# Australia Work Visa Types for Indians: Which One Fits You > Job offer, recent graduate, Australian degree or points-tested PR: which Australian work visa fits an Indian applicant, with Home Affairs fees, conditions and processing times. _Published: 2026-10-25 · Reading time: 6 min · Words: 1325_ ## TL;DR With a job offer, most Indians use the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482, AUD 4,015) or the permanent Employer Nomination Scheme (186). Recent graduates aged 18 to 30 can enter the MATES or Work and Holiday ballots, Australian graduates use the subclass 485, and unsponsored skilled workers aim for the points-tested 189, 190 or 491. ## Key takeaways - Skills in Demand (482): AUD 4,015 for the main applicant; Core Skills salary floor AUD 79,423, Specialist Skills AUD 146,576 for nominations from 1 July 2026. - MATES (403): India-only ballot for up to 3,000 graduates a year aged 18 to 30 from NIRF Top 100 institutions; visa fee AUD 470. - Work and Holiday (462): ballot for Indians aged 18 to 30, cap of 1,000 first visas a year; visa fee AUD 840. - Temporary Graduate (485): AUD 5,750, applied for inside Australia after an Australian degree. - Skilled permanent visas 189, 190 and 491 need an invitation, at least 65 points and age under 45. **According to Australia's Department of Home Affairs, Indians can work in Australia through employer-sponsored visas (Skills in Demand subclass 482, AUD 4,015, and Employer Nomination 186), India-specific ballots (MATES subclass 403 and Work and Holiday 462), the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485, AUD 5,750) for Australian graduates, and points-tested skilled visas (189, 190, 491).** ## Article Every fee and condition below is as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. Home Affairs charges in AUD only, and all these visas are lodged online through ImmiAccount rather than at a visa centre in India. For tourist and student visas, see our Australia visa hub for Indians. ### Which Australian work visas are open to Indians? The right visa depends on whether you have a job offer, your age, where you studied and whether you want permanent residence. Fees shown are for the main applicant. VisaBest fitFeeDeciding conditionSkills in Demand (482), Core SkillsJob offer in a Core Skills Occupation List roleAUD 4,015Salary at least AUD 79,423 and the market rateSkills in Demand (482), Specialist SkillsHighly paid professional rolesAUD 4,015Salary at least AUD 146,576Employer Nomination Scheme (186), Direct EntryPermanent residence through an employerAUD 6,140Under 45, at least 3 years' experienceMATES (403)Indian graduates aged 18 to 30AUD 470Selected in the MATES ballotWork and Holiday (462)Holiday with work, aged 18 to 30AUD 840Selected in the Work and Holiday ballotTemporary Graduate (485)Graduates of an Australian degreeAUD 5,750Apply in Australia within 6 months of completingSkilled Independent (189)Permanent residence without a sponsorAUD 6,135Invitation, 65 points, under 45Skilled Nominated (190) / Skilled Work Regional (491)State nomination or regional livingAUD 6,140Nomination, 65 points, under 45 ### Do you already have an Australian job offer? A job offer points you to the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482). It lasts up to 4 years. Your employer must be (or have applied to be) a Standard Business Sponsor and must lodge a nomination for you. You then apply in ImmiAccount using the nomination's Transaction Reference Number (TRN). - Core Skills stream: occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List, paid the market rate and at least AUD 79,423 for nominations lodged 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. - Specialist Skills stream: salary of at least AUD 146,576, in ANZSCO Major Group 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6 (trades, machinery operators, drivers and labourers excluded). - Both streams: at least 1 year of relevant work experience, a skills assessment if your occupation requires one, IELTS 5.0 in each component unless exempt, and no age limit. The employer separately pays a nomination fee and the Skilling Australians Fund levy. Our record does not hold those amounts, so check them on the Home Affairs site. Indians are the largest group on this visa: Home Affairs granted 6,220 primary subclass 482 visas to Indian citizens from 1 July to 31 December 2025, or 18.1% of all primary grants. If you want permanent residence straight away, an employer can nominate you for the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) Direct Entry stream instead. You must be under 45 (unless exempt), have at least 3 years of relevant experience and a positive skills assessment. ### Are you a recent graduate aged 18 to 30? Two ballots are open only to Indian passport holders in this age band. MATES (subclass 403) lets Indian graduates and early-career professionals live and work in Australia for up to 2 years. Up to 3,000 primary places are drawn by ballot each program year. You need a bachelor's degree or higher from a Top 100 institution on India's NIRF India Rankings Overall 2024 list, earned within 2 years before the ballot opens, in renewable energy, mining, engineering, ICT, artificial intelligence, fintech or agtech. English must be IELTS 6.0 overall (5 in each component), and you need a job offer or about AUD 5,000. Registration costs AUD 25, and selected applicants have 30 days to apply. Work and Holiday (subclass 462) is a holiday of up to 12 months with work to fund it. You need at least 2 years of completed post-secondary study, Functional English and about AUD 5,000. Usually you can work only 6 months with the same employer. India's cap is 1,000 first visas per program year. The 2026-27 registration window (4 to 25 June 2026) has closed, and selections run until 30 April 2027. ### Did you complete a degree in Australia? The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), Post-Higher Education Work stream, is applied for inside Australia after you finish an eligible CRICOS-registered degree. Under the Australia-India ECTA, Indian nationals can stay 2 years after a bachelor's, 3 years after a STEM bachelor's with first-class honours or a master's, and 4 years after a PhD. You must be 35 or under (under 50 for a research master's or doctorate), have held a Student visa in the last 6 months and score IELTS 6.5 overall with 5.5 in each component (or PTE Academic 55). You cannot get it if you previously held a subclass 485 or 476 as the main applicant. ### Can you get permanent residence without a sponsor? The points-tested visas start with an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect, and you apply only if invited. All three need age under 45 at invitation, at least 65 points, an occupation on the relevant list with a suitable skills assessment, and at least Competent English. - Skilled Independent (189): no sponsor or nomination. - Skilled Nominated (190): nominated by a state or territory government agency. - Skilled Work Regional (491): a 5-year provisional visa for designated regional areas, with a path to permanent residence through subclass 191 after 3 years. People with an internationally recognised record of exceptional achievement can be invited for the National Innovation visa (subclass 858), which costs AUD 6,235. ### How long does each work visa take? These are Home Affairs global processing times for recently decided applications of all nationalities, not India-specific figures. Visa50% decided in90% decided in482 Core Skills4 months9 months482 Specialist Skills37 days78 days485 Post-Higher Education Work5 days55 days403 MATES4 months5 months462 Work and Holiday3 days44 days189 Points-tested61 days8 months190 Skilled Nominated4 months16 months186 Direct Entry21 months25 monthsHome Affairs adds that offshore Work and Holiday applications may take about 3 months, because onshore applications are prioritised. ### Before you choose a work visa - Check your age first. MATES and Work and Holiday close at 30; the points-tested and 186 visas need you under 45. - Do not plan on the 485 from India. It is lodged only inside Australia. - Keep your PAN card ready. Both India ballots require it. - Confirm your employer is an approved sponsor before resigning from your Indian job. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files, with packages from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). Contact us on WhatsApp at +91 95230 91018 or via our contact page. ### Frequently asked questions #### Is there an age limit for the Australian 482 visa? No. Home Affairs lists no age requirement for either the Core Skills or the Specialist Skills stream of the Skills in Demand visa. Age limits apply to other routes, such as under 45 for the 189, 190, 491 and 186 visas. #### Can Indians apply for the 485 visa from India? No. The Temporary Graduate visa is applied for in Australia, and you must have held a Student visa in the last 6 months. It is for people who completed an eligible Australian degree within the 6 months before applying. #### Who pays the 482 nomination fee? The employer pays the nomination fee and the Skilling Australians Fund levy separately from your AUD 4,015 visa charge. The amounts are on the Home Affairs fees page; our record does not hold them. #### How many Indians get a Work and Holiday visa each year? India's annual cap is 1,000 first Work and Holiday visas per program year, which runs from 1 July to 30 June. Applicants must be selected in the pre-application ballot first. ## FAQ ### Is there an age limit for the Australian 482 visa? No. Home Affairs lists no age requirement for either the Core Skills or the Specialist Skills stream of the Skills in Demand visa. Age limits apply to other routes, such as under 45 for the 189, 190, 491 and 186 visas. ### Can Indians apply for the 485 visa from India? No. The Temporary Graduate visa is applied for in Australia, and you must have held a Student visa in the last 6 months. It is for people who completed an eligible Australian degree within the 6 months before applying. ### Who pays the 482 nomination fee? The employer pays the nomination fee and the Skilling Australians Fund levy separately from your AUD 4,015 visa charge. The amounts are on the Home Affairs fees page; our record does not hold them. ### How many Indians get a Work and Holiday visa each year? India's annual cap is 1,000 first Work and Holiday visas per program year, which runs from 1 July to 30 June. Applicants must be selected in the pre-application ballot first. ## Sources 1. [Department of Home Affairs - Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) Core Skills stream](https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skills-in-demand-visa-subclass-482/core-skills-stream) — Department of Home Affairs, Australia 2. [Department of Home Affairs - MATES stream (subclass 403)](https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/temporary-work-403/mates/mobility-arrangement-for-talented-early-professionals-scheme-403) — Department of Home Affairs, Australia 3. [Department of Home Affairs - First Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462)](https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/work-holiday-462/first-work-holiday-462) — Department of Home Affairs, Australia 4. [Department of Home Affairs - Global visa processing times guide](https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/global-visa-processing-times) — Department of Home Affairs, Australia