Australia runs two routes to work: points-tested skilled migration, where you compete on your own profile, and employer sponsorship through the TSS 482. The first can grant permanent residence outright. The second gets you into the country faster.
The four visas that matter
Most applicants choose between four subclasses: three points-tested skilled visas and one employer-sponsored.
| Visa | How you qualify | Status on grant | Key limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 189 Skilled Independent | Points test, no sponsor | Permanent residence | You compete purely on points |
| 190 Skilled Nominated | Points test plus state or territory nomination | Permanent residence | Nominating state expects you to settle there |
| 491 Skilled Work Regional | Points test plus regional nomination | Provisional, valid five years | PR eligibility after three years in a regional area |
| 482 TSS | Approved employer sponsors you | Temporary | Short-term stream up to two years, medium-term up to four |
The 189 is the cleanest outcome and the hardest to get. The 190 and 491 trade geographic flexibility for extra points. The 482 skips the points test, so it suits people whose occupation or age scores badly.
How the points test actually works
You need 65 points to submit an Expression of Interest. That makes you eligible, not competitive, because invitations go to the highest scorers in each occupation.
The big blocks are age, English and experience. Applicants aged 25 to 32 score up to 30 points, the largest category. Superior English scores 20 points. Eight or more years of skilled work experience scores up to 15, and a bachelor’s degree or higher scores 15. State nomination adds 5 to 15 depending on the visa.
Two levers are worth real money. If you are 33 or older, retaking your English test to reach superior level is the fastest gain. If your score sits at 65 to 70, a 190 or 491 nomination is often the difference between waiting indefinitely and getting invited.
The cash you spend before you lodge
The visa charge comes last and is only part of the cost. Everything below happens before the Department of Home Affairs sees your application, and none of it is refundable if you are never invited.
You pay a skills assessment body to verify your qualifications and experience against Australian standards. You pay for an English test, often more than once, because band scores rarely land where you want first time. You pay for police clearance certificates from every country you have lived in, and for a panel medical. Add translation and certification if your papers are not in English.
Budget these as a block, in order, and check current visa charges on the official Department of Home Affairs fee schedule rather than forum figures, which go stale.
When a registered migration agent earns their fee
You can lodge without help, especially straightforward 189 cases with one degree, one employer and one country of residence.
Paying a MARA-registered agent makes sense when your file has friction: gaps in your work history, a qualification that does not map neatly onto your nominated occupation, a previous refusal, time in several countries, or a partner whose skills you want to claim points for. The value is framing the evidence correctly the first time, because a refusal costs you the charge and the months.
Check registration before you pay anyone. Only agents on the public MARA register may give immigration assistance for a fee, and no legitimate adviser promises guaranteed outcomes or timelines.
Salary ranges by occupation
These are indicative annual ranges in Australian dollars, not offers. What you get depends on location, employer, and how your experience is recognised locally.
| Occupation | Indicative annual salary (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Software engineer | 100,000 to 130,000 |
| IT business analyst | 95,000 to 120,000 |
| Mechanical engineer | 85,000 to 100,000 |
| Electrician | 80,000 to 95,000 |
| Registered nurse | 70,000 to 90,000 |
| Heavy vehicle driver | 70,000 to 85,000 |
| Welder or fabricator | 65,000 to 85,000 |
| Medical technician | 65,000 to 80,000 |
| Cook or chef | 60,000 to 75,000 |
| Aged care worker | 55,000 to 65,000 |
The rent maths that decides where you go
A capital city offer looks better on paper and often is not. Indicative monthly rent for a one-bedroom runs around 2,500 in Sydney, 2,000 in Melbourne, 1,700 in Brisbane, and 1,200 to 1,500 in regional areas.
Run the annual difference. Sydney against a regional town costs you roughly 12,000 to 15,600 a year in rent alone. A nurse offered 90,000 in Sydney and 75,000 regionally is close to level once housing is paid.
That matters twice over for the 491, which requires regional living anyway and opens PR eligibility after three years. If your occupation sits mid-table, regional is often the stronger financial position and the faster nomination.
Timelines and the 60-day rule
Skilled migration processing generally runs 6 to 12 months once lodged, and EOI waits vary widely by occupation and points score. TSS applications run 2 to 6 months, which is why employers use it when they need someone working this year.
One deadline is fixed: you must lodge within 60 days of an invitation. Organise your police checks, medicals and documents before it lands, because 60 days disappears fast when you are chasing a certificate from a country you left a decade ago.
Step by step, both routes
For skilled migration: check your occupation is on the relevant list, get a skills assessment, sit an English test reaching at least 6.0 in each band on IELTS or the PTE equivalent, submit an EOI through SkillSelect, wait for an invitation, lodge within 60 days, complete health and character checks, then receive the grant.
For the 482: find an approved sponsoring employer, have them nominate the position, lodge, complete health and character checks, receive the grant, then work for that sponsor. Medium-term stream roles can lead to employer-sponsored permanent residence, so your stream matters more than the visa label.
Spouses and children can be included on both routes. Our guides to and cover comparable points systems.
FAQ
Is 65 points enough to get invited?
Sixty-five is the minimum to submit an EOI, not a threshold for invitation. Invitations go to the highest-ranked candidates in each occupation, so competitive occupations clear well above the floor. Treat 65 as your entry ticket and build on it with English, nomination or experience.
Can I switch from a 482 to permanent residence?
Medium-term stream roles can lead to employer-sponsored permanent residence. Short-term holders generally need another route, which may mean a points-tested application. Confirm which stream your nomination sits in before you accept the job.
Do I need private health insurance on a skilled visa?
Permanent residents get Medicare access on grant, so the requirement differs sharply from the 482. Temporary 482 holders must hold adequate overseas visitor health cover for the whole stay, covering any family with you. Family policies cost more than singles cover, so budget it as a recurring monthly cost.
How long until I can apply for citizenship?
Citizenship eligibility generally arrives after four years of residence, with permanent residence required for part of that period. Time on a provisional 491 counts toward residence in some circumstances, but not toward the PR component. Check the current requirement before you count your years.
What to do next
Start with the occupation list, because nothing else matters if your occupation is not on it. Book your English test early and sit a practice exam first, since superior English is the cheapest score you can buy. Get quotes from the relevant skills assessment body and two MARA-registered agents so you know the full cost. Then compare your occupation’s salary range against rent in the cities you would realistically move to, and see the same calculation for other systems in our .
Fees and rules change; verify current requirements on the official Department of Home Affairs website before you apply.
