Visa Eligibility Checker
Discover which Australian visa subclasses may be relevant to your situation. Answer a few questions to get started.
This tool provides general estimates only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, contact Vitt Legal for a consultation — expert, transparent legal advice.
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How the checker works
- You tell it your current status, why you want a visa, your age bracket and your English level.
- It matches those answers to the visa subclasses listed below, all checked against the Department of Home Affairs visa listing. Closed or replaced subclasses are never suggested.
- It shows up to four subclasses that may be worth looking into. Where part of a visa's details could not be confirmed, the card says to confirm it with a lawyer.
Vitt Legal's migration lawyers are Australian legal practitioners. The checker is general information, not advice about your eligibility.
Rules last checked .
Visa subclasses the checker can suggest
| Subclass | What it is for | Official page |
|---|---|---|
| 143 – Contributory Parent Visa | Permanent visa for parents of settled Australian citizens or permanent residents. Requires a higher contribution but is processed faster than the standard parent visa. | Home Affairs: subclass 143 |
| 189 – Skilled Independent Visa | Points-tested permanent visa for skilled workers who are not sponsored by an employer, state, or family member. Requires occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list. You must be invited to apply and be under 45 when invited. | Home Affairs: subclass 189 |
| 190 – Skilled Nominated Visa | Permanent visa for skilled workers nominated by an Australian state or territory government. Requires an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list. You must be invited to apply and be under 45 when invited. | Home Affairs: subclass 190 |
| 482 – Skills in Demand Visa | Temporary visa allowing employers to sponsor overseas workers for positions they cannot fill with a suitably skilled Australian. It replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa on 7 December 2024. How long you can stay depends on the stream. | Home Affairs: subclass 482 |
| 485 – Temporary Graduate Visa | Post-study work visa for international students who have recently graduated from an Australian institution. How long you can stay depends on the stream and your qualification.Age limits and stay periods differ by stream and could not be confirmed on the official page — confirm with a lawyer. | Home Affairs: subclass 485 |
| 491 – Skilled Work Regional Visa | Points-tested provisional visa for skilled workers willing to live and work in regional Australia. Provides a pathway to permanent residency after 3 years.The age limit and the permanent residence pathway could not be confirmed on the official page — confirm with a lawyer. | Home Affairs: subclass 491 |
| 500 – Student Visa | Allows you to study full-time at a registered Australian educational institution. Includes work rights of up to 48 hours per fortnight during term. | Home Affairs: subclass 500 |
| 785 – Temporary Protection Visa | Temporary 3-year visa for people who entered Australia without a valid visa or were not immigration cleared, cannot apply for a permanent Protection visa, and are found to be owed protection. Provides work and study rights.Some current and former TPV and SHEV holders who arrived before 14 February 2023 may be able to apply for a permanent Resolution of Status (subclass 851) visa instead — confirm with a lawyer. | Home Affairs: subclass 785 |
| 790 – Safe Haven Enterprise Visa | Temporary 5-year visa for people who entered Australia without a valid visa or were not immigration cleared and are found to be owed protection. Applicants must intend to work or study in regional Australia.Some current and former TPV and SHEV holders who arrived before 14 February 2023 may be able to apply for a permanent Resolution of Status (subclass 851) visa instead — confirm with a lawyer. | Home Affairs: subclass 790 |
| 858 – National Innovation Visa | Permanent visa for people with an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in an eligible field. You need a nominator with a national reputation in your field, and you start by submitting an Expression of Interest. | Home Affairs: subclass 858 |
| 866 – Protection Visa | Permanent visa for people in Australia who arrived legally on a valid visa and are found to be a refugee or meet complementary protection criteria under the Migration Act 1958. | Home Affairs: subclass 866 |
| 820/801 – Partner Visa (Onshore) | For de facto partners or spouses of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens. Initially temporary (820), then permanent (801). | Home Affairs: subclass 820/801 |
| 309/100 – Partner Visa (Offshore) | For de facto partners or spouses applying from outside Australia. Initially temporary (309), then permanent (100) after approximately 2 years. | Home Affairs: subclass 309/100 |
Closed and replaced visas
- 188 – Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional): Closed. The Business Innovation and Investment Program closed on 31 July 2024; applications made before then are still processed. Source
- 888 – Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent): Only a pathway for people who already hold a subclass 188 visa; the program it belongs to closed on 31 July 2024. Source
- 132 – Business Talent (Permanent): Closed to new applications on 1 July 2021. Source
- 476 – Skilled – Recognised Graduate: Capped and ceased, and now listed with repealed visas. Source
- 482 (TSS) – Temporary Skill Shortage: Replaced by the Skills in Demand visa (also subclass 482) on 7 December 2024. Source
- 890–893 – Business Owner, Investor and State-sponsored business visas: Closed to new applications on 22 March 2025. Source
What this checker does not cover
- Occupation lists, skills assessments, points scores and state nomination criteria.
- Health, character, identity and security requirements.
- Visa bars, section 48 restrictions, and conditions such as “no further stay”.
- Employer-sponsored permanent visas, visitor, working holiday and other family visas.
- Processing priorities, costs and waiting times, which change often.
- Appeals against a visa refusal or cancellation.
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