Different types of Visa Explained
When considering migration to Australia you should realise and accept that the migration program provides a ladder of opportunity for virtually everybody. There are so many visas to come into Australia but they are not all the same.
There are almost 150 Australian visas (although this number is changing almost all the time). These visas vary in quality and the amount of benefits they provide to the holder.
The least beneficial visas, which are also usually the easiest to obtain, are tourist visas which generally do not allow you to work or study. We regard these visas as the bottom of the ladder and an entry level visa into Australia .
Further up the ladder of opportunity are visas such as student visas which give you the benefit of studying in Australia , developing a network of friends, family and work contacts, as well as enabling you to work part-time without any restrictions as to employer for a certain amount of time whilst studying.
These visas are very beneficial if you want to come to Australia and look for work, assimilate to the country and/or develop your career via education and enhance your opportunities in the workforce.
Visas stepping stones to permanent residency
Generally speaking the next level of visas up the ladder would be the 457 work visas. These allow visa applicants to be sponsored by Australian employers for up to four years and also to be used as another rung on the ladder towards permanent residency through the employer nomination category.
The top level of visas is of course the permanent resident visas split across the skilled, employment, business and family categories (as well as some other miscellaneous visas which we will not go into here).
These visas can all provide direct entry to permanent residence (although most of the business visas are now a two stage visa with a very good temporary 4 year business visa as a necessary first step).
Sometimes I call visas stepping stones instead of steps on the ladder, either way, the analogy is there for you to use and to understand.
Migration is a process which is neither always easy nor simple, but is virtually always possible if you will apply yourself to obtaining wise advice and moving steadily and strategically up the ladder of visa opportunity in the Australian migration program.
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