Can you tell me about visas for my family?

If you are travelling with your family under the same visa, paperwork you will need to be submitted for a family and not an individual visa.

Finally, the t's and the i's. The most common form of delay comes from a simple lack of attention to detail. The application packs build a comprehensive account of each candidate and require a great deal of consideration. Often the simplest and most obvious requirements are made invalid because of carelessness, a missing signature, an un-ticked box or a misplaced middle name all halt the process while we locate and erase any problems. We try to make our application packs as stress-free and straightforward as possible but the candidate must take time to cross the t's and dot the i's so we can process them as quickly as possible.

What kind of Visa should I travel on?

In undertaking employment in Australia there are currently three forms of Visa that a candidate may apply for:

Working Holiday Maker  Visa (WHMV)

It's called a Working Holiday Visa. You can apply for this visa if you're over 18 and not yet 31, and a citizen of the UK, Canada, the Netherlands, Japan, Ireland, Korea, Malta, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Hong Kong (HKSAR), Finland, Cyprus, France, Italy, Belgium, Estonia and Taiwan.

(There's also a Work and Holiday visa available to people from Chile, Thailand, Turkey and the United States of America. Visit the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website for more information.)

Temporary Long-Stay Business Visa (subclass 457)

It is valid for up to four years and requires your potential employer to sponsor you and (if necessary) your spouse and dependants. Application for the 457 cannot begin until you accept a job offer from a hospital in Australia. The process takes on average 12 weeks. There are a number of requirements to be met prior to a hospital applying for your Sponsorship Nomination. Each candidate will be assisted throughout this process by his or her personal Recruitment Co-ordinator.  Nurses are offered sponsorship once approved by NSW Health. You will travel on a four year 457 visa.  You can apply for PR once you are in Australia if you have three years post graduate experience. (overseas and in Australia)

You will get a nomination number from Professional Connections once you are approved for a post, then you will apply online.

Permanent Residency Visa (PR)

It is the most time consuming and potentially problematic visas offered by the Australian authorities. Applying for the Permanent Residency Visa outside of Australia takes three to six months to process and requires a great deal of paperwork. As always your personal Recruitment Co-ordinator will assist and advise you through the process. However, the Permanent Residency Visa is only recommended to those candidates who are prepared for a longer recruitment process and are certain that employment in Australia is the right career path for them.

Can I change the type of Visa I am working under while I'm in Australia?

Yes. We understand that the recruitment process is complicated and often unpredictable and should personal circumstances or future plans change the option is available to change the type of Visa. Permanent residency visa is offered to nurses who have Children of School going age 4+. If you do not have PR then you would have to pay school fees which are AUD 4500 - 5000 per child. 

Do I need to submit my original documentation when applying for my Visa?

No. It is important to send certified copies when applying for your Visa. In addition, the copies need to be authenticated by a solicitor or a notary as a true-copy of the original, before being submitted for evaluation.

How much do the visas cost?

457 visa

• Visa Application Charge AUD 405
• What does this visa let me do? With this visa you can employ overseas workers for a period of between one day and four years. With this visa those people you employ from overseas can: work in Australia for a period of between one day and four years bring any eligible secondary applicants with them to Australia - secondary applicants can work and studyafter entering Australia, have no limit on the number of times they travel in and out of Australia.
• From 14 September 2009, if you want to change employers (within the validity of their visa) you will not be required to apply for a new Subclass 457 visa, however a nomination must be lodged and approved by your new sponsor.

Health Insurance

• You are responsible for all health costs for yourself and your family. You are required by law to maintain adequate insurance for these health costs for the length of your visa. You will need to provide evidence that you have obtained adequate insurance before your visa can be granted.
  See: Subclass 457 - Health Insurance

When can you apply for a permanent visa?

You can apply for a permanent visa after you have:

• lived for two years in a Specified Regional Area and worked, including being self-employed, for one year in these same areas.
  See: Specified Regional Areas
  or
• obtained sponsorship under the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme.

PR visa cost

• AUD $2095

Permanent Visa 

• With this visa those people you employ from overseas, and any dependent family members included in their visa application, can live as permanent residents in Australia.

  Australian permanent residents can:

• live and work in Australia on a permanent basis
• study in Australia at school or university
• receive subsidised healthcare through Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
• access certain social security payments (subject to waiting periods)
• be eligible for Australian citizenship (subject to the residency eligibility criteria)
• sponsor people for permanent residence.

correct as of  19.01.2012

For up to date fees and charges