate with department's monitoring requirements meet costs and other obligations as part of the program.
Nominated primary applicant	accept the offer of employment/activity from the sponsor apply for a visa meet all conditions on their visa.

Validity periods

The validity period of:

• sponsorship is three years
• nomination is 12 months
• visa period is for the period specified in the nomination with a maximum stay of two years.

Bringing family

The following people may be included in your visa application:

• your partner
• your or your partner's dependent children
• other dependent relatives.

Secondary applicants who have not been listed in the visa application and who want to join you in Australia at a later time will need to lodge a separate visa application. A letter from your sponsor is required to be provided with the application confirming that the sponsor will accept responsibility for the secondary applicants for the period of their stay in Australia.

Other visa options

People at the start of a religious life, who want to volunteer in a monastery or other religious institution, prior to undertaking formal religious training or tertiary study may be eligible to undertake a Special Program under the Subclass 416 visa.
See: Special Programs Visa (Subclass 416)

People with at least 12 months of work experience, study or training in a religious field, who want to undertake a formal religious training program, may be eligible for a Subclass 442 visa.
See: Occupational Trainee Visa (Subclass 442)

People undertaking full-time CRICOS university courses may be eligible for a student visa.
See: Students

Entry under a Labour Agreement may be suitable if an agreement is in place between the religious organisation and the Commonwealth.
See: Labour Agreements

For stays of less than three (3) months to attend a religious event, attend meetings, lecture or speak at religious rallies or participate in a retreat or short training course you may be eligible for a Temporary Business Entry visa or Visitor visa.
See:
Business Visit Visa Options
Tourists

More information on these options is also available
See: Visa Pathways for Religious Workers (62KB PDF file)

Definitions

These definitions will help you understand the information on these pages.
See: Definitions