Immigration Lawyers for Moving to the UK from Australia
If you want to immigrate to the UK from Australia, there are several UK visa options you can choose from. You must meet the requirements for the visa type that best suits your situation to avoid a refusal.
Contact one of our friendly immigration lawyers at Total Law for guidance on how to immigrate to UK from Australia, including the various eligibility requirements. Call us today on +44 (0) 333 305 9375 or complete our online contact form for a quick response.
Immigrating To UK From Australia: An Overview
The most recent census showed that about 87,000 Australian citizens live in the United Kingdom, and over 400,000 Australians visit the UK annually. Australian citizens immigrate to the UK to further their education, experience life in the UK, and advance their careers in the UK job market.
Australian citizens do not need a visa to enter the UK and stay for less than 6 months. However, if you intend to stay more than 6 months, you must obtain a UK visa that best suits your circumstances.
Page Contents
- Immigrating to UK from Australia: an overview
- How to immigrate to the UK from Australia (visas & residencies)
- How can an immigration lawyer help you move to the UK from Australia?
- UK Work Visas
- UK Temporary Work Visas
- UK Family Visas
- UK Business Visas
- Visa Application Process
- How Can Total Law Help?
- Frequently Asked Questions
How to Immigrate To The UK From Australia
Australian citizens who want to immigrate to the UK must obtain a UK visa to be allowed into the country for a stay of over 6 months. The visa you will apply for must suit your situation and purpose of travel. Many visas are eligible to count towards future settlement and citizenship applications.
Residency & Citizenship Routes
Australian citizens who want to stay in the UK for the foreseeable future must choose a visa type that offers a path to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK. Note that ILR is also known as permanent residence. The UK government allows holders of the ILR status to remain in the country permanently, provided they continue meeting their conditions of stay and other requirements.
Step 1
Come to the UK on an eligible visa. Your chosen visa should contribute to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). These include Skilled Worker Visas, Spouse Visas and UK Ancestry Visas.
Some other visas, like temporary work visas and Youth Mobility visas, do not contribute to ILR.
You must pay visa fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge for every year of your visa duration.
Step 2
Once you hold a UK visa, check how long you need to hold it to get ILR. For some pathways, this is shorter, such as the Innovator Founder Visa, for which you can be eligible after 3 years if your business meets the conditions.
For most routes, you must live and work in the UK for 5 years before eligible for ILR. ILR means you won’t need a visa to live and work in the UK. You will likely need to extend your visa once or maybe twice before you’re eligible. You won’t need a visa on ILR and are subject to less immigration restrictions.
Step 3
After 5 years of consecutive living and working in the UK under an eligible visa, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. After obtaining ILR status, you will enjoy most of the benefits UK citizens are entitled to, such as free access to public healthcare. You can bring your partner and dependent children (if any) to join you in the UK. If successful, you can apply for British Citizenship after 1 year with Indefinite Leave to Remain.
Once you become a UK citizen, you will have the right to vote, as well as the right to access public funds.
How can an immigration lawyer help you move to the UK from Australia?
Immigration law changes quickly, and eligibility and requirements for moving to the UK are difficult to understand. Our UK-based immigration attorneys can help you filter out the noise and tailor the options to your unique circumstances.
Whether you are looking to temporarily or permanently relocate to the UK to live, work and settle, we can support you every step of the way. From initial consultation to managing your UK visa application, our team is dedicated to ensuring you have the tools to emigrate from Australia to the UK stress-free.
What can we help with
Assistance, no matter the complexity
We ensure your needs are fully catered for, no matter your situation. We can help you with:
- Work Visa applications
- Spouse & Family Visas
- Indefinite Leave to Remain
- Citizenship applications
- Renewals & extensions
- Business visa applications
- Refusals & deportations
- Asylum claims
World-Class Immigration Services
We pride ourselves on our track record of success. Our highly qualified and IAA-accredited UK lawyers combine extensive knowledge with attentive, personal service which is why we are trusted by applicants worldwide.
- Thousands of applications approved worldwide
- Highly qualified & accredited UK immigration lawyers
- Fast and friendly lawyers ensure all applications are submitted on time
- Expert assistance from anywhere
- Comprehensive visa and citizenship application services
- Legal representation for complex cases like refusals and deportations
Advice Package
Comprehensive immigration advice tailored to your circumstances and goals.
Application Package
Designed to make your visa application as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Fast Track Package
Premium application service that ensures your visa application is submitted to meet your deadline.
Appeal Package
Ensure you have the greatest chance of a successful appeal. We will represent you in any case.
The Advice Package
During this untimed Advice Session with our professional immigration lawyers in London, you will receive our comprehensive advice, completely tailored to your needs and your situation.
The Application Package
With our Application Package, your dedicated immigration lawyer will advise you on your application process and eligibility. Your caseworker will then complete and submit your forms to the Home Office on your behalf.
The Fast Track Package
Our Fast-Track Application Package is a premium service for those who need to submit their application in time with their deadlines. Your case will become a top priority for our lawyers and you will benefit from our highest-quality services.
The Appeal Package
By choosing our Appeal Package, you can rely on our lawyers’ legal knowledge and experience to ensure you have the highest chance of a successful appeal. We will also fully represent you in any hearings/tribunals.
UK Work Visas
Australian citizens who want to enter the UK for work purposes for a specific period can obtain a UK work visa that suits their situation:
Skilled Worker Visa
The UK Skilled Worker visa allows Australian citizens and other foreign nationals to enter the UK and work for licensed employers. This long-term visa allows its holder to stay in the UK for up to 5 years; however, this depends on how long your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) will last.
Note that you can only maintain the validity of this visa if you remain in the same role your sponsoring employer offered to you (contained in your CoS). However, if you intend to change your job role or employer, you must seek a new Skilled Worker visa.
You will be allowed to extend your visa before it expires, and once you have stayed in the UK for up to 5 years, you may qualify to apply for ILR and British citizenship after 1 year.
Graduate Work Visa
This visa allows Australian citizens to remain in the UK after completing their studies. The UK Graduate Work visa is valid for up to 2 years, or 3 years if you have a PhD or doctoral qualification. The right time to apply for this visa is after your University has notified the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) that you have completed your degree successfully.
The holder of this visa is allowed to switch jobs, work flexibly and advance their careers. If you’re a doctoral student, you can work at any skill level for up to 2 or 3 years in the UK. You cannot extend the UK Graduate visa. Alternatively, you can switch it to another visa. International students typically switch to the UK Skilled Worker visa, provided they meet its requirements; this could be a good option for you.
Global Talent Visa
This visa is designed for Australian citizens who are potential leaders (exceptional promise) or current leaders (exceptional talent) in research and academia, digital technology, arts and culture. Before you are issued the Global Talent visa, you must apply for endorsement from a UK-recognised endorsing body to confirm that you are a potential leader or a current leader in your field.
If you can show that you’ve won a qualifying award in your field, you can seek the visa without an endorsement. When you obtain this visa, you can stay in the United Kingdom for up to 5 years even without a job offer or sponsor. During those allowable years, you can stay in the UK and work as a company director, self-employed person, or employee.
You can extend this visa and remain in the country as long as you want without consulting the UK immigration authorities. It can be extended to any duration within 1 to 5 years. Alternatively, you can qualify to apply for permanent settlement in the UK after living in the country for 3 years as a leader in your field or after living for 5 years as a potential leader.
UK Temporary Worker Visa & Working Holidays in the UK for Australians
As an Australian citizen, you will not need a visa to visit the UK for up to six months.
There are suitable visa types if you are coming to the UK for a longer-term arrangement, such as temporary work, working holidays, or gap years.
The Youth Mobility Scheme is popular with 18-—to 35-year-olds, and the Seasonal Worker Visa permits work such as vegetable and fruit picking. Alternatively, the Global Business Mobility route allows you to work at a UK branch of your current employer in various capacities on short to medium-term assignments, like staff training.
Youth Mobility Scheme Visa
Australian citizens moving to the UK can obtain the Youth Mobility Scheme visa. You must be between 18 and 35 years old to apply for this visa, which is only valid for up to 2 years.
Only Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand citizens can apply for an additional year’s extension of this visa, which can occur only once.
On this visa, you will be allowed to become self-employed or establish a business in the UK, provided you do not have employees, your equipment is not valued at more than £5,000, and your premises are rented. Before the expiration of this visa, you can switch to the UK Skilled Worker visa, which offers a route to permanent residency in the UK.
Seasonal Worker Visa
If you are an Australian citizen and have a job offer in the UK to work in the horticulture sector, the UK Seasonal Worker visa will suit your situation. With this visa, you can only pick vegetables and fruits.
It does not include jobs such as driving heavy trucks to transport food, pork butchery or poultry work. It typically takes about 3 weeks to process this visa, but getting a decision may last longer, although it will depend on your unique circumstances.
Once your Seasonal Worker visa is ready, you can enter the UK up to 2 weeks before your visa starts counting. You can stay in the UK for up to 6 months when you obtain this visa. You can neither extend this visa nor switch to another one once you have stayed in the country.
Global Business Mobility Visas
If you are an Australian professional or businessperson looking to immigrate to the UK for work-related purposes, you may need to obtain a Global Business Mobility Visa. This visa category facilitates various business and work-related activities, allowing you to relocate to the UK for specific purposes. The Global Business Mobility Visa is divided into routes catering to distinct professional and business needs.
Visa Routes under Global Business Mobility Visa
- Senior or Specialist Worker Visa
- Graduate Trainee Visa
- UK Expansion Worker Visa
- Secondment Worker Visa
- Service Supplier Visa
UK Family Visas
Dependant Visa
This visa is designed for Australian citizens who want to join their immediate family member who resides in the UK. You may qualify for a UK Dependant visa if you are dependent on a family member who currently holds an Ancestry, Business, Work, or Student Visa (in rare cases). You are only considered dependent on your UK-based family member (sponsor) if you are their child or spouse/partner.
Not all UK Work and Student visa holders are qualified to bring their dependents to the country. For this reason, we recommend you contact our team of immigration lawyers at Total Law to help assess your situation and determine the best option for you. Call us today at +44 (0) 333 305 9375 or message us online for a quick response.
Spouse Visa
The UK Spouse visa, or a UK Partner Visa, is designed for Australian citizens who want to join their partners in the United Kingdom. This visa is under the UK Family visa category. To qualify for this visa, your partner (sponsor) must be settled in the UK or a British citizen.
Besides that, you must prove in your application that you’re in a genuine and subsisting relationship with your UK-based partner. When you obtain the UK Spouse visa, you can stay in the country for up to 2 years and 6 months.
After staying in the country for up to 5 years, you may become eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and apply for British citizenship after of holding ILR.
UK Ancestry Visa
The UK Ancestry visa is designed for Australian citizens and other Commonwealth nationals with at least a grandparent born in the United Kingdom. With this visa, you can live, work and study in the country.
This visa allows holders to enter the UK and stay for up to 5 years. When this visa validity period expires, you can extend it for 5 years or seek ILR to remain indefinitely in the country.
After staying in the country on the ILR for 1 year, you can apply for British citizenship, provided you meet its requirements. Note that you cannot claim UK Ancestry via stepparents for this visa.
UK Business Visas
If you are an Australian citizen or a non-Australian national resident in Australia, you must obtain a UK Business visa to be allowed into the country for business purposes. Below are some of the UK Business visas you can obtain, largely determined by the kind of business you want to run in the UK and how long you wish to stay:
Innovator Founder Visa
If you are an Australian entrepreneur and you want to immigrate to the UK and set up a business there, you must obtain the UK Innovator Founder Visa. Before you obtain this visa, the UK immigration authorities require you to prove that your proposed business is innovative, scalable, and viable. The business you want to establish in the UK must be unique in the market and not what is already obtainable.
As a part of the requirements needed for this visa, an endorsing body must approve a comprehensive business plan you have designed for the business. Also, you must prove that you created or contributed to the business idea. This visa is valid for up to 3 years, and after running your business for 3 years in the UK, you can qualify for ILR or you can extend it for an additional 3 years.
Business Visitor Visa
You do not need a Business Visitor Visa if you are an Australian citizen. If you’re a non-Australian resident in Australia, you may obtain a UK Business Visitor visa to enter the country and engage in unpaid short-term business-related activities.
Self-Sponsorship & Other Options
Since the Entrepreneur Visa and Investor Visa ended, business owners and investors have had fewer options for moving to the UK. However, business owners can also consider ‘self-sponsorship,’ where they or their business partner apply for a sponsor licence for their business in the UK and sponsor themselves as workers.
You may be able to sponsor yourself as a Skilled Worker or apply for a Global Talent Visa. Alternatively, you could apply as a temporary worker on a Global Business Mobility Visa such as a UK Business Expansion Worker Visa. The conditions for these visas are difficult and may require you to be in a skilled occupation.
- UK Expansion Worker Visa (Global Business Mobility)
- A Senior or Specialist Worker Visa (GBM)
- Representative of an Overseas Business Visa (GBM)
- Skilled Worker Visa
UK Visa Application Process for Australians
Australian citizens who want to obtain any of the above-mentioned UK visas either to visit or immigrate to the UK must apply following some steps. Note that because these visas serve different purposes, their requirements and supporting documents differ including their length of stay. Below are the major steps you must take when applying for a UK visa:
Check if You Need a UK Visa
Before you apply for a UK visa, you must know whether you need a visa to enter the UK as an Australian citizen or resident. As an Australian citizen, you do not need a visa to enter the UK if your stay will not exceed 6 months. However, if you intend to remain in the UK for more than 6 months, you must choose a Visa type that suits your purpose of travel.
Fill Out the Application Form
Once you’ve chosen the appropriate visa, you must then complete your visa application form with the correct information. Avoid the falsification of information or errors and omissions in your visa application form, as they may cause a refusal or delay in processing your visa application.
Fix Your Visa Appointment
You must make an online appointment with your nearest VFS Global visa application centre. After completing the online appointment, you must print out a confirmation email and bring it to the selected visa application centre.
Pay Required Fees
You must pay all required fees to complete your application. These fees include your visa processing, consular, translation fees (if necessary), and any other fees required for the visa type you’re applying for.
Choose a Visa Type
If you wish to stay in the UK for more than 6 months, you must apply for one of the UK visas from Australia that best suits your situation. The reason is that various UK visas are designed to serve a specific aim of entering the UK. If you are unsure of the right visa type, you can seek expert guidance from one of our immigration lawyers at Total Law to help you select the visa that fits you. Call us at +44 (0) 333 305 9375 or message us online for immediate help.
Gather the Required Documents
You will be required to provide mandatory documents to support your visa application. Note that the documents you will submit largely depend on the type of UK visa you’re applying for. For example, the documents you will be asked to provide for Business visas won’t be the same as the ones needed for Work visas.
Attend the Visa Interview
You must attend your UK visa interview with all your required documents. Ensure you bring the original copies of your documents if required. At the interview, you must provide a digital scan of your fingerprints and photographs (biometric information). Besides that, the UK immigration authorities may ask you several questions to ensure that the details in your documents and application form align with your answers. An adult must accompany children under 18 years old.
Receive Your UK Visa
After applying for your visa, your application will be processed, and a decision will be made on your visa application. If your visa application is successful, you will be told where and when to come and pick up your visa.
How Can Total Law Help?
If you want to immigrate to the UK from Australia you may not know the specific UK visa that best aligns with your travel purpose. Besides that, you may not know the complete documents and requirements you must meet. Because of this, the whole application process may become overwhelming for you.
This is why it’s ideal to seek expert guidance from our team of immigration lawyers at Total Law to help assess your situation and know which visa type best fits you and the requirements you must meet. Our immigration lawyers can also apply for the UK visa on your behalf. Call us today on +44 (0) 333 305 9375 or message us online if you have any questions about UK immigration from Australia or other services we offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s cheaper to live in the UK than in Australia. However, Australia pays a higher minimum wage (AUD $24.10 hourly) than the UK (currently £11.44 hourly).
Australian citizens can stay in the UK for up to 6 months visa-free. However, you can stay in the UK beyond 6 months on a visa that suits your stay duration and even remain indefinitely in the country, provided you meet all the requirements.
