Australian Residence Visa Pathways

There are three streams of this visa:

• Direct Entry;
• Labour Agreement: which must have an employer with a labour agreement;
• Temporary Residence Transition Stream: for which you must hold a Subclass 457, Subclass 482, or related Bridging A, B, or C visa. 

New Zealand citizens would normally consider the Direct Entry stream. For this stream you must have an occupation on the relevant Skilled Occupation List.

New Zealand citizens who have worked for the nominating employer in the same position for at least two years in the last three years may not need to complete a Skills Assessment. Or else provide evidence of at least three years’ previous work experience. They may also be exempt from the age requirements. This makes this visa option available to those who are over 45 years of age, as well as making it a lot simpler than the Subclass 189 points-tested visa.

Find out more about Subclass 186.

Here’s a quick overview of Subclass 189. You must have:

• Started living in Australia on or before 19 February 2016;
• Be a holder of a Special Category Visa (Subclass 444 visa);
• Been usually resident in Australia for the last five years prior to application lodgement, and that this time started on or before the 19th of February 2016; 
• A taxable income at or above a prescribed income threshold for a set period of time before your application is lodged;

There’s no need for an offer of employment or a sponsor for Subclass 189 NZ Stream. Read more about Subclass 189.

For this type of application you must have:

• An occupation on the relevant Skilled Occupation List; and
• A skills assessment; and
• Meet English criteria; and
• Meet the points criteria; and
• Complete an Expression of Interest and be invited to apply for this visa

This application does not require an offer of employment or sponsor.

For this type of application you must:

• Have an occupation on the relevant Skilled Occupation List;
• Undergo a skills assessment;
• Meet English language criteria;
• Meet the points criteria;
• Be nominated for this visa by an Australian state or territory government agency; and
• Complete an Expression of Interest and be invited to apply for this visa.

Similar to Subclass 189, Visa Subclass 190 allows you to gain additional points for nomination. However, you may be required to work in the nominated state or territory for a period of time.

Find out more about Subclass 190.

Even minor convictions can create a less-than-pleasant experience at the border – yet travelling to Australia with a criminal record may still be possible. Here’s an overview of which criminal convictions prevent travel to Australia. VisaAide has extensive experience in dealing with character issues and we ensure our service is strictly confidential.

Find out more about travelling to Australia with a criminal record.

Subclass 461 is one of the best temporary visas for Australia – and our immigration consultants at VisaAide specialise in applications for it. It’s for people who aren’t New Zealand citizens, but are in a relationship with (or a member of a family unit) of an NZ citizen who holds a Special Category Visa Subclass 444.

Subclass 461 is a five-year open work visa that allows unlimited travel to and from Australia within that time period.

Find out more about the Subclass 461 Visa.

If you arrived in Australia prior to 1 September 1994 as a New Zealand citizen, even if it was for a holiday, you may be eligible for this visa in some rare circumstances.

This application can only be made while you are in Australia as the holder of a Subclass 444 (Special Category) Visa.

If you have spent more than five years outside of Australia since your pre-September 1994 arrival, you will need to provide evidence of your compelling or compassionate reasons for being absent from Australia.