Commonwealth of Australia vs Bermuda (British Overseas Territory)
A neutral side-by-side of immigration systems, routes and regulators. Each row links to the underlying visa page with its primary government source.
Last reviewed:
Commonwealth of Australia
Australia operates a points-based SkillSelect system for permanent and provisional skilled visas alongside employer-sponsored subclasses (482 TSS, 186 ENS, 494 Regional), Working Holiday Maker subclasses, and student and global talent visas.
- Official portal
- Department of Home Affairs (Australia)
- Languages
- English
- Currency
- Australian dollar
Bermuda (British Overseas Territory)
Bermuda Visa Atlas coverage is based on Government of Bermuda Department of Immigration pages for entry visas, work permits, residence permissions, landing permits, immigration fees and economic investment residence certificates. The current packet covers MRV-based entry-visa rules, standard work permits, short-term and periodic work permits, global entrepreneur and new-business work permits, residence permits, economic investment/residential certificates and landing permits for work-permit holders with pending renewals.
- Official portal
- Government of Bermuda
- Languages
- English
- Currency
- Bermudian dollar
How Commonwealth of Australia and Bermuda (British Overseas Territory) differ
| Dimension | Commonwealth of Australia | Bermuda (British Overseas Territory) |
|---|---|---|
| Total routes covered | 9 | 7 |
| Routes without employer sponsor | 6 | 3 |
| Routes leading to permanent residence | 7 | 0 |
| Typical full settlement timeline | Arrival on 482 → 186 ENS after 2 years (Specialist Skills Pathway) or 3-4 years (Core Skills) → PR → citizenship after 4 years from arrival (minimum 12 months as PR). | — |
| Dominant skilled visa | Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) | Standard Work Permit |
| Skilled visa salary minimum | — | — |
| Skilled visa processing time | Home Affairs publishes a typical decision window of 6–12 months for the subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa, counted from the date you lodge. Because 189 is points-tested and invitation-only, much of the real waiting often happens earlier – in the SkillSelect pool, waiting for an invitation to apply. | — |
| Skilled visa government fees | The Australia subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa costs roughly A$5,400 in Home Affairs fees for a single primary applicant, before skills-assessment and English-test costs. | — |
| Official languages | English | English |
| Currency | Australian dollar | Bermudian dollar |
| Primary regulator | MARA | Immigration |
| Policy changes (last 12 months) | 1 | 0 |
Skilled-route head-to-head
Comparing each country’s most-used skilled-migration route side by side.
Commonwealth of Australia
Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
- Salary minimum
- —
- Government fees
- The Australia subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa costs roughly A$5,400 in Home Affairs fees for a single primary applicant, before skills-assessment and English-test costs.
- Processing time
- Home Affairs publishes a typical decision window of 6–12 months for the subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa, counted from the date you lodge. Because 189 is points-tested and invitation-only, much of the real waiting often happens earlier – in the SkillSelect pool, waiting for an invitation to apply.
- Sponsor required
- No
- Leads to settlement
- Yes
Bermuda (British Overseas Territory)
Standard Work Permit
- Salary minimum
- —
- Government fees
- —
- Processing time
- —
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- No
Routes unique to Commonwealth of Australia
Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
skilled-migration
Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
skilled-migration
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
skilled-migration
Working Holiday Maker visa (subclass 417/462)
youth-mobility
National Innovation visa (formerly Global Talent)
work-unsponsored
Routes unique to Bermuda (British Overseas Territory)
Visa routes side by side
Commonwealth of Australia (9)
Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482)
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · Up to 4 years.
Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Permanent residence.
Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Permanent residence.
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · 5 years provisional, with pathway to permanent residence.
Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · Permanent residence.
Working Holiday Maker visa (subclass 417/462)
No sponsor · Non-settlement · 12 months per grant; up to 3 visas with qualifying specified work.
National Innovation visa (formerly Global Talent)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Permanent residence.
Australian Student visa (subclass 500)
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Programme length plus small buffer.
Partner visa (subclass 820/801, 309/100)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Initial provisional to permanent residence.
Bermuda (British Overseas Territory) (7)
Bermuda Entry Visa / MRV Requirement
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Visitor stay or work-permit-linked entry as admitted; MRV and passport validity must usually extend 45 days beyond the relevant stay or permit expiry.
Standard Work Permit
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Common standard work-permit fee bands are published for one to five years.
Short Term and Periodic Work Permits
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Short Term Work Permit up to six months; Periodic Work Permit supports repeat visits with no more than 30 days each visit.
Global Entrepreneur, New Business, Fintech and Family Office Work Permits
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Business work-permit fee bands are published for one to five years; early automatic-approval windows depend on permit type.
Residence Permit
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Annual permission and longer residence-permission fee bands are published; exact validity depends on the permission granted.
Economic Investment Certificate and Residential Certificate
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Residential Certificate treatment follows the approved certificate; confirm current policy and renewal or expiry treatment before investing.
Landing Permit for Work Permit Holders
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Temporary travel-and-landing support while a timely new Standard Work Permit application is pending.
Frequently asked questions
Which country has an easier skilled-migration route, Commonwealth of Australia or Bermuda (British Overseas Territory)?+
Commonwealth of Australia’s Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) is the dominant skilled route; Bermuda (British Overseas Territory)’s Standard Work Permit is the dominant skilled route. “Easier” depends on your salary, sponsor situation, and nationality — see each visa’s eligibility detail.
Does Commonwealth of Australia or Bermuda (British Overseas Territory) have more visa routes without an employer sponsor?+
Commonwealth of Australia has more: 6 of its covered routes can be pursued without an employer sponsor, against 3 for Bermuda (British Overseas Territory). No-sponsor routes — such as digital-nomad, self-employment, and points-based skilled migration — matter most if you do not yet have a job offer.