Looking for the fastest way to OZ

Hi there,

I am from Toronto and have my wife and three kids who are all Canadians looking to get to OZ the quickest. I heard that the 457 visa is quick. Please any advise would be helpful. Thanks.

yes the 457 is the fastest but is only temporary and has some big restrictions. You might have to pay for private health care if not covered by employer. Temp visas do not get free public health care.

Also some states like NSW would require you to pay full school fees, which could be a few grand for each kid.

Plus you are tied to the employer who sponsors you.

In my opinion if you qualify for a permanent visa lik the 175 it's worth the cost & waiting.

If you want more advice on the visas search for a website called British Expats and go to the discussion forum for Austrailia imigration. That's the best place to go for visa advice.

comet555- I got the temp spouse visa and was under the impression that i am able to apply for free health care, now I am concerned are you sure? was that the visa you came in on and if so how much was your health care.

I'm not sure how it applies to a spouse temp visa. I know on the 457 temp you don't get medicare.

You'll have to check the Medicare website to be sure. I had a quick look but I didn't see anything on that page that specifically mentioned spouse visas.

http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/pub ... bility.jsp

I know that if you are in Oz on a temp visa you can get medicare as soon as you apply for a permanent visa. But that probably won't help you initially. I suggest having a good look around that site and if necessary call the Medicare office to find out.

If you have UK citizenship then you would be covered under a reciprocal agreement. Unfortunately there is no such agreement for Canada. So you either have to be covered under Medicare or take out private health insurance.

Thanks comet555! I found out I am eligible with my visa(47SP), thats a relief.