Visas and entry requirements for au pairs in Australia

Which visa do au pairs need to work in Australia? Where does one apply for the Working Holiday visa? Which is the correct visa to use and how is the application made? We have all the necessary information here on this page.

Citizens from New Zealand can enter Australia without a visa. They obtain a Special Category Visa (SCV) upon arrival. More information on this topic can be found in the Frequently Asked Questions of the Australian Embassy.

How to apply for the visa for Australia:

In Australia there are 3 possible visas you can apply for, the The Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 417), The Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462) and the Student Visa:

The Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417)

Step 1: Check if your passport is valid

To apply for a Working Holiday visa, an au pair needs to have a valid passport, which the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection recommends is valid for at least another 6 months after the application has been made.

Step 2: Apply for the Working Holiday visa

The Working Holiday Visa is applied for online.

The au au pair creates an ImmiAccount and attaches the necessary documents. These must all be translated into English. In some cases a health exam need to be done. It is also important to make sure that the price for the visa application is paid directly.

The authorities will confirm receipt of the application. The various processing times of the visa application can be checked. The au pair can also discover how long they have to wait for an answer.

When the visa is approved, the au pair will receive a notification. The copy of it should always be with you once the Au pair is in Australia. It escribes the conditions of the visa. 

The visa is valid for 12 months. If the applications has been made from outside of Australia, the start date will be the day the au pair enters Australia.

Au pairs can always check the visa online via the free online service VEVO. Therefore, it is only necessary to have a visa sticker in your passport if the Department specifically states so in your visa notification. In this case, you will receive it from any Australian Departmental Office.

After arrival in Australia

Regardless of the visa used to travel to Australia, au pairs need a so called "Working With Children Check" when providing childcare. Depending on the state, there are different names and procedures:

• Blue card in Queensland
• Working with Children Check in Western Australia
• Working with Children Check in Victoria
• Working with Children Check in New South Wales (NSW)
• Working with Children Check in South Australia
• Working with Children Check in Northern Territory

In most cases, au pairs can work while the application is being processed with some exceptions. Please check these conditions in the websites above.

The Work and Holiday visa (Subclass 462)

Please note: For au pairs from a few countries, only a limited number of Work and Holiday Visas are available.

Step 1: Check if your passport is valid

To apply for a Working Holiday visa, an au pair needs to have a valid passport, which the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection recommends is valid for at least another 6 months after the application has been made.

Step 2: Apply for your Work and Holiday visa

Most applicants need to aplly for the visa online. For the online application the au pair creates an ImmiAccount on the website of the Australian Ministry. All necessary documents must be attached here. These needs to be translated into English. In some cases a health exam need to be done. It is also important to make sure that the price for the visa application is paid directly.

Paper applications are only accepted from applicants with a passport from the Peoples Republic of China. They must submit the visa application in person to an Australian Visa Apllication Center. Care have to be be taken that all documents are translated into English and certified.

The authorities will confirm receipt of the application. The various processing times of the visa application can be checked. The au pair can also discover how long they have to wait for an answer.

When the visa is approved, the au pair will receive a notification. The copy of it should always be with you once the Au pair is in Australia. It escribes the conditions of the visa. 

The visa is valid for 12 months. If the applications has been made from outside of Australia, the start date will be the day the au pair enters Australia.

Au pairs can always check the visa online via the free online service VEVO. Therefore, it is only necessary to have a visa sticker in your passport if the Department specifically states so in your visa notification. In this case, you will receive it from any Australian Departmental Office.

After arrival in Australia

Regardless of the visa used to travel to Australia, au pairs need a so called "Working With Children Check" when providing childcare. Depending on the state, there are different names and procedures:

• Blue card in Queensland
• Working with Children Check in Western Australia
• Working with Children Check in Victoria
• Working with Children Check in New South Wales (NSW)
• Working with Children Check in South Australia
• Working with Children Check in Northern Territory

In most cases, au pairs can work while the application is being processed with some exceptions. Please check these conditions in the websites above.

Student Visa

If the au pair comes from another country, it may be possible to apply for a student visa in order to become an au pair in Australia. More information about the requirements for this type of arrangement is available from the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship.