Student visa routes in Commonwealth of Australia
Thinking about Commonwealth of Australia as a place to work? Below is the 1 Commonwealth of Australia visa route that most commonly fits students, with what each one needs and a link to the official government source. Always confirm the current rules on the primary source before acting.
Also searched as: international student, graduate student, postgraduate, undergraduate.
What this means for students
Of the 1 Commonwealth of Australia route that commonly fits students, 1 needs a sponsoring employer and 0 do not, 0 have confirmed permanent residence mapping. Students are not usually a licensed profession, so your main gates are securing a qualifying job offer where a route needs a sponsor, and meeting any salary or points threshold, rather than re-credentialing.
The most-used skilled route into Commonwealth of Australia overall is the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189); it is not specific to students but is worth understanding as the benchmark route.
Typical figures — Australian Student visa (subclass 500)
Computed from our continuously re-verified, primary-sourced data. Indicative, not legal advice.
How long it takes
4 weeks – 4 months
Student visa (subclass 500) typically resolves in 4–16 weeks depending on source country and provider risk rating.
Verified 1 June 2026 · Home Affairs — Student visa
Occupation salary-floor answer
Student salary floor in Commonwealth of Australia
Verified 1 July 2026
Salary floor
No route-specific floor mapped
Australian Student visa (subclass 500) eligibility
No route-specific salary threshold is mapped for this profession-route pair yet; use the route source for eligibility and the salary-threshold dataset for any destination-level pay test.
Compare this occupation across priority destinations · Source datasets: /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/visas
Licensing vs visa timeline
Student: visa vs licensing timeline in Commonwealth of Australia
Version 2026-07-02
This separates the immigration filing track from the profession, regulator or recognition track. It uses route source data and cost-to-complete evidence; it is indicative and not legal advice.
Visa track
- 1
Confirm route fit
Before relying on an offer
Australian Student visa (subclass 500) is the representative route for this profession page. It requires a sponsor or job offer and is not mapped as a direct settlement route.
Source: Department of Home Affairs — Student visa (subclass 500) - 22 July 2026
- 2
Check current route figures
Before budgeting
Current source-backed figures on this page include processing 4 weeks – 4 months.
Source: Visa Atlas figure datasets
- 3
Follow the official application pathway
After route fit is clear
From CRICOS-registered provider.
Source: Department of Home Affairs — Student visa (subclass 500) - 22 July 2026
Licensing / recognition track
- 1
No separate licence line modelled
After route fit is clear
This profession category is usually driven by offer, salary, qualification and route fit rather than a separate professional-registration clock. Still confirm the official route source before filing.
Source: Department of Home Affairs — Student visa (subclass 500) - 22 July 2026
Method: Compares the representative visa track with profession-sensitive recognition, registration or skills-assessment evidence found in the route cost model; it does not create country-specific regulator claims when no source-backed line exists. Source datasets: /api/public/visas, /api/public/cost-to-complete, /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/processing-times.
Source basis
This profession page uses Commonwealth of Australia's official immigration portal plus the primary government source for each matched route. The route cards link to full eligibility and source records.
Reviewed
Primary sources
- Department of Home Affairs — Immigration and citizenship
Department of Home Affairs (Australia) - verified
- Department of Home Affairs — Student visa (subclass 500)
Department of Home Affairs - verified
Routes that fit students
Figures by route
Verified salary floor and processing window per matched route, each primary-sourced. Indicative, not legal advice.
| Route | Salary floor | Processing | Settlement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Student visa (subclass 500) | — | 4 weeks – 4 months | No |
Frequently asked questions
Which visa routes suit students moving to Commonwealth of Australia?+
Commonwealth of Australia has 1 route that commonly fits students: Australian Student visa (subclass 500). The best fit depends on whether you already have an employer sponsor, your salary, and your qualifications — open any route below for its full eligibility criteria and primary government source.
Do students need a job offer to move to Commonwealth of Australia?+
For the routes that fit students here, yes — all 1 require a sponsoring employer or a confirmed job offer. Securing that offer is usually the first and slowest step, so it is worth starting there.
Can students settle permanently in Commonwealth of Australia?+
None of the routes that most closely fit students here are flagged as leading directly to permanent residence — they are temporary or transitional. You may still be able to switch to a settlement route later; see all Commonwealth of Australia routes for the options.
What salary do students need in Commonwealth of Australia?+
Australian Student visa (subclass 500) does not have one fixed numeric floor in the mapped salary-threshold record. No route-specific salary threshold is mapped for this profession-route pair yet; use the route source for eligibility and the salary-threshold dataset for any destination-level pay test. Source: Department of Home Affairs — Student visa (subclass 500), verified 1 July 2026.
How long does the Australian Student visa (subclass 500) take to process?+
The typical published decision window is 4 weeks – 4 months (Home Affairs — Student visa, verified 1 June 2026).