If you are moving to Sydney there are various visa options available depending on your age, work experience and skillset.
Working Holiday Visa
A popular choice for younger people is the Australian Working Holiday Visa. With this you can work in Australia for between 1 and 24 months. It’s designed for travelers to take on short term casual work to fund their trip around the country.
For detailed information check out this post on getting a working holiday visa for Australia.
457 Visa – Temporary Employer Sponsored Visa
The 457 visa is the one mostly commonly offered for professional employment. It’s fairly quick and simple to get – processing times are typically between two and six weeks – however there are some limitations you should be carefully aware of. The 457 is bound to a specific employer and a specific job role. In theory, if you resign or otherwise lose that job then you have to leave the country within 28 days of termination of employment.
So it does put the worker in a vulnerable position. If you do lose your job on the 457 visa then it is possible to transfer the existing visa to a new employer if you can arrange another job offer. The 28 days is a minimum guideline and if you speak to the Australian government they may allow you to extend this depending on your circumstances. For instance, if you lose employment through no fault of your own and have children in school this may be a reason to extend the visa until you find a new job.
856 – Permanent Employer Sponsored Visa
This is similar to a 457 visa in that is is sponsored by the employer however it is much more secure as it grants a permanent right to live in Australia. When considering an offer of employment you should carefully consider which visa is being offered. The 856 is a much more secure offer.
Independent Visa Options
If you don’t have an employer willing to sponsor you then you can apply independently. Visas are granted based on the number of points you receive from a checklist supplied by the Australian government. For instance, you receive points for having an in demand skillset, languages spoken, education and relevant work experience.
The latest information on the points test can be found in this pdf.
Useful Links
Australian Immigration Department
Skills Australia Needs – Information events for UK nationals wishing to emigrate to Australia.
A guide to working as a Nurse in Australia – Visas, Getting a Job