With English as the primary language, and a culture that is fairly similar to the United States, Australia is becoming an increasingly popular destination for college graduates. After graduating, many students are ready to get out into the world and begin working in their chosen trade. For many people, the skills they have learned, and the degrees that they have earned, will be transferrable between countries and allow them to pursue their career anywhere they choose.
As well as the practical considerations, such as the common language and similar cultural sensitivities, Australia is also a country that has long fascinated outsiders. It boasts a unique and diverse range of wildlife, and its Great Barrier Reef is rightly regarded as one of the natural wonders of the world. It is therefore an all-round excellent choice for an American graduate who would like to work abroad.
Choosing a Visa
As you would expect, if you want to live and work in Australia, even temporarily, then you need to secure the appropriate visa beforehand. Before you do anything else, have a look to see if your chosen occupation is listed on Australia’s skilled occupations list. If it is then you will generally have a much easier time with the rest of the process.
This list shows the type of workers which are currently most in demand. Anyone who works in an occupation on the skilled occupations list is able to apply to the federal government, an individual state, or a specific territory, to move there for the purposes of work. If the application is successful, you may be able to permanently emigrate on this basis.
Temporary Skilled Visa
If your occupation is not on the skilled occupations list, do not worry. Another popular option is the 457 visa – or the temporary skilled visa, to give it it’s proper name. This allows Australian businesses to sponsor foreign employees, allowing them to come abroad and work for 4 years. If you plan to take this path, check out Sponsorshipaustralia.net for all the information and advice you could possibly want in order to give your application the highest chance of success.
Working Holiday Visa
You might feel more inclined to spend some time working in Australia, but with the intention of returning home afterwards. If your occupation is not included on the skilled occupations list, and you are aged under 30, the working holiday visa is another viable option for you. You will be limited to one year living and working in Australia, and you won’t be able to spend any longer than 6 months with a single employer.
Australia makes use of its working holiday visa scheme in order to make up for the labor shortfall in some of Australia’s more rural areas. Every year, thousands of those visiting Australia on working holiday visas help out across rural Australia, mostly in agricultural contexts. If you are staying in Australia under a working holiday visa and your one year deadline is rapidly approaching, you can apply to extend your stay by another year. In order to stay you will have to apply for work in one of the jobs where there is considered to be a labor shortfall.
As always, make sure that you thoroughly research all the available visa options, but the ones listed above are the most common choices for recent graduates.