The British-to-Australian immigration pathway runs through one of three main visa categories: skilled migration (the main route for working-age professionals), family-sponsored migration, and partner visas. This guide walks through the realistic process, timeline, and cost for the most common British applicants.
The Department of Home Affairs is the single source of truth for current policy. This guide reflects publicly available information as at early 2026 — always verify current rules at homeaffairs.gov.au before making decisions.
The Three Main Visa Routes
Subclass 189 — Skilled Independent Visa. Permanent residence, points-tested, no employer sponsor required. The benchmark route for British professionals in occupations on Australia’s Skilled Occupation List. Points calculated on age, English ability, qualifications, work experience, and skill assessment.
Subclass 190 — Skilled Nominated Visa. Permanent residence, requires nomination by an Australian state or territory. Points-tested with a 5-point bonus for state nomination. Often used by professionals whose occupation is on a state-specific list rather than the federal list.
Subclass 482 — Temporary Skill Shortage Visa. Temporary (2-4 year) employer-sponsored visa. Often used as a stepping stone to permanent residence (482 → 186 employer-sponsored permanent visa).
For British nationals married or partnered to an Australian citizen or permanent resident, Subclass 309/100 (Partner) is a separate pathway with its own timeline and costs.
The Points Test (For Skilled Migration)
To be invited to apply for a 189 or 190, applicants must score above a moving threshold (varies by occupation; the de facto floor for popular occupations sits around 65-90 points). Points come from:
- Age: 30 (peak: 25-32 years old, declining either side; 0 over 45)
- English language: 0 (Competent / IELTS 6) to 20 (Superior)
- Qualifications: 10 (recognised diploma) to 20 (PhD)
- Australian work experience: 5-20 points
- Overseas work experience: 5-15 points (5+ years required for any points)
- Australian study: 5 points
- Specialist education: 10 points
- Partner skills: 5-10 points
- State nomination (190 only): +5 points
The Department of Home Affairs publishes the points test on its website with a calculator.
The Skill Assessment
Before submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI), applicants need a positive skill assessment from the assessing authority for their occupation. For British professionals, the most common authorities are:
- VETASSESS for general professional occupations
- Engineers Australia for engineering
- Australian Computer Society (ACS) for IT
- AHPRA for healthcare professionals (medical, nursing, dental)
- Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) for trades
Each has its own process, fee, and timeline (usually 12-20 weeks). The UK qualifications recognition is generally smoother than for non-Anglophone countries because most UK degrees and trades qualifications are well-mapped.
The Realistic Timeline
For a British professional applying for a 189 visa:
- Skill assessment — 3-5 months
- Submit EOI in SkillSelect — instant
- Wait for invitation to apply — 1-12 months (depends on occupation and points score; in-demand occupations get invites faster)
- Apply for the visa after invitation — within 60 days
- Visa processing — 6-15 months for the 189 in 2025; longer for some occupations
Total realistic timeline from “I’m starting the process” to “I have a permanent visa”: 18-30 months.
For 482 employer-sponsored, the timeline is faster (often 3-6 months from job offer to visa) but requires an Australian employer willing to sponsor.
The Real Cost
The visa application fees are the visible costs — Subclass 189 main applicant fee is approximately AUD 4,640 (2025 rates), partner add-on AUD 2,320, child AUD 1,160. For a family of four, the application fees alone are around AUD 9,300.
The full cost of getting from “decided to move” to “settled in Melbourne” runs much higher:
- Visa application fees: AUD 4,640-9,300
- Skill assessment: AUD 1,000-3,000
- IELTS or PTE English test (if needed): AUD 350-450
- Migration agent (optional but common): AUD 5,000-12,000
- Police certificates and medical exams: AUD 500-1,500
- Document attestation and translation: AUD 200-1,000
Total visa-stage costs: AUD 8,000-25,000 for a family of four
Then the move itself — flights, shipping, initial rental bond and rent, car, school enrolment fees — typically adds another AUD 20,000-50,000 minimum for a family.
The Migration Agent Question
A registered migration agent (MARN-registered) can substantially smooth the process for complex cases. For straightforward 189 or 482 applications by British professionals in clear-list occupations, many applicants self-manage successfully using the Department of Home Affairs published material.
The Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA) maintains a public register at mara.gov.au — only deal with MARN-registered agents.
Family and Partner Pathways
For British nationals partnered to Australians, the 309/100 pathway is the standard route. Initial 309 (offshore partner visa) takes around 12-24 months to process; the subsequent 100 (permanent partner visa) is granted around two years after the 309. Application fee is approximately AUD 9,365 for the main applicant.
What Surprises Most British Applicants
The process is more administrative than legal. There’s no interview equivalent of a US green card. The bureaucracy is real but consistent — submit the right documents, pay the right fees, wait the right amount of time.
The other surprise: the medical exam. Australia is strict on tuberculosis screening (chest X-ray standard for adults), and certain pre-existing conditions can trigger additional review. Most British applicants pass without issues.
For the broader move planning, see UK vs Australia: An Honest Comparison. For the cost-of-living context, see Melbourne vs London Cost of Living.
The One-Sentence Summary
British nationals on the skilled migration pathway should plan for an 18-30 month process and AUD 8,000-25,000 in visa-stage costs, with the points test, skill assessment, and occupation-list eligibility being the three things to verify before committing.