If you have an Engineering Degree then this could be the visa for you!
In the midst of or recently completed an Engineering qualification? This is Australia’s headhunting visa for Engineering professionals. The Skilled Recognised Graduate visa (subclass 476) stands out because there is no requirement of having studied in Australia at all. All you need is to have studied in the right engineering course in the right institution.
For those who are thinking about a 1 year Masters course in Engineering in Australia, this again, is a great option. The 476 visa is valid for 18 months on being granted, and allows its holder to travel, study and most importantly, work full time. Also if you have recently completed your course in Australia but do not meet the Australian Study Requirement, this will still give you access to an 18 month working visa to do as you please. For example if your engineering course was only for 18 months then you cannot access the 485 but you can still apply for the 476.
If you have studied in Australia for at least two academic years, check out the following links to see if you are eligible for a Temporary Graduate visa
Learn: Applying for the Temporary Graduate 485 Visa
Learn: Australian Study Requirement
Main criteria
- Be under 31 years of age
- Completed an engineering qualification at a recognised institution in the last two years
- Have never been a holder of either the 476 or 485 visa (476 and 485 dependents are still eligible)
- Meet English requirements
- Meet health and character requirements
Eligible qualifications
You will need to have one of the following award qualifications:
- Bachelors degree
- Masters degree
- Doctoral degree
- Postgraduate diploma
Your qualification must contain a major sequence of study or specialisation in engineering.
Recognised institution
Any institution offering Engineering qualifications accredited under the Washington accord is a recognised institution. The course was accredited under the Washington Accord at time of visa application.
Even though the Washington Accord relates to Bachelor level engineering courses, all eligible qualifications are still considered to meet requirements as long as the institution offers courses accredited under the Washington Accord.
There also seems to be a great deal of confusion within certain universities in Australia. Often international students are being told they cannot access the 476 visa because the engineering course they completed is not accredited. This is not correct advice. It does not matter what course you complete as long as it is in the Engineering discipline at the university and it is Bachelor Degree of higher. It does not have to be an accredited program itself.
Find: Washington Accord
Tool: ABET Accredited Program Search
Tool: Engineering Council Accredited Course Search
Outside those listed under the Washington Accord, certain institutions in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Finland, Germany, Hungary, India, Iran, People’s Republic of China, Philippines, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden and Tanzania are also recognised for the purposes of the 476 visa. The full list of these institutions are available at the end of this article.
Completed course within 2 years before application
The applicant must have completed their award course within 24 calendar months before making their application. The course completion date is considered to be the date on which results of the applicant’s final exams or notice of completion was available or published. Documentation to support this date could include:
- letter to the student regarding their final exam results
- notification on the internet
- notification in the newspaper
- notification on the university bulletin board
Submission of thesis for the applicant’s course is not considered to be the completion of their course. The applicant will only be considered to have completed their course once they have been advised that all requirements for their course has been met.
English requirements
The applicant must provide evidence of meeting the following minimum scores in one of the eligible English tests.
Read: English Proficiency Tests
If the applicant’s country of passport is the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland, the applicant is exempt from providing test results.
The test scores must be obtained within the preceding three years of the time of application.
Application
The 476 is in inexpensive visa to apply (about $405) with a relatively fast turnaround. The visa can be applied for inside or outside of Australia and the applicant can be inside or outside of Australia for the grant of the visa.
Find: DOHA – Skilled Recognised Graduate 476 Visa
Recognised institutions other than those under the Washington Accord
Catholic University of Argentina (Argentina)
Federal University of Minas Gerais (Brazil)
Universidad Catolica del Norte Chile -Antofagasta (Chile)
University of Chile(Chile)
University of Concepcion(Chile)
HUT, Helsinki (Finland)
RWTH, Aachen (Germany)
Technical University of Berlin (Germany)
Technical University of Clausthal (Germany)
TU Bergakademie Freiberg (Germany)
University of Hannover (Germany)
University of Miskolc (Hungary)
Anna University—Chennai (India)
Banaras Hindu University—Varanasi (India)
Indian Institute of Science—Bangalore (India)
Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (India)
Indian School of Mines—Dhanbad (India)
Amir Kabir University of Technology (Iran)
University of Tehran (Iran)
Beijing Normal University (People’s Republic of China)
Beijing Petroleum University (People’s Republic of China)
Beijing University of Chemical Technology (People’s Republic of China)
Beijing University of Technology (formerly Beijing Polytechnic University) (People’s Republic of China)
China University of Mining & Technology—Beijing (People’s Republic of China)
Guangzhou University (People’s Republic of China)
Shanghai University of Engineering Science (People’s Republic of China)
Shanghai Jiaotong University (People’s Republic of China)
Tongji University (People’s Republic of China)
Tsinghua University (People’s Republic of China)
University of Science and Technology—Beijing (People’s Republic of China)
University of the Philippines (Philippines)
Wroclaw University of Technology (Poland)
TU Kosice (Slovakia)
Lulea University of Technology (Sweden)
University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania)
Are you looking to apply for the 476 visa or you have been told you cannot? We understand that it might be quite complicated and are here to help. Call +61 2 8054 2537, 0434 890 199 or book online today to speak to our migration specialists.
