Working Holiday Visa for Australia - Remove Age Barrier?

It seems that the skilled worker shortage is forcing government officials to re-think some visa policies to encourage more emigration to Australia. Queensland Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry, Desley Boyle, called for the Australian government to lift the age restriction on the "Working Holiday Visa."

Currently, this visa is available only to individuals between the ages of 18-30. Boyle would like to see this restriction removed as the minister views individuals older than 30 just as capable of possessing the type of skills necessary to fill the various position vacancies (and rightfully so).

The proposal has been put forth informally at the moment and there's no word on whether the government will move on the matter. Individuals looking to emigrate to Australia via the working holiday visa can find more information at the Australian Visa Bureau.

6 Ways to Emigrate to Australia

For quite some time I dreamed that I would someday emigrate to Australia. The thought of nice beaches, friendly folks, and plentiful beer (okay, there’s lots of great beer in Canada too!) seemed to tempt me day after day. One day I finally decided to take the next step and figure out what it would take for me to actually be able to make the jump.

What follows is my research into the various options available to individuals looking to live and work in the “Land Down Under”.

1) Employer Sponsored Visa

For individuals looking to emigrate to Australia for work, the most direct route to take would be to secure a job offer in a skill that’s in demand. The Australian economy is booming at the moment and there are shortages across the board in skilled professions. To be eligible for this visa, you need to be over 18 and under 45, have a letter of offer from a legal Australian business, the position offered should be on the skilled occupation list (SOL) be in good health, meet all the character requirements, and be proficient in the English language.

For a complete list of requirements, check here.

2) Skilled Independent Visa

The skilled independent visa is similar to the employer sponsored visa, but with a few major differences. The first is that a candidate must be subjected to an evaluation to determine their suitability for emigrating to Australia. The test awards points for the candidate’s skilled trade, English speaking ability, age, health, etc. A score of at least 120 much be achieved for the candidate to be considered for a visa.

View the points calculator here.

3) Australian Travel Visa (Working while on holiday)

This visa is intended for people between 18-30 years old who spend a portion of their holiday working in Australia. This visa entitles the holder to be able to stay in Australia for up to 12 months. The visa holder may also work for legal Australian business while there, but they may not work for the same employer for more than 3 months.

This is a fantastic way for young people to visit this beautiful country without having to go broke in the process. I’ve heard from a number of people who have done this and they said they’ve had absolutely wonderful times.

4) Students

If you wish to do your post-secondary study in Australia, you can apply for a Higher Education temporary visa. This visa enables you study in Australia, to take eligible dependants with you, and allows you and your family to apply for work in the country. The criterion for eligibility for this visa includes an assessment which focuses on your nation of origin as well as your course of study.

5) Retiring in Australia

Although they are offered, retirement visas can be tough to obtain. A few of the major criteria for retiring in Australia are your health and your pocket book. If you are considering retiring in Australia, you should be very financially secure and in reasonable health as being a potential burden on the country’s health care system could work against you.

6) Tourists

So you aren’t looking to emigrate to Australia, but you are looking to visit for pleasure purposes. Well, for all visitors who aren’t citizens of New Zealand, you will have to register for a visitor visa, or if you hold a passport from an eligible country, you can apply for an electronic travel authority (ETA). An ETA will allow you to stay in the country for up to 3 months. To find out if your country is on the eligible list for an ETA, you can visit the Department of Immigration and Citizenship's website

If your country isn’t on the ETA eligible list, then you will have to apply for a visitor visa which will allow you to stay in the country for between 3-6 months (12 months in certain circumstances). You can view the requirements here.

For further information on how to emigrate to Australia, check out the following refernce book (available at Amazon.com):