Visas

There are a variety of visas on which you can undertake an internship in Australia:

Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417)

The Working Holiday Visa is a visa which allows people to come to Australia for a period of up to 12 months.

• Applicants must be aged between 18 and 30
• Internships can be undertaken for periods up to 6 months for any one company
• People can study for up to 4 months on this visa
• This visa is applied for directly by the applicant
• If you hold a passport from any of the following countries you can apply for the Working Holiday Visa:

*Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (includes British National Overseas passport holders).

Further information can be found at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship www.immi.gov.au.

Work and Holiday Visa (subclass 462)

Similar to the Working Holiday Visa, the Work and Holiday Visa is a visa which allows people to come to Australia for a period of up to 12 months. The Work and Holiday visa program is designed to encourage cultural exchange and closer ties between arrangement countries.

• Applicants must be aged between 18 and 30
• Internships can be undertaken for periods up to 6 months for any one company
• People can study for up to 4 months on this visa
• This visa is applied for directly by the applicant
• If you hold a passport from any of the following countries you can apply for the Work and Holiday Visa:

Note: Most countries under this visa program have a limit on the number of Work and Holiday visas issued per year.

Further information can be found at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship www.immi.gov.au.

416 Special Program Visa

Professional Pathways Australia is approved by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) as a Special Program Provider for the 416 Special Program Visa.

What is a 416 Special Program Visa?

The purpose of the 416 Special Program Visa is to provide young persons with an opportunity to develop a greater understanding of Australian culture and business practices.

Eligibility

Participants must meet the following criteria:

1. The internship will result in credit towards the participants’ current qualification; or
2. The internship is a recommended/elective component of their course; or
3. The participant is within 12 months of completing their course; or
4. The participant has been working in their chosen field for a minimum period of 2 years full time; and
5. The internship is related to the participants field of study/work; and
6. The participant has demonstrated a level of English to effectively participate in the program.

Duration

The program duration is between 4 and 12 months including additional time of up to one for settling in, cultural and social activities or arranging departure.

Process

The participant will be required to complete visa application forms and submit these to PPA for processing. PPA will advise of the procedure steps at the time of application. The visa processing time is up to 28 days (from the date the forms are submitted to DIAC) but this can take longer if DIAC requests further information from you.

Further information can be found at http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/specialist-entry/416/.

Student Visa

Student Visa holders are eligible to undertake an internship under the following circumstances:

• Maximum 20 hours per week during study periods
• Full time during holiday periods
• Applicants will be required to show Professional Pathways Australia a copy of their student visa prior to being accepted into the program.

Enquiries about Australian visa and citizenship matters can be answered by visiting the Australian Department of Immigration & Citizenship website: www.immi.gov.au. Professional Pathways Australia is not a migration agent and any visa information provided on this website should be checked against the most recent information supplied by DIAC. Contact details for DIAC offices outside Australia can be found at: www.immi.gov.au/contacts/index.htm.