All countries → Asia-Pacific → Australia
🇦🇺 Australia visa and residence routes
Points-tested and age-capped, but with the world's most generous working-holiday scheme as a side door.
At least one route here publishes no income or savings floor at all (Skilled Independent / Nominated (189/190)). Documented routes cover points-based, youth mobility, employer-sponsored and study. Naturalisation becomes possible after roughly 4 years of qualifying residence.
How Australia compares
It is one of the more expensive destinations we cover, at roughly €2,500 a month for one person. English is widely enough spoken that daily life and work rarely require the local language. Healthcare is among the strongest on this list.
Who these routes are built for
Based on the routes currently included in our database for Australia, these options suit students, who often find the study permit the most reliable first step; young applicants from eligible countries, through youth mobility; skilled applicants who score well on a points test.
They are a poor fit for remote workers, who have no dedicated route here; retirees, since no passive-income route is published.
What the bar means in practice
The lowest income requirement, €4,200 a month on the Skills in Demand (employer sponsored), sits against living costs of about €2,500 a month. That is roughly 1.7 times typical single-person living costs, leaving a real but not generous margin. If that is out of reach, the nearest lower bar in Asia-Pacific is 🇸🇬 Singapore, which starts at €3,900 a month.
Routes at a glance
| Route | Built for | Financial bar | Processing | Leads to residency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Independent / Nominated (189/190) | Points-based | none published | 6–12 mo | Yes |
| Working Holiday Visa (417/462) | Youth mobility | €3,100 saved | 1 mo | No |
| Skills in Demand (employer sponsored) | Employer-sponsored | €4,200/mo | 2–4 mo | Yes |
| Student Visa (subclass 500) | Study | €18,000 saved | 1–3 mo | Yes |
The financial bar is the main money test for that route — a monthly income floor, or the savings to show where no income floor applies. Figures are for a single applicant; most programmes scale upward for a partner or children.
Which of these would actually take you?
This page lists the routes currently included in our database for Australia. The free 3-minute check compares those rules against your own passport, income, savings, age and family, and stamps each route clear, stretch or blocked — with the reason.
No account, no card, results in 3 minutes.
Routes in our database, in detail
Skilled Independent / Nominated (189/190)
Points test: under 45, occupation on the skilled list, strong English, skills assessment. Invitation rounds are competitive.
Working Holiday Visa (417/462)
18–30 (35 for some countries incl. UK): 1 year of open work, extendable to 3 with regional work. US cap: age 30.
Skills in Demand (employer sponsored)
Sponsored job on the occupation list at ~AU$76k+; a common bridge to permanent residence.
Student Visa (subclass 500)
Admission plus ~AU$30k/yr living funds evidence; post-study work visas follow most degrees.
Before you rely on any of this
Visa and residence requirements on this page are compiled from the linked official sources and current as of 2026-08-07. Cost of living, English, healthcare and cross-country comparison indicators are ExpatSuccess estimates, not government figures. Governments change immigration rules without notice and consulates apply them with discretion, so confirm on the linked official portal before making decisions or spending money. This page is research, not legal, immigration, tax or financial advice.
Other Asia-Pacific destinations
🇹🇭 Thailand · 🇯🇵 Japan · 🇰🇷 South Korea · 🇲🇾 Malaysia · 🇮🇩 Indonesia (Bali) · 🇸🇬 Singapore · 🇳🇿 New Zealand · 🇵🇭 Philippines