Immigration Laws of Australia
Immigration laws in Australia, just like in the United States, permit a number of different reasons to request a visa to visit or live in the country. Like most countries, Australia allows people to enter the country to work, study or just to travel. However, there are some specific visas offered for people in each category and other visas available for more permanent migration to Australia.
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Workers
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In order to enter Australia exclusively for employment purposes, you generally must have a particular skill or be a member of a particular profession that is in short supply in Australia in order to gain entry. These accepted occupations are divided into four categories: managers and administrators, professionals, associate professionals and tradespersons and related workers, all of which have surprisingly extensive lists of qualifying occupations. If you are sponsored by an employer, either Australian or foreign, that has operations within the country, there are additional occupations which qualify you for entry on a working visa.
Students
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Student visas to Australia are awarded for all different levels of study. Beginning at the primary level, students can apply for visas to complete coursework in Australia through general enrollment or through a specific exchange program. If you wish to attend an Australian college or conduct research on the post-graduate (master's or doctoral) level, you may also be eligible for an Australian visa. Finally, some visas are awarded for study that is not part of a multi-year degree program. This type of visa is achieved most notably through the English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) program, which allows for travel to Australia for the purpose of completing stand-alone English coursework.
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Migrants
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The migrant category includes primarily two groups of people--those who have family members who are permanent residents or citizens of Australia (and certain qualifying New Zealand citizens) and those who wish to wish to renew a residency visa after traveling overseas. Both of these groups are eligible for visas.
Refugees
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There are two sub-categories that comprise the humanitarian migration program in Australia. The "off-shore" segment refers to efforts to resettle people who are not yet in Australia and who meet specific criteria regarding persecution and human rights violations in their home countries. The "on-shore" aspect is specifically for people who have already entered Australia, either on a short-term visa or without one, who seek asylum for similar conditions as those described in the off-shore portion.
Visitors
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Finally, there is the visitor category, which includes, but is not limited to, short-term tourists. In this category are also visas for "working holidays" for young people who want to visit the country while also taking short-term employment in Australia. Also available are visas specifically for people over the age of 55, who are no longer working and desire to spend their years of retirement in Australia.
Visa and Citizenship Wizards
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The government of Australia provides a visa wizard and a citizenship wizard on its Department of Immigration and Citizenship website that can help you determine which visas you may be qualified to apply for or if you may be eligible to apply for citizenship, through a series of personal questions about your background and relationship with the country of Australia.
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