Australia offers a wide range of visas for different purposes, including work, study, family reunification, tourism, and permanent residency. Below is a comprehensive list of Australian visa categories and their subclasses that Immigrad can provide specialist support:
Summary of Key Visa Type
| Purpose | Visa Subclass Examples |
| Work (Temporary) | 482, 400, 403, 407, 408, 494, 417, 462, 485, 491 |
| Work (Permanent) | 186, 189, 190, 191, 858, 155 |
| Business/Investor | 188, 888 |
| Student | 500, 590 |
| Family/Partner | 820/801, 309/100, 103, 143 |
| Tourist/Visitor | 600, 601, 651 |
| Refugee/Humanitarian | 200, 202, 866 |
| Other | 461 |
Frequently asked questions
What are the main types of Australian visas?
Australian visas fall into broad groups: visitor visas, student visas, temporary and permanent work visas, employer-sponsored visas, skilled points-tested visas, partner and family visas, business and investment visas, and humanitarian visas. Each subclass has its own criteria, charges and conditions, and eligibility for one group says nothing about eligibility for another.
What is the difference between a temporary and a permanent visa?
A temporary visa allows you to stay for a fixed period and usually carries conditions, such as working only for a sponsoring employer or studying in a nominated course. A permanent visa gives indefinite residence, work rights without an employer restriction, access to Medicare, and a pathway to apply for Australian citizenship once residence requirements are met.
Which Australian visa should I apply for?
That depends on your occupation and skills assessment, your age, English level, work experience, whether an Australian employer will sponsor you, and whether you have an Australian partner or close family. Most people are eligible to apply for more than one pathway, and the sensible question is which one is realistic and fastest for your circumstances.
What is an employer-sponsored visa?
An employer-sponsored visa requires an approved Australian business to nominate you for a specific position it cannot readily fill locally. The main subclasses are Skills in Demand subclass 482, Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional subclass 494, and Employer Nomination Scheme subclass 186, which leads to permanent residence.
Can I change from one visa to another while in Australia?
Often, but not always. Some visas carry condition 8503, a no further stay condition, which bars an onshore application unless it is waived. Others require you to be offshore at the time of application. Check the conditions on your current grant notice before assuming an onshore change of visa is available to you.
How long do Australian visa applications take to process?
Processing times vary by subclass, stream and the completeness of your evidence. The Department of Home Affairs publishes indicative global processing times for each visa on its website, and these are updated regularly. No agent can promise a processing time, because the timeframe is a matter for the Department.
Related pages: Employer sponsored visas · Partner visas · Permanent residence visas · Student visas
This information is general in nature and was checked against Department of Home Affairs sources on 15 September 2026. It is not personal migration advice. Charges, thresholds and requirements change. Complex circumstances need advice from a registered migration agent about your own situation.