Australia offers several visas for potential migrants, each with unique eligibility criteria. Visa options include a student visa, working holiday visa, skilled independent migrant visa and skilled sponsored migrant visa. The working holiday visa is valid for a stay of up to 12 months, and applicants must be 18 to 30 years old. Applicants for long-term or permanent work visas must be under age 45 unless the government has agreed to make an exception. Before applying for a skilled independent migrant visa, migrants must send work history and school transcripts to an Australian skills assessing body, which must approve applicants' work skills.
General work visas require applicants to pass a points test. Job skills, work experience and English language proficiency have point values that applicants must total to obtain the necessary points for migration. If applicants do not have enough points but are close enough to passing, the Australian government will put them in a reserve pool in case the points system changes or the country needs workers in the future.
Australia seeks immigrants who are likely to succeed as workers or have ties to Australia, and people with certain qualifications may have an improved chance of moving to the country. These qualifications include former residents, individuals with relatives in Australia and those with prearranged employment. Meanwhile, Australia's Humanitarian Program shelters refugees.
Australia wants immigrants who are in good health. Individuals applying for work visas must pass health examinations by government-approved panel doctors when the Australian government prompts them to do so. Those applying for temporary visas--such as the working holiday visa--must undergo a health examination if they are likely to visit a hospital or classroom or if they have a medical condition. Students must obtain health insurance from Overseas Student Health Cover before applying for a visa.
Although modern Australia was founded on the labor of convicts, the country now requires migrants to meet character requirements. Visa applicants must provide police certificates and penal clearances from every place they have lived for at least a year during the previous 10 years, since age 16. They must also sign the Australian Values Statement, which promises that they will respect Australian law.
