Work in Australia from the UK

To work in Australia from the UK you need a visa that allows work: most often the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) if you are 18 to 35, an employer-sponsored Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), or a permanent skilled visa such as the 189, 190, 491 or 186. Since 1 July 2024, British citizens can stay on a Working Holiday visa for up to three years without doing “specified work” in regional areas, and from 1 July 2026 the first Working Holiday visa costs AUD 840. The Skills in Demand visa costs AUD 4,015 for the main applicant and needs an approved employer nomination and at least one year of relevant experience. GIEC Global UK helps British professionals plan how to work in Australia from UK, from the first visa to permanent residence.

Do UK citizens need a visa to work in Australia?

Yes. A British passport does not give the right to work in Australia, and the free eVisitor used for holidays does not allow work. Our guide do UK citizens need a visa to work in Australia covers this in depth. The good news is that British citizens have some of the most generous options available to any nationality, thanks to the Australia–UK Free Trade Agreement.

Which route should you choose?

The best way to work in Australia from UK depends on your age, occupation, experience and long-term plans. This quick guide is where we start with most clients:

Your situation	Route to look at first
Aged 18 to 35, want flexibility and to try Australia first	Working Holiday (417)
Skilled occupation, Australian employer ready to sponsor	Skills in Demand (482), then 186
Skilled occupation on the list, strong points, no job offer	Skilled Independent (189) or state-nominated 190
Happy to live outside the big cities	491 or 494 regional visas
Short project or specialist installation	Short Stay Specialist (400)
Recently graduated from an Australian university	Temporary Graduate (485)

Many British clients combine routes: a working holiday to gain Australian experience and contacts, then an employer-sponsored or skilled visa for permanent residence.

Option 1: the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417)

The 417 visa is the most popular way for young Britons to work in Australia. Key points for UK passport holders:

• Age: 18 to 35 inclusive when you apply.
• Length: up to three separate 12-month visas, without having to complete regional “specified work” (since 1 July 2024 for British citizens).
• Work: most jobs are allowed. Work with one employer is generally limited to six months, with some exceptions.
• Study: up to four months.
• Funds: enough money for your initial stay and a return or onward ticket (or funds for one).
• Cost: AUD 840 for a first visa and AUD 1,000 for a second or third, from 1 July 2026.

A working holiday is a good way to test life in Australia, build local experience and network with employers who may later sponsor you. Keep payslips and reference letters from every job, because they can support a later skills assessment or sponsored visa.

Option 2: employer-sponsored work (subclass 482 and 494)

The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa in December 2024. It has three main streams:

• Specialist Skills: for highly paid roles above the specialist income threshold, in most occupations.
• Core Skills: for occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List, paid at or above the Core Skills Income Threshold (indexed every 1 July).
• Labour Agreement: for employers with a specific agreement with the government.

You need at least one year of relevant work experience, the right skills and qualifications (sometimes a formal skills assessment), English (British passport holders are generally treated as having competent English), and health and character checks. The employer must be an approved sponsor, nominate the position, pay the market salary rate and pay the Skilling Australians Fund levy. After two years with a sponsor, many 482 holders can apply for permanent residence through the subclass 186.

For regional areas, the subclass 494 lets regional employers sponsor skilled workers on a five-year provisional visa with a pathway to permanent residence.

Option 3: permanent skilled visas without a sponsor

If you have an occupation on the relevant skilled list, a positive skills assessment, and enough points, you can apply for permanent residence from the UK under General Skilled Migration:

• Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189): no sponsor or nomination needed.
• Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190): nominated by a state or territory.
• Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491): provisional, for regional areas.

Points come from age, English, qualifications, work experience and other factors. Try our Australia PR points calculator and read about the General Skilled Migration programme. Our article on whether UK work experience counts for Australia PR explains how overseas experience is scored.

Short-term and specialist work

If you only need to work in Australia for a short project, the Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa, subclass 400 covers highly specialised, non-ongoing work, usually up to three months. The Temporary Activity visa (subclass 408) covers activities such as entertainment, sport, research and some events.

Skills assessments: the step many people underestimate

Most skilled visas need a positive skills assessment from the authority for your occupation, such as Engineers Australia, ACS (for IT), ANMAC (for nurses and midwives), VETASSESS (for many professional and general occupations), CPA Australia, CA ANZ or IPA (for accountants), AITSL (for teachers) or TRA (for trades). Each authority has its own rules on qualifications, experience and evidence. Our skills assessment guide for 2026 explains how it works.

In-demand jobs for UK workers in Australia

Sector	Examples	Useful guide
Healthcare	Registered nurses, doctors, allied health	Australia PR for nurses
Engineering	Civil, electrical, mechanical, mining	Why UK engineers are moving to Australia
Education	Early childhood, primary and secondary teachers	Australia PR as a teacher
Technology	Software, cyber security, data	ACS skills assessment
Trades	Electricians, plumbers, carpenters	TRA skills assessment and state licensing
Finance	Accountants, auditors, analysts	Accounting body assessments

Our article on jobs and salary expectations after Australia PR gives a realistic picture of pay and job searching.

How to apply: working visa for Australia from the UK

1. Pick your route: working holiday, employer sponsorship or permanent skilled visa.
2. Check your occupation against the relevant list and income thresholds.
3. Get a skills assessment if your visa needs one.
4. Find a sponsor or nomination if your route requires it, or lodge an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect for points-tested visas.
5. Prepare documents: passport, CV, references, qualifications, English evidence (if needed), police certificates and health checks.
6. Lodge your visa online in ImmiAccount and pay the charge.
7. Respond to requests and receive your grant, then check its conditions before you move.

A realistic timeline from the UK

A Working Holiday visa is often granted quickly, so you can plan to move within weeks. Sponsored and skilled routes take longer: skills assessments can take from a few weeks to several months, police certificates from the UK (ACRO) and other countries add time, and employer nominations need their own approval. For points-tested visas, invitation timing depends on your occupation and points. As a guide, allow six to twelve months for sponsored or skilled visas if you want to work in Australia from UK with your family, and start your skills assessment first.

Bringing your partner and children

Employer-sponsored and skilled visas let you include your partner and dependent children in the same application, and they usually receive full work and study rights. Each family member pays a visa charge and must meet health and character requirements. Partners can add points to points-tested visas if they have a skills assessment and competent English, or simply competent English. Working Holiday visas are individual, so couples usually each apply for their own.

Common mistakes that delay Australian work visas

• Choosing an occupation code that does not match your real duties, causing skills assessment or nomination problems.
• Underestimating how long skills assessments, police certificates and health checks take.
• Claiming points for experience that the skills assessment did not count.
• Working for one employer beyond the working holiday limit without an exception.
• Paying for sponsorship or job offers, which is unlawful in Australia.

Salaries, tax and the cost of living

Australian salaries are usually quoted per year before tax and excluding superannuation, which employers pay on top of wages into your retirement fund. Pay in healthcare, engineering, mining, construction and technology is often higher than in comparable UK roles, but so is rent in Sydney and Melbourne. Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth can offer a better balance of pay and housing costs. Temporary residents pay income tax at resident rates if they are Australian residents for tax purposes, while working holidaymakers have their own tax rates. Get advice from a registered tax agent in your first year to make sure you claim correctly.

Australians working in London

We also hear from Australians who want to do the reverse. Under the same trade agreement, Australian citizens aged 18 to 35 can use the UK Youth Mobility Scheme to live and work in the UK for up to three years. See our work in the UK page for UK work routes.

Choosing an Australia work visa consultant

Under Australian law, only registered migration agents (with a MARN) and Australian legal practitioners can give immigration assistance for a fee, including from overseas. When comparing the best consultancy for an Australia work visa, ask:

• Who will give the immigration advice, and what is their MARN? Check it on the OMARA register.
• Do you provide a written agreement and fee estimate before starting?
• Will you review my occupation code and skills assessment strategy, not just the visa form?
• Do you sell job offers or sponsorship? (A legitimate agent will not.)

How GIEC Global UK helps

We help British professionals and graduates compare working holiday, sponsored and permanent options; check occupations, points and income thresholds; plan skills assessments; prepare CVs and reference letters in the format assessing authorities expect; and organise police and health checks. Australian immigration assistance must be given by a registered migration agent or lawyer, and we will explain who handles that part of your case. We do not sell jobs, and only the Department of Home Affairs decides visas. Explore the migrate to Australia hub or book an assessment.

Living and working in Australia: practical points

New arrivals usually apply for a Tax File Number, open a bank account and arrange superannuation, Australia’s compulsory workplace pension, which employers pay on top of wages. UK residents have limited access to Medicare under the reciprocal health care agreement, while permanent residents are fully covered. Many states let you transfer a UK driving licence after a period of residence. Family members planning to visit can read our visit Australia guide, and anyone considering study first can read study in Australia.

Sources and review

Reviewed on 31 October 2026 against Department of Home Affairs pages for the Working Holiday (417), Skills in Demand (482), 186, 189, 190, 491, 494, 400 and 408 visas, visa pricing from 1 July 2026, the Australia–UK Free Trade Agreement mobility arrangements and the OMARA register. Rules, thresholds and fees change, often on 1 July, so check official sources before you apply. This page is general information, not migration advice.