The manner in which a person can immigrate to Australia from Sweden is influenced by the type of visa the person is interested in, or, in other words, on the purpose of the stay in this country. Foreigners, Swedes included, can migrate to Australia for a variety of reasons.
These can refer to employment, travel, investment and business, study, humanitarian reasons and many others. Considering the many options foreigners have, we invite you to learn more on the visa programs available here from our Australia migration lawyer.
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What are the visa options for business purposes in Australia?
Swedes who plan to invest in Australia have the possibility of applying for a visa under several programs. The decision to select a specific visa should be based on the duration of the stay, the financial obligations the investor must respect, and the rights obtained under that visa, such as permanent residency in Australia.
In the list below, our Australia migration lawyer has prepared a short presentation on 3 of the business visas available for foreign investors, including those arriving from Sweden:
- Subclass 188 – Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa;
- the Subclass 188 grants the right to temporary residence and the investor must pay a processing fee of AUD 4,115;
- Subclass 888 – Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa;
- the Subclass 888, which has a lower processing fee of AUD 2,935, is suitable for those who want to set up their own company in Australia and relocate here on a permanent basis;
- the Subclass 132 – Business Talent (Permanent) visa;
- the Subclass 132 has a processing fee of AUD 7,855 and requires foreign businessmen to invest at least AUD 1 million in order to be eligible for the program.
Is there a work-holiday program for Swedes in Australia?
Yes, young Swedes can immigrate to Australia from Sweden as a part of the work-holiday program, considering the Sweden is one of the few countries included in this program. Currently, the law on immigration to Australia grants the right to develop work-holiday activities only to 19 nationalities, Sweden included.
The program is addressed to Swedish passport holders with an age of 18 to 30 years old (for some nationalities, the age limit is increased to 35, but for the majority of nationalities, the age limit is 30) who can arrive here for short-term employment and short-term study programs. Initially, this program, developed under the 417 visa, included only 3 nationalities, when it was first established, in 1975, according to the Parliament of Australia.
The overall stay can’t be longer than 12 months and the visa can’t be extended, as it can be the case for many visas issued by the Australian Department of Home Affairs. Therefore, persons who plan to stay here on a long-term basis or even permanent have to find other visas pathways.
How can Swedes become permanent residents of Australia?
Permanent residency can be obtained following the rules on immigration in Australia. This can be obtained under many immigration policies implemented by the Australian government, such as the family stream, the work stream, or the business stream.
Being a permanent resident, regardless of the visa pathway through which a person will immigrate to Australia from Sweden, can open the possibility of applying for Australian citizenship. Please know that a permanent resident can easily live in Australia without any impediments just as a permanent resident, without becoming a citizen, if he or she is not interested in this opportunity.
From a legal point of view, there aren’t many differences between permanent residents and citizens. However, the first can’t have an Australian passport and vote, as these rights are granted under the Australian Constitution only to citizens, regardless of how they have acquired citizenship. If you want to find out more on citizenship regulations, our immigration lawyer in Australia remains at your service.
