Australia Work Visa Requirements for Indian Citizens in 2025

Indian citizens aspiring to work in Australia will have to get a work visa. Australia work visa allows individuals to be employed and work in Australia for a certain period of time. Individuals will have to complete the application process online and they are also required to submit the passport in person. Once the Australian work visa has been granted the candidates will receive it via mail. The candidates will have to submit documents such as passport, health insurance, etc in order to get a work visa for Australia. Check the below guide to know about the Australia work visa requirements for Indian citizens.

Types of Australia Work Visas

Australia offers several work visas for Indian students. Each work visa in Australia has specific eligibility criteria and requirements. The duration of stay, skill levels, etc, are completely different. Here we have listed some of the best work visas for Indian nationals. You can learn about these work visas and decide which one is right for you.

Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa (subclass 482): 

This visa is given for up to 4 years and has three streams: The short-term stream (2 years of stay for occupations under the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL), the medium-term stream offers 4 years of stay for occupations under the Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), and Labour stream allows sponsored workers to work under a labour agreement between the Australian government, and an employer.

Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189)

This visa permits the skilled workers to stay in Australia and work permanently. This visa is for those who want to work under the occupations listed on the MLTSSL. You do not need sponsorship for this visa. This visa is granted on the basis of a point system.

Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190)

This is a point-based visa that permits skilled workers to live and work in the country permanently. You must be nominated for this visa. The job must come under either the MLTSSL or the Regional Occupation List (ROL).

Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Visa (subclass 186):

The Employer Nomination Scheme visa allows skilled workers to work in Australia permanently. It requires sponsorship by an approved Australian employer. There are three streams: Temporary Residence Transition, Direct Entry, and Agreement.

Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) Visa (subclass 187):

The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa is for skilled workers. Sponsorship by an Australian employer in a specific regional area is required. The visa has 3 streams Direct Entry, Temporary Residence Transition, and Agreement.

Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417)

The Australian working holiday visa is for applicants from the age of 18 to 30 years. You can go on can extended holiday, and work part-time in Australia at the same time.A working holiday visa is also available to Indian citizens. In fact, Australia is the only country that provides a working holiday visa and has a decent minimum balance requirement for Indian citizens. If you get one working holiday visa, you can qualify for subsequent working holiday visas.

Also Read: Australia Work Visa types in detail

Australia Work Visa Requirements for Indian Citizens

To work in Australia, you must meet the visa requirements. The visa requirements vary depending on the visa type. However, there are general requirements that are similar for all visa types. These requirements are provided below:

1. Candidates between the age of 25-32 gain more points as compared to citizens who are more than 42 years of age. 
2. Applicants will have to take the IELTS test and score at least 8 bands or more.
3. If the candidate has experience in an occupation that is listed in the skilled occupations then they will get points based on the occupation 
4. The candidate should have Australian qualification from an Australian institute 
5. The candidate must be qualified from a nominated occupation
6. The candidate is eligible to get higher points in case he has qualified for a professional degree from Australia for at least 12 months
7. Indians will be required to give the biometric details to complete the application process

Points System for Australia Skilled Migration Visas

Apart from the above requirements, skilled workers have to secure points. For example, if you are applying for the Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189), Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190), and Skilled Work Regional Visa (provisional) subclass 191. The points requirement is only there for the skilled migration visas. In general, you need at least 65 points in the points scale to meet the Australian work visa requirements for Indian citizens. You can go through the table below to check the points you can score.

Category	Maximum Points
Age	30
English proficiency	20
Skilled employment – Outside Australia	15
Skilled employment – In Australia	20
Education – Doctorate (outside Australia)	20
Education – Bachelor degree (outside Australia)	15
Education – Diploma / Trade qualification (outside Australia)	10
Niche skills – Doctorate or master’s by research (Australia)	10
Study in a regional area (Australia)	5
Accredited community language	5
Professional year in a skilled program (Australia)	5
State / Territory nomination (190 visa)	5
Relative or regional sponsorship (491 visa)	15
Skilled spouse / de facto partner (meets age, skills & English)	10
Spouse / de facto partner with competent English only	5
Single or spouse is an Australian citizen / PR	10

Visa-Specific Australia Work Visa Requirements 

Each visa has a specific requirement. These additional documents have to be submitted to meet that requirement. We have provided the visa-specific requirements below:

Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa:

Visa sponsorship documents from an employer, proof of Labour Market Testing (LMT), and training benchmarks if the Australian business is the sponsoring employer.

Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) visa:

Submit the nomination approval letter. This must provided by the employer. Other than this, you need to submit proof that the nominated position is available and is genuine. You also need to submit proof that the salary offered meets the market salary requirements.

Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa:

Submit proof of skill assessment conducted. You also need to submit documents related to the recent work experience, points test result, and Expression of Interest (EOI) reference number.

Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa:

Submit proof that you have been nominated by an Australian territory government or state. You also need to provide the nomination approval letter. Aside from that, you need to submit proof that you are committing to living and working in the territory or state that has nominated you. 

Is IELTS Mandatory For an Australian work visa?

IELTS is not mandatory for an Australian work visa. However, you need proof of English language proficiency. This can be IELTS or another accepted examination. For example, TOEFL or PTE. Below is a table describing the accepted English language tests in Australia and the scores required for them. Also note that, although we have mentioned IELTS Academic, the test you need to take for a work visa is IELTS General Training.

Test Name	Overall / Component Score Required
Cambridge C1 Advanced (C1 Advanced)	Listening: 163, Reading: 163, Writing: 170, Speaking: 179
CELPIP General	Listening: 7, Reading: 7, Writing: 7, Speaking: 7
IELTS Academic	Listening: 6, Reading: 6, Writing: 6, Speaking: 6
IELTS General Training	Listening: 6, Reading: 6, Writing: 6, Speaking: 6
Michigan English Test (MET)	Listening: 56, Reading: 55, Writing: 57, Speaking: 48
Occupational English Test (OET)	Listening: 290, Reading: 310, Writing: 290, Speaking: 330
LANGUAGECERT Academic	Listening: 57, Reading: 60, Writing: 64, Speaking: 70
Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic)	Listening: 47, Reading: 48, Writing: 51, Speaking: 54
TOEFL iBT	Listening: 16, Reading: 16, Writing: 19, Speaking: 19

Do You Need Travel Insurance for Your Work Trip to Australia?

To get an Australian work visa, you not only have to meet the work visa requirements. You have to get appropriate health insurance, too. Although you are responsible for your healthcare costs, getting health insurance would limit your financial liability. Therefore, you require health coverage for the entire duration of your stay. Your medical insurance must cover all your expenses, including transport expenses and medical treatment expenses.

How to Apply for an Australian Work Visa?

Before applying for an Australian work visa, you must ensure that you qualify for the same. Next, arrange the necessary documents for the visa application. Ensure that you do not miss even one document. Thereafter, you can fill out the online application form. The website you need to visit for the purpose is: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs.

1. Visit the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs website
2. Gather the necessary documents, and create, and log in to the Immi Account
3. Attach the necessary documents, and pay the visa application fee
4. After your visa application is processed you will be informed of the status of your visa application.

To learn about Australian visa updates, watch this video:

Cost of an Australian Work Visa

The Australian visa fees are non-refundable. You need to pay them at the time of filling out your online application form. Do note that the visa fees are subject to change. We have provided the current visa fees below;

Visa Category	Type of Applicants	Fees
Subclass 189	Main Applicant	AUD 4640
	Applicant above 18 yrs	AUD 2320
	Applicants below 18 yrs	AUD 1160
Subclass 190	Main Applicant	AUD 4640
	Applicant above 18 yrs	AUD 2320
	Applicants below 18 yrs	AUD 1160
Subclass 491	Main Applicant	AUD 4640
	Applicant above 18 yrs	AUD 2320
	Applicants below 18 yrs	AUD 1160

Processing Time and Visa Decision

The work visa processing time varies. It totally depends on the visa you are applying for. Moreover, the processing time is subject to change. Nevertheless, we have provided the existing processing time for some of the popular work visas. The processing time listed is a of September 2025.

Visa Type & Pathway	Processing Time
Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa (subclass 482) – Labour Agreement	9 to 12 months
Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa (subclass 482) – Sponsorship	47 days to 6 months
Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa (subclass 482) – Nomination	47 days to 5 months
Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189) – Points Tested	8 months
Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190)	17 to 25 months
Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Visa (subclass 186) – Agreement Pathway	5 to 9 months
Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Visa (subclass 186) – Direct Entry Pathway	12 to 18 months
Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) Visa (subclass 187) – Labour Agreement	89 days to 11 months
Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) Visa (subclass 187) – Other Pathway	Less than 1 day to 64 days

How to Check the Status of Your Austalia Work Visa Application?

Before applying for an Australian visa, you must ensure that you qualify for the same. Next, arrange the necessary documents for the visa application. Ensure that you do not miss even one document. Thereafter, you can fill out the online application form. The website you need to visit for the purpose is: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs. 

1. Visit the Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs. offical website
2. Go to the  Visa Entitlement Verification Online System (VEVO) page 
3. Enter your visa application number, nationality, passport number, date of birth, and the type of visa you have applied for 
4. Verify the information, and submit the information 
5. Now you can view the status of your visa application

It is also possible to check the status of your visa application by visiting the ImmiAccoutnt and logging in to your account. Under the My Applications section you can view the status of your application.

Understand the reasons for a work visa rejection.

Steps To Take After You Get Your Work Visa

Once you have met the Australia work visa requirements for Indian citizens, and have applied for the visa. You can wait for the visa decision. If you are among the qualified people a visa will be issued. After you get the visa, here are some of the steps you can take:

1. As a work visa holder, you have certain rights and protections. It is important to know them. For example, you have the right to be treated fairly in the workplace, your workplace must offer you the minimum employment standards, and a safe environment to work.
2. Get your health insurance. Check if you are eligible for Medicare, and the steps you need to take in case of a health emergency.
3. Get your Taxation and Tax File Number (TFN). This is a unique identification number for taxation purposes.
4. Ensure that you are abiding by the conditions of your work visa.
5. Open a bank account in Australia to manage your money and to receive your salary.
6. Familiarise yourself with the Australian culture, and try to adapt. Always respect other cultures.

Australia offers several work visas. You can apply for a work visa if you are qualifed for it. Just ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria, including points if applicable. Also make sure you have the necessary documents and then apply for the visa you want.

FAQs

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We hope you now understand the Australia work visa requirements for Indian citizens such as eligibility, cost, etc. Want to apply for a Visa for your study abroad journey? Drop us a comment in the section below, or you can connect with a visa expert at Leverage Edu, and we will guide you on your dream journey!