Australia Work Visa Requirements for Nigerian Citizens 2023

If you are looking for a country with a stable economy, promising career opportunities, great social benefits, a quality standard of living, etc., Australia is the place.

Australia, which is also a continent, is an excellent place for anyone seeking to pursue a career.

However, it would help if you had a visa to work in Australia as a Nigerian.

Fortunately, in this post, we will unveil the Australian work visa requirements for Nigerian citizens.

Australian Work Visa

The Australian immigration service opens the door for skilled workers worldwide to come to Australia and fill the labour shortages in various sectors.

Hence, Nigerians with the skills and qualifications to contribute to Australia’s economy can move to the country by applying for an Australian work visa.

There are different types of Australian work visas, and the kind you can use depends on your qualifications, skills, age, profession etc.

Types of Australian Work Visa

As earlier stated, there are many types of Australian work visas, but some will be discussed below:

1. Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (subclass 482)
2. Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485)
3. Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190)
4. Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)
5. Employer Nomination Scheme Visa (Subclass 186)

Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (subclass 482)

The Temporary Skill Shortage visa is for Nigerians whose approved sponsor has nominated for a skilled position that no Australian can fill.

This visa replaced the Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457) in 2018.

Applicants must also meet the English language requirements to qualify for this visa.

This visa has various streams: the Short-term stream, Medium-term stream, Labour agreement stream, and Subsequent entrant.

Depending on your chosen stream, you can stay in Australia for 2-4 years or as long as your visa is valid.

Note that your job position must be on the required occupation list for some of these streams.

Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485)

This visa permits Nigerians to live and work in Australia after completing their studies.

However, you must possess the right skills and qualifications for the job position.

This visa has various streams, which include the Graduate Work stream, Post-Study Work stream, Second Post-Study Work stream and Replacement stream.

Applicants must be under 50 and can stay in Australia for 18 months – 5 years, depending on the stream they choose.

Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190)

This visa permits Nigerians nominated as skilled workers to work and live in Australia as permanent residents.

You can also bring your family members to Australia with this visa.

You must meet all the skill and language requirements to be eligible for this visa.

Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)

This visa permits invited workers to come to Australia to live and work.

A sponsor, in this case, need not nominate applicants. You only need under 45 to be invited for the Point tested stream.

Other streams include the New Zealand stream and the Hong Kong stream.

Employer Nomination Scheme Visa (Subclass 186)

This visa allows skilled workers nominated by an Australian employer to come to Australia to live and work.

You must have the necessary skills to qualify and meet the health and character requirements.

This visa has the following streams; Direct Entry, Labour agreement stream and Temporary Residence Transition stream.

Other work visas include Business Owner (subclass 890), Global Talent visa (subclass 858), Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491), Temporary Activity visa (subclass 408) etc.

Australian Work Visa Requirements

Before we consider the general work visa requirements, it is essential to note that Australia uses a point-based system to select suitable candidates for some visa categories, such as:

• The Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
• The Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
• Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) – the invited pathway
• Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)

Bear in mind that every Australian visa has its specific requirements.

However, all the above visa categories require your job position to be on the skilled occupations list.

Also, applicants who take the Skilled Points Test must have a minimum of 65 points. The test examines candidates based on the following:

Work Experience

You would get points based on how many years you have worked in the relevant field and whether you worked in Australia or outside Australia.

The point breakdown is as follows:

Work Experience outside Australia

Work Experience inside Australia

Qualification

Candidates would also be accessed by their qualifications, and the points breakdown is given below:

If Nigerian applicants study at an Australian university, they may be given an additional 5 points.

Age

The points awarded for the applicant’s age are given below:

Language

You must prove that you have a good mastery of the English language by taking tests like IELTS and TOEFL.

Here is a breakdown of the English level and points awarded:

Partner’s Skills and Qualifications

If your partner is less than age 45, is competent in the English language, is nominated for a skilled job position on the same occupation list as yours, etc., then you can get ten (10) or more points.

Note that you are expected first to lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) online using SkillSelect. The EOI is not a visa application, and no fee is attached.

Other Requirements include the following:

International Passport

It would help if you had an international passport which must stay valid for at least six months before the expiration date of your visa.

You must also provide copies of your passport data page which must be coloured and scanned.

If you also have previous passports, you have to present those as well.

Australian Visa Application Form

You can fill out the application form online after creating an account.

This form must be filled honestly and in block letters.

Note that if you provide false information, it may affect your visa approval.

Passport Photographs

You are required to submit at least two passport photographs during your application process.

These pictures must not be older than six months and must meet Australian photo requirements.

Therefore, the photos must measure 35mm-40mm by 45mm-50mm, and your whole face must be clear.

The photo’s background must be plain, preferably white, and accessories and glasses are prohibited.

National Identity Card

You must also provide a scanned copy of your national identity card.

It may be optional, and if it is not needed, you will be informed by the visa authorities.

Health Insurance

You must indicate that you have medical insurance that covers your health costs throughout your stay in Australia.

Proof of Sufficient Funds

You must prove that you can support yourself and your family members (if they will be coming with you to Australia) throughout your stay in Australia.

You can provide your bank statements for the past six months or a sponsorship letter if anyone would sponsor you.

Travel Itinerary

You must show your travel itinerary, which shows your trip details.

Hence, your itinerary must include your travel dates, proof that you have bought tickets, duration of visit, etc.

Proof of Accommodation

You must provide proof that you have secured accommodation in Australia.

You can present your hotel reservation or an invitation letter from a friend or family member in Australia if you would be living with them.

Police Clearance Certificate

You must prove that you are law-abiding and have no criminal record.

You can do this by submitting a police clearance certificate.

Proof of Good Health

You must prove that you are in good health by taking medical tests for various diseases such as yellow fever and polio.

Australian Work Visa Application Guide

The following are the processes to apply for an Australian work visa;

Australian Work Visa Processing Time

There is no specific time for the Australian work visa, as there are many categories.

While one visa type may take some days to process, another visa may take several months.

However, you must have no issues with your application, which may delay the processing time.

Conclusion

Australia is undoubtedly a nice place to pursue your career goals.

However, it would help if you had a work visa to access the employment opportunities there.

I have shown you all you need to get a work visa, and following our guidelines guarantees a smooth application process.