The Australian government makes different work visas available depending on the nature of the work being done. A visa may be issued to workers being sponsored by a company (usually, though not necessarily based in Australia) if their skills or qualifications are needed for a job in Australia. A separate visa is required for workers who are not being sponsored by a company but wish to work in Australia. Visas are also available for those merely on business trips or in specialist fields, such as medicine.
Family members of Australian citizens and residents may apply for special immigration visas. However, depending on how closely related the family member is to the Australian resident or citizen, they may need to meet certain requirements proving that such a visa is necessary. For example, visas may be issued to siblings of a citizen or resident if they are the sibling's only living immediate family member. However, visas also exist for parents, children, partners and extended family members.
The Australian government has programs designed to help people who are facing persecution in their homeland or those that have and have already entered Australia. The Offshore Humanitarian Program allows those who are facing extreme discrimination or violation of human rights in their home country to gain a visa and become a refugee in Australia. Those who have already legally entered Australia may also apply for refugee status and gain a visa to remain in the country.
A person may become an Australian citizen if he has immigrated to Australia and, meeting any item on a list of requirements, may apply for Australian citizenship. These requirements include pre-existing British or New Zealand citizenship, being the child of a former Australian or being the spouse of an Australian citizen. Other, less common circumstances, such as being a refugee or being born in Papua New Guinea before 1975 (the year of Papuan independence), also allow a person to apply for Australian citizenship.
Applicants for Australian citizenship must be able to prove that they are of "good character." This entails obtaining penal clearance certificates for each country that you have lived in for the past 10 years to show that you have not had significant legal troubles. You will need to supply documentation of your identity along with your chosen application for citizenship or residency. All forms may be completed online or printed out, filled out by hand, and mailed to the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
