Have you thought about travelling to Australia? Did you know that there are a wide range of Greece visa Australia options available, with each one designed to suit a particular purpose? The key is in determining the right one for you, based on you own personal circumstances, goals and needs.
So, what sort of Australian visa for Greek citizens options are on offer?
Types Of Visas Available For Greek Citizens
If you are seeking to travel to Australia for a holiday or to visit family and friends, you might consider a Visitor Visa. Or you can study in Australia with a Student Visa. A working holiday visa for Greek citizens in Australia can be a great choice if you are looking at an extended holiday in Australia, combined with work and short-term study rights (limitations apply). Another popular choice is a Skilled Visa, which relates specifically to your skills, experience and/or qualifications in a skilled occupation that may be nominated under the skilled migration program. There are also a range of Family Visas, which are all about human relationships (partner, parent and child are some examples).
As you can see, there is a visa option for virtually any purpose (and this is just some of the choices on offer!). The range of Greece visa Australia options also come in a range of different forms.
Some visas enable you to make a short-term visit to Australia, whilst others offer a longer-term stay. Another type of visa available is a permanent visa, which allows you to settle in Australia indefinitely. Some visas are provisional, which is a temporary visa that may lead to the grant of a permanent visa, if you meet certain requirements.
And another point to consider is that you may like Australia so much that you might decide to make it a longer term, or even permanent stay! It is not hard to see why many thousands of people travelling to Australia each year find this nation so appealing. Not only is it a unique and beautiful country, but it is known the world over for its democracy, freedom, stable government, multicultural society and first-class health, education, and employment opportunities, just to name a few.
Some further factors to be aware of if you are considering apply for a Greece visa for Australia is that for certain visa types, you may have the option to bring eligible family members with you to Australia as dependent applicants. And another aspect is that for certain visas, as a Greek citizen, you may need to provide evidence that you satisfy an English language requirement to be eligible for the relevant visa. For this you may be required to complete an English language test and gain a prescribed minimum test score to qualify.
There are also options to plan a longer-term migration pathway to Australia, but this all depends on your individual situation, and what your goals and needs are. And crucially, having a good understanding of the visa options available, their requirements, conditions, obligations and process for how to apply correctly.
This is something that a registered migration agent is specifically trained to do each and every day.
Get Help By Contacting a Registered Migration Agent
PAX Migration Australia are trained professionals in migration law. Our team of experts possess the skills, qualifications and years of experience to help people like you to apply for a Greece visa for Australia.
As part of the service, your registered migration agent will provide you with tailored advice that is prepared specifically for you, based on your individual situation, your goals and needs. Contact PAX Migration Australia to explore your options for an Australian visa.
Get More Information About Why To Choose PAX Migration Australia
To learn more about why you should consider speaking with PAX Migration Australia, reviews and testimonials from our clients about what they think about us, and why obtaining professional assistance and advice from a migration agent can be beneficial in achieving a positive outcome on your migration matter, please refer to the following articles:
Selecting a migration agent in Australia
Should I use a migration agent or immigration lawyer for my application?
Migration Agent Aberfoyle Park
For more information on what you can expect from PAX Migration Australia when you engage our services, including the process involved, please refer to the following articles:
Migration Agent Kensington Park
Visa Options For Greek Citizens
Now that we have covered the important points about getting started on a visa application, lets now take a closer look at the various types of Australian visas for Greek citizens that are on offer.
Visitor Visa
If you are seeking to travel to Australia for a short-term period, you might look at a Visitor Visa.
One type of visitor visa is the Subclass 600 Visitor Visa, which is aimed for people who are looking to travel to Australia for a holiday, business or to visit family and friends. It is a temporary visa and can have a validity period of up to 3, 6, or 12 months.
Another type of visitor visa that is available to Greek citizens is the Subclass 601 Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) Visa. This allows you to visit Australia for a shorter period and is designed for those who would like to spend time in Australia on holidays, to visit family and friends, or as a business visitor. It also permits a short course of study or training for up to 3 months. This type of visitor visa is an option that is available only to citizens of a limited list of countries, including Greece. With the Subclass 601 visa, you can travel to Australia as many times as you like for a 12-month period, with a maximum of 3 months stay allowed each time you enter.
A third visitor visa option is the Subclass 651 eVisitor visa, which is also available to a restricted number of countries, including to Greek citizens. As a subclass 651 visa holder, you can have unlimited travel to Australia in a 12-month period, with a maximum stay of up to 3 months every time you enter the country. It is aimed for Greek citizens who are looking to travel to Australia for tourism, to visit family and friends, or as a business visitor. It also allows you to complete study or training for up to 3 months.
Work And Holiday Visa
How about a holiday combined with work to help fund your trip, and maybe even some short-term study to broaden your mind? You can do this with a working holiday visa Australia Greece. This visa allows you to spend 12 months in Australia from the date of your first entry.
What Can You Do As A Work And Holiday Visa Holder?
A working holiday visa Australia Greece allows you to travel across Australia on an unrestricted basis, and you can also travel to and from Australia as many times as you wish. One of its great features is that apart from offering you the chance to travel freely across the nation to discover its amazing and unique sights and sounds, you can work along the way to help fund your trip.
You can perform any type of work, at any location, and in any occupation and industry. You will, however, be subject to a 6-month work limitation for each employer in certain cases (there are exceptions which require you to apply for permission to the Department of Home Affairs (the Department) to work for the same employer for more than six months).
In this way, a work and holiday visa provides you with the opportunity to get in and amongst the Australian community, and essentially live as a local, which is arguably the best way to maximise your experience in a new country.
Having the ability to work in Australia also means that in addition to the extra money you can earn to help fund your travels, you can see what it is like to work in Australia as a local, which may be an important consideration if you are thinking about longer term temporary residence in Australia in the future, or even to migrate to Australia with a permanent residence visa.
The opportunity that you have to perform work in Australia whilst the holder of a work and holiday visa is that you can gain skills and experience in your occupation, which you may need to be eligible for a future visa, where employment may be a criterion (for example, a Skilled Visa).
Option To Extend Your Work And Holiday Visa
And another benefit? If you meet the prescribed requirements, you may have the option to extend your stay in Australia for an additional 12-24 months. To qualify for this extra stay period, you must complete work in regional Australia, according to specified criteria. This provides an overall stay period of potentially up to three years in Australia on a Work and Holiday visa.
Among the eligibility criteria to qualify for a second year Subclass 462 visa, you must perform three months (88 calendar days) of ‘specified subclass 462 work’ in regional Australia during your stay.
If you complete an additional six months (179 calendar days) of specified work whilst you hold your second-year work and holiday visa (or a Bridging Visa which is in effect, and which was granted when you applied for your second-year work and holiday visa) will enable you to qualify for a third-year visa. The six months specified work must all be performed from 1 July 2019 onwards.
You can read more about the option to extend the Work and Holiday visa period in our Major Working Holiday Visa Changes and Changes to the Working Holiday Maker Visa 2019 articles.
What Work Can You Do In Australia On A Work And Holiday Visa?
‘Specified subclass 462 work’ means work that is performed in a ‘specified’ industry and area of Australia. ‘Regional Australia’ includes parts of rural and regional Australia (which are identified in a listing of prescribed postcodes).
Specified subclass 462 work comprises of plant and animal cultivation, fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, tourism and hospitality, construction, bushfire recovery work, and critical COVID-19 work in the healthcare and medical sectors.
The work must be remunerated based on relevant Australian laws and awards.
To apply for a second or third Work and Holiday visa, voluntary work can be included as specified subclass 462 work if it relates to bushfire recovery work that is performed in declared bushfire-affected areas.
The work must be the primary role, function or activity which is completed in the course of employment. Support work (e.g. bookkeeping) would not be deemed to be specified work in order to meet this requirement.
Who Is Eligible For A Work and Holiday Visa?
To qualify for a working holiday visa for Greek citizens Australia, the main requirements that you need to satisfy are to:
- be aged between 18 and 30 years of age (inclusive) at time of application. If you turn 31 before the Department decides your application, the work and holiday visa can still be granted;
- demonstrate that you have Functional English;
- demonstrate that you meet the education requirement, for which you must have a tertiary qualification, or have completed 2 years of undergraduate university study. Accepted tertiary qualifications are degrees, graduate certificates and diplomas. Certificates and Senior Secondary Certificate of Education are not acceptable to meet this requirement;
- be a genuine visitor to Australia where your principal purpose is to spend a holiday;
- not be accompanied by dependent children during your stay in Australia;
- have sufficient funds to cover your departure fare from Australia and to support yourself during your initial stay (approximately AUD $5,000, not including your departure fare); and
- meet health and character requirements.
Skilled Visa
If you seek to come to Australia for work, you may consider a Skilled Visa. You could be eligible for a Skilled Greece visa Australia on the basis of your skills, qualifications and/or experience. To qualify, your skilled occupation must also be listed on the relevant Skilled Occupation List (SOL) as prescribed for the skilled visa that you are seeking to apply for.
There are a range of skilled visas available for you to consider. Each subclass has its own specific requirements, obligations and visa conditions which you will be subject to. There are temporary, permanent and provisional skilled visas.
Some of the main skilled visas are:
- Subclass 189 Skilled (Independent) visa;
- Subclass 190 Skilled (Nominated) visa;
- Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa;
- Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa;
- Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa;
- Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa.
Get More Information About The Skilled Visa
You can read about the various types of skilled visas available, the key aspects related to skilled migration and links to further information if you are considering applying for a skilled visa in our article on the Australian Skilled Migration Visa List.
Please also refer to our South Australian State Nomination Program for further information about the South Australian state sponsored options that are available.
Business Visa
If you are looking to establish and manage, invest in a business, or innovate a product or service to commercialise in Australia, you may look at whether a Business Visa could be the right option for you. To be eligible, you need to be granted sponsorship approval by a State or Territory Government.
There are temporary and permanent residence business visa options available, including pathways for you to settle in Australia indefinitely.
Get More Information About The Business Visa
See our article providing a Comprehensive Guide to a Business Investment Visa for a detailed outline of the Business visa options available.
You can also read about the South Australian state sponsored Business visa options on offer in our articles on the South Australian State Nomination Program and 188c Visa Eligibility.
Student Visa
Have you thought about studying in Australia? You can develop and grow your mind, gain a qualification to help improve your future employment prospects and at the same time, experience what Australia has to offer. And given the thousands of international students who arrive in Australia each year, you can meet people from across the globe as you embark on your studies in Australia. You can also work in Australia as a student visa holder (subject to restrictions).
The Subclass 500 Student Visa is a temporary visa, with a validity period based on the duration of the course/s you select to study (up to 5 years).
You can choose from a large selection of courses and subjects to study, from highly regarded and world-renowned education institutions across Australia. You might like to learn a trade and pursue a vocational education. Or you may be seeking a higher education or postgraduate research degree. Alternatively, a non-award or English course may be your preference. Whatever it is that you are seeking to study in Australia, you are bound to find a course that suits your goals and needs.
Learn more in our article on the Student Visa, which outlines the eligibility criteria and how you can apply for a Student Visa.
And for more about some of the benefits of studying in Australia, see our Is Australia the best place to be an international student article.
Temporary Graduate Visa
A great visa option for recent international student graduates is the Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate Visa. This is a temporary visa comprising a Graduate Work and Post-Study Work stream. The subclass 485 visa can be granted for between 18 months and 4 years (this will depend on the stream for which you apply, and your qualification).
One of the benefits of the temporary graduate visa is its flexibility and the fact that it is not subject to restrictions. It allows you to live, work and study in Australia on an unrestricted basis, meaning you choose how you spend your time. So, you might decide to travel around the country, or perhaps you would like to study. You could also work, for any employer in any industry.
It can also be a good option for people who are considering a longer-term or permanent visa pathway in Australia. Given its flexibility, you can use the time that you have in Australia as the holder of a subclass 485 visa to prepare for and meet relevant requirements to later qualify for a further Greece visa for Australia. Therefore, you could use your time to work in your skilled occupation, and hence gain employment experience. Or, you could complete a qualification and/or live in a certain area of Australia for a minimum length of time, for example.
And as a bonus, recent changes mean you may qualify for a second subclass 485 visa post-study work visa, allowing you an extended stay in Australia of an additional 1-2 years (if you meet specified requirements). You can read about this option in our article on the Temporary Graduate Visa Subclass 485.
Get More Information About The Temporary Graduate Visa
To learn more about the temporary graduate visa, we recommend that you refer to the below articles, which we have prepared to assist you to understand how the subclass 485 visa application works, and the types of issues that you need to be mindful of when embarking on this application.
International Graduates Continue to Get Caught Out on Graduate Visa
What are different temporary graduate visa streams and how to qualify for these streams
Qualification criteria for Temporary Graduate subclass 485 visa
Occupation lists – what are they and how do they apply to graduates?
Comprehensive Guide to Temporary Graduate Subclass 485 Visa
Top 5 Graduate Visa Tips AND How to spend your time on a graduate visa wisely
Most common refusal reasons for graduate visas
Family Visa
If you are seeking a visa to Australia that is based on a relationship, then consider the Family Visa stream. These visas cover a range of relationships. Including fiancé, partner, spouse, parent and child relationships.
Partner Visa
A Partner visa is for people who are in a married or de facto relationship with an Australian partner or eligible New Zealand citizen.
It provides a pathway to permanent residence in Australia for Greek citizens.
To apply for a partner visa in Australia, you need to lodge a Subclass 820/801 Partner Visa application.
Alternatively, you can apply offshore by lodging a Subclass 309/100 Partner Visa application.
Prospective Marriage Visa
If you are engaged to be married to your Australian partner or eligible New Zealand citizen, you might look at applying for a Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage Visa, which must be lodged offshore.
You can read about the Partner and Prospective Marriage visas in our article on Partner Visa Sponsor Approval.
Other Family Visas
There are a range of other visas you could consider in the Family visa stream, such as a Parent or Child visa.
You can find further information about other family visas in our Sponsoring a family member article.
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In conclusion, we note that the above discussion provides an overview of the types of Greece visas for Australia. Australia’s migrations laws are complex, and each case is different. We recommend that you seek professional advice before you proceed with applying for a Greece visa for Australia, as being fully informed about the process and requirements that apply will give you the best chance of achieving a successful outcome on your application, and thus lessen the chance that it will be refused. A migration professional can help you to do this. Start off on the right foot by contacting PAX Migration Australia today.
For up-to-date advice on a Greece visa for Australia, book your confidential consultation with a migration agent in Adelaide. PAX Migration Australia is a leading immigration advice service based in Adelaide.
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Sources/Links:
Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs – Immigration and citizenship – Working Holiday Maker (WHM) program – specified work conditions – Specified subclass 462 work
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/whm-program/specified-work-conditions/specified-work-462
