Did you know that there are a wide range of Malaysian visa to Australia options available? Whether you would like to have a holiday, visit family and friends, study, work, marry or live with your Australian partner in Australia, there is bound to be a visa to suit your goals and needs. And these are just some of the visa types that are on offer for Malaysian citizens.
The important point is to find the right visa for you, based on your individual circumstances. To do this, you need to have a clear understanding of what it is that you would like to do in Australia, and then decide on the right visa option for you. A good place to start to help you through this process is a registered migration agent. These are trained professionals in migration law who have the qualifications, skills, and experience to provide you with advice on what visa options are available to you.
Keep in mind that migration law is complex, with frequent changes made to adjust for prevailing conditions. Staying on top of these developments is vital to ensuring that you make decisions based on correct and up-to-date laws and regulations. Failing to do so can have serious and long-lasting consequences that can affect your ability to qualify for a further Malaysian visa for Australia.
That is why getting it right the first time is so important. You need to have a good understanding of the migration laws and regulations (and immigration policy and case law too in many cases) and how the provisions apply to your individual situation.
Who Should You Turn To For Help?
The team at PAX Migration Australia are registered migration agents with the skills, qualifications and many years of experience in migration law to assist you with your Malaysian visa for Australia.
You will receive tailored advice which is designed specifically for you and your situation. Contact PAX Migration Australia to learn about your options for a visa for Australia.
Get More Information About Why You Should Consider Choosing PAX Migration Australia
To find out more about why you should consider speaking with PAX Migration Australia, reviews from our clients and what they have to say about us, and why seeking professional assistance and advice from a registered migration agent can be beneficial towards achieving a successful result on your migration matter, see 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
To learn about what you can expect from PAX Migration Australia when engaging our services, including the process, please refer to the below articles:
Migration Agent Kensington Park
What Else Do You Need To Know Before You Start?
Before we move on to discuss the types of visa options that are available to Malaysian citizens, visas to Australia also come in a variety of different forms. Some visas permit you to make a short-term visit to Australia, while others allow a longer-term temporary stay. A permanent residence visa allows you to settle in Australia indefinitely. Some visas are provisional, which means a temporary visa that may lead to the grant of a permanent visa if you meet prescribed requirements.
Another factor to be aware of is that for certain visa types, you may be able to include eligible family members as dependent visa applicants, so that they can accompany you to Australia.
It is also important to be mindful of the fact that for certain types of Malaysian visa to Australia options, you may be required to demonstrate that you satisfy the English language requirement to be eligible for the relevant visa. For this, you may need to complete an English language test and achieve a specified minimum result within a prescribed timeframe.
What Visa Options Are Available To Malaysian Citizens?
Now that we have covered the important points about what you need to be aware of before embarking on this process, let us now turn to the types of Malaysian visa to Australia options that are on offer.
Work And Holiday Visa
If you would like to combine a holiday to Australia with the option to work and study (on a limited basis), then you may consider an Australia working holiday visa Malaysia. With the Subclass 462 Work and Holiday visa, you are free to travel across Australia unrestricted, and you can also travel to and from Australia as many times as you like. This visa permits you to spend 12 months in Australia from the date of your first entry.
And to help fund your trip, you can perform any type of work Australia-wide,
If you are interested in working during your stay in Australia, this visa enables you to do so at any location and in any occupation and industry. However, you will be subject to a 6-month limit for each employer (there are exceptions, whereby you may need to apply for permission to the Department of Home Affairs to work for longer than 6 months for any one employer). There are circumstances that allow you to work for the same employer for more than six months without seeking approval.
With these features, an Australia working holiday visa Malaysia enables you to gain a full and authentic experience of what Australia is truly like, in all its forms. From travelling across the country taking in its unique natural wonders and landscapes, its magnificent tourist landmarks as well as cultural offerings, to becoming embedded with the locals by living and working alongside the community allows you to experience what it is truly like to live in Australia, and why thousands of people make the journey to this beautiful nation each year.
And you may like it so much that you might consider what longer-term, or even permanent visa options there are for you to remain in Australia after your Australia working holiday visa Malaysia.
One of the benefits of having the right to work as a subclass 462 visa holder is that you can use that time to gain skills and experience in your occupation, to later qualify for a further visa where employment may be a requirement, such as for a Skilled visa, for example.
Extend Your Stay In Australia On A Work And Holiday Visa
Add to this another benefit, which is the option to extend your stay in Australia by an extra 12-24 months, if you perform work in regional Australia in line with specified criteria. Having this option means a potential overall stay period of three years in Australia with a Work and Holiday visa.
To qualify for a second year Subclass 462 visa, you must complete three months (88 calendar days) of ‘specified subclass 462 work’ in regional Australia during your stay.
Completing 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 be eligible for a third year visa. The six months specified work must all be performed on or after 1 July 2019.
What Is Specified Subclass 462 Work?
‘Specified work’ is work that is performed in a ‘specified’ industry and area of Australia. ‘Regional Australia’ includes parts of rural and regional Australia, as identified in a list of specified postcodes.
Specified subclass 462 work comprises 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 performed must be paid based on relevant Australian laws and awards.
Where voluntary work is performed which relates to bushfire recovery work that is undertaken in declared bushfire-affected areas, this can be included as specified work when applying for a second or third Work and Holiday visa.
The work performed must be the primary role, function or activity completed in the course of employment. Specified work is not included if it is support work (e.g. bookkeeping).
What Are The Eligibility Criteria For A Work and Holiday Visa?
To qualify for a work and holiday visa as a Malaysian citizen, the key criteria you must satisfy include:
- being aged between 18 and 30 years of age (inclusive) at time of application. If you turn 31 before a decision is made on your application, the visa may still be granted;
- demonstrate a Functional English language competency;
- providing evidence that you have support for the grant of the visa from the Malaysian government, by supplying a letter that includes a statement to the effect that the Malaysian government has agreed to your stay in Australia under this arrangement. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Wisma Putra) is the nominated agency for this purpose;
- demonstrate that you meet an 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 for this purpose;
- being a genuine visitor to Australia with your principal purpose being to have 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 stay for your initial stay (approximately AUD $5,000 not including your departure fare); and
- health and character criteria.
Visitor Visa
If you are seeking to travel to Australia for a short-term period, you might consider a Visitor Visa.
A Subclass 600 Visitor Visa is for applicants who would like to travel to Australia for tourism, business or to visit family. It is a temporary visa that can be issued for a term of up to 3, 6, or 12 months.
You might also be interested in a Subclass 601 Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) Visa, which also enables you to travel to Australia for a shorter period. It is aimed for people who are seeking a holiday in Australia, a visit with family or friends, or as a business visitor. You are also permitted to engage in short-term study or training for up to 3 months.
The subclass 601 visa is temporary visa and is available to citizens from a list a prescribed countries only, which includes Malaysia. With this visa you can enter Australia on an unlimited basis for 12 months (with a maximum 3-month stay period permitted each time you enter Australia).
Skilled Visa
If you are seeking to travel to Australia for work, then you may look at a Skilled Visa option. An Australia working visa for Malaysian citizens is based on your qualifications, skills and/or experience in a nominated occupation (which is specified in a Skilled Occupation List (SOL)).
There are a range of Malaysian working in Australia visa options on offer. The main ones comprise of an independent visa, a state sponsored, family sponsored and employer sponsored visa.
Some skilled visas are regional, which means you must commit to residing and working in your nominating state or territory. They also come if different forms, with temporary, provisional and permanent options available. In certain instances, a skilled visa provides a pathway to a permanent residence visa, enabling you to migrate to Australia.
The main Australia working visa for Malaysian citizens options 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; and
- Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa.
You can learn more about applying for a skilled visa in our article on the Australian Skilled Migration Visa List, where we provide an outline of the main types of skilled visas available, key points related to skilled migration and provide links to more information if you are looking at applying for a Malaysian working in Australia visa.
We also recommend that you refer to our South Australian State Nomination Program article to read about the South Australian state sponsored visa options which are currently on offer.
Student Visa
If your main purpose in seeking to travel to Australia is for study, you might consider a Subclass 500 Student Visa. This temporary visa may be granted for a period of up to five years (the stay period will be determined based on the duration of the course/s you elect to study).
You can select from a wide range of courses and subjects at all levels, comprising, school, vocational, higher education, postgraduate research, non-award and English courses.
For more information and for an outline of the eligibility criteria and how you can apply for a Student Visa, we recommend you refer to our article on the Student Visa.
To discover some of the benefits of studying in Australia, please see our Is Australia the best place to be an international student article.
Temporary Graduate Visa
If you are after a flexible visa option once you have completed your study in Australia, the Subclass 485 visa is one for you to consider. This is a temporary visa that can be granted for between 18 months to 4 years (the length of the visa term will depend on the visa stream for which you apply, and your qualification). It comprises of two streams; a Graduate Work and Post-Study Work stream.
The temporary graduate visa permits you to live, work and study in Australia on an unrestricted basis. It is often considered to be a great option as it is not subject to limitations. It can also form part of a visa pathway if you are planning a longer-term or permanent residence visa in Australia. Its flexibility enables you to use the time you have in Australia whilst the holder of a subclass 485 visa to prepare the necessary elements to allow you to qualify for a further visa for Australia. This might include gaining work experience, completing a qualification and/or living in a specified area of Australia for a prescribed minimum period, for example.
And recent changes also mean that you may be eligible for a second temporary graduate post-study work visa, which provides you with an additional stay period in Australia of an extra 1-2 years (if you meet prescribed criteria). Learn more about this option in our Temporary Graduate Visa Subclass 485 article.
Get More Information About The Temporary Graduate Visa
To read more about the temporary graduate visa for Malaysian citizens, please see the below articles which we have prepared to help you to understand how the subclass 485 visa application works, and the issues you need to be aware of if you are looking at applying for this visa.
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
The Family Visa stream is aimed specifically at human relationships, such as romantic partner/spouse relationships, parent and child relationships.
Partner Visa
One type of family visa is a Partner visa, which is designed for Malaysian citizens 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.
You can apply for a partner visa onshore by lodging a Subclass 820/801 Partner Visa. To apply offshore, the equivalent application is the Subclass 309/100 Partner Visa.
Prospective Marriage Visa
If you are intending to marry your Australian partner or eligible New Zealand citizen, you may like to consider applying for a Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage Visa (an offshore application).
We recommend that you refer to our Partner Visa Sponsor Approval article for more information about the Partner or Prospective Marriage visa.
Other Family Visas
The Family visa stream also includes a range of other visa types that you may be interested in, such as a Child or Parent visa.
You can read about these other family visas in our Sponsoring a family member Article.
Business Visa
A Business Visa could be an option for you to consider if you are looking at establishing and managing, investing in a business, or innovating a product or service to commercialise in Australia.
To qualify for a Business visa, you must receive sponsorship approval by a State or Territory Government.
The business visa stream has temporary and permanent options on offer, and can provide a pathway for permanent residence allowing you to settle in Australia indefinitely.
Get More Information About The Business Visa
We recommend that you refer to our Comprehensive Guide to a Business Investment Visa article for a detailed outline of the Business visa options available.
You can also read about the South Australian state sponsored Business visa options in our South Australian State Nomination Program and 188c Visa Eligibility articles.
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In conclusion, we note that the above discussion provides an overview of the types of Malaysian visas for Australia. Australia’s migration laws are complex, and each case is different. We recommend that you seek professional advice before you proceed with applying for a Malaysian 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 Malaysian 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
