| want to holiday or visit family in Australia, unless you | | | | the Australian government overseas. |
| are a New Zealand citizen, you will need to obtain an | | | | Australian Visa - Business Visits |
| Australian visa before you travel. The type of visa you | | | | If you need to visit Australia on business, even for a |
| will need broadly depends on what you intend to do in | | | | very short period of time, you will need to apply for an |
| Australia, your nationality and the length of time you | | | | Australian visa. This article gives some basic details of |
| want to stay in Australia, but you will probably need | | | | the three types of business visa available. |
| either an Electronic Travel Authority (Visitor) or a | | | | There are three types of visa available for business |
| Tourist visa or a Sponsored Family Visitor visa. | | | | visits to Australia. It should be noted that a business |
| Whichever the case, you should apply for the full | | | | visit is NOT the same as "working" in the context of |
| period of time that you want to remain in Australia, | | | | applying for an Australian visa. |
| because once there, it is possible that you will be | | | | The first is a Short Stay Business Visa which is |
| unable to extend your visa. | | | | suitable for a visit of less than three months. This will |
| The Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) (Visitor) is just | | | | cover a business person for normal business meetings, |
| as it sounds - electronic and therefore you may not | | | | negotiations and conferences and may be applied for |
| get a stamp or label in your passport but don't worry, | | | | through their chosen airline or via the internet. This is a |
| the Australian immigration officers will have a record of | | | | Business Electronic Travel Authority (ETA). |
| your visa. | | | | Alternatively, applications may be made in writing. |
| You can apply for an ETA (Visitor) if you wish to stay | | | | The second type of business visa is a Sponsored |
| for less than three months, if you are outside Australia | | | | Business Visitor (short stay) Visa. In order to quality for |
| and hold a passport from one of the 34 eligible | | | | this type of visa, a business person will need to be |
| countries. You will find a full list of these on the | | | | sponsored by a member of an Australian parliament, |
| Australian Government Department of Immigration and | | | | an authorised government agency, local mayor or |
| Multicultural Affairs website, but included are most | | | | other authorised organisation and the sponsor will need |
| countries from Western Europe and Scandinavia, the | | | | to guarantee that their visitor will abide by all the visa |
| USA and a number of Far Eastern countries. There | | | | conditions including that which specifies the date by |
| are special arrangements for citizens of countries not | | | | which they must leave the country. |
| on the eligible list. An ETA (Visitor) Visa may be | | | | The third business visa is a Temporary Business (Long |
| obtained via a travel agent or an airline, direct on the | | | | Stay) visa. To apply for one of these, an applicant |
| Internet or at an Australian visa office in your country | | | | must have an approved employer as a sponsor who |
| of residence. There is no charge for this type of visa | | | | has an eligible position available. The employer can be |
| unless you apply over the Internet. | | | | an Australian or overseas company and the employee |
| You may apply for a Tourist Visa whether you are | | | | must be a foreign national with the applicable skills to fill |
| inside or outside Australia and the duration will usually | | | | the position. The eligible position must have been |
| be 3 or 6 months but can sometimes extend to 12 | | | | approved as a skilled occupation suitable for this |
| months if you can prove your ability to support | | | | program, must be full time and of a minimum salary as |
| yourself during your stay. Applications for Tourist Visas | | | | well as meeting various Australian laws and award |
| may be made via the Internet if you are a passport | | | | requirements. However, before the employee can |
| holder of an eligible country, or via a registered travel | | | | apply for a visa, the employer will need to apply to be |
| agent, airline or service provider, a list of which can be | | | | a sponsor of overseas employees and nominate the |
| found on the website mentioned above. | | | | job vacancies to be filled. The nomination period will be |
| A Sponsored Family Visitor Visa is applicable for stays | | | | 12 months or until all the vacancies are filled, whichever |
| between 3 and 12 months and to apply you must be | | | | is the shorter. The sponsorship will be for a period of 2 |
| outside Australia and have a sponsor within Australia | | | | years and the visa period may be anything from 3 |
| who is a family member, a member of an Australian | | | | months to 4 years. However, if the employee wishes |
| parliament or other authorised person. To apply, you | | | | to change employment, he will need to find a new |
| will need to complete a form, get a certified copy of | | | | approved sponsor with an eligible position and re-apply |
| your passport and send it all to your sponsor in | | | | for a visa. |
| Australia. Your sponsor will need to complete a | | | | Full details of all the above can be found on the |
| different form and make the application on your behalf, | | | | Australian Government Department of Immigration and |
| sending all the paperwork to the applicable office. | | | | Multicultural Affairs website. |
| Anyone who is not eligible to apply for an ETA Visitor | | | | In our next article, we will look at working in Australia |
| or Tourist Visa over the Internet can complete a paper | | | | as opposed to being a business visitor. |
| application which can be mailed to specific offices of | | | | |