Australian Visa Opportunities for Individuals Over 50

Mon, 04th September 2023

With stringent age limitations in place for most employment-related visas, one might question whether it's possible to relocate to Australia after reaching the age of 50.

The positive news is that there are visa categories that permit individuals over the age of 50 to move to Australia. These categories fall into four main groups:

Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa (Subclass 482):

• The Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (Subclass 482) enables Australian employers to sponsor skilled workers for positions where suitable Australian candidates are unavailable.
• The Subclass 482 visa is intended to be temporary. However, it is possible to extend your stay after the visa's expiration or even apply for permanent residency if eligible.

The Subclass 482 Visa offers three streams for skilled worker applications:

1. Short-term stream: Involves working in an eligible short-term skilled occupation for up to two years, or up to four years with an applicable International Trade Obligation.
2. Medium-term stream: Involves working in an occupation listed in the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) or the Regional Occupation List (ROL) for up to four years.
3. Labour agreement stream: Requires working in a specified occupation under the terms of a Labour Agreement for up to a maximum of four years.

Meeting the stipulated requirements, including having relevant work experience and, if necessary, a skills assessment, is essential.

Global Talent Visa (Subclass 858):

1. The Global Talent Visa aims to attract highly skilled individuals from around the world to contribute to Australia's economic growth.
2. To be eligible, applicants must possess exceptional skills in one of ten target sectors and have the ability to command a salary meeting the high-income threshold.
3. While age isn't a restriction for the Global Talent Visa, applicants over 55 must demonstrate substantial benefits to the Australian community.

You'll be eligible to apply if you are highly skilled in one of these 10 target sectors:

•   Resources
•   Agri-food and AgTech
•   Energy
•   Health Industries
•   Defence, Advanced Manufacturing and Space
•   Circular Economy
•   DigiTech
•   Infrastructure and Tourism
•   Financial Services and FinTech
•   Education

You must also be able to attract a salary that meets the high-income threshold of AUD $162,000. This figure is adjusted annually on 1 July.

Parent Visas:

Various parent visas are available for the parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents, and eligible New Zealand citizens. The requirements for these visas differ based on factors such as age and retirement status.

1. Aged Parent visa (subclass 804): You must be old enough to receive the age pension in Australia.
2. Contributory Aged Parent visas (subclasses 864 and 884): You must be old enough to receive the age pension in Australia.
3. Contributory Parent visas (subclasses 143 and 173): You must apply as a retiree.
4. Parent visa (subclass 103): You must apply as a retiree.
5. Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa: You'll need an approved Parent Sponsor to apply.

Business Innovation and Investment Visa (Subclass 188):

The Subclass 188 visa is a provisional visa valid for four years and serves as a pathway to permanent residency through the Business Innovation and Investment Visa (Subclass 888).

Eligibility for the Subclass 188 visa depends on the chosen stream:

•  Business Innovation stream: Involves establishing or managing a new/existing business in Australia
•  Investor stream: Requires making a designated investment of at least AU$2.5 million in an Australian state/territory.
•  Significant Investor stream:Involves investing at least AU$5 million into complying investments in Australia.
•   Entrepreneur stream:Geared towards endorsed startup entrepreneurs.

For the Business Innovation, Investor, and Entrepreneur streams, applicants must be under 55 years old.

If you're interested in immigrating to Australia at nearly 50 or above, you can explore your eligibility by scheduling a consultation call with our licensed advisor. This call will provide insights into your visa options, the immigration process, and associated costs.

Our SIEC team is eager to assist you in your journey to Australia.