UK to Australia Visa 2026 -- Skilled, Partner and Permanent Residency

Last reviewed: 26 April 2026

Securing a UK to Australia visa in 2026 involves navigating SkillSelect invitation rounds, occupation ceiling lists, and a points-based assessment that has tightened since the post-pandemic reopening. The Department of Home Affairs administers all permanent and temporary skilled visas; invitation scores for the subclass 189 reached 90 points for several engineering and technology occupations in the 2024/25 programme year, according to published SkillSelect round data. Before applying, you should read the HMRC guidance on statutory residence tests, because leaving the UK mid-year creates split-year treatment under UK tax law -- see our full UK tax residency guide for departing residents for the precise tests you must satisfy.

This guide to the UK to Australia visa covers every major pathway available to British nationals in 2026: points-tested skilled visas, employer-sponsored routes, partner and family visas, and the Working Holiday Maker programme. For an overview of the full relocation process, costs and cultural considerations, see our companion article on moving to Australia from the UK. Tax and pension implications for UK nationals who become Australian permanent residents are covered in our UK pension abroad guide.

What changed for Australia visas in 2026?

The Department of Home Affairs published updated occupation ceiling data for the 2025/26 Migration Programme in July 2025. The total permanent migration programme remains capped at 185,000 places for 2025/26, unchanged from the prior year, according to the Department of Home Affairs Migration Programme planning levels. Within that cap, the Skills in Demand stream (SID), which replaced the TSS 482 medium-term list from 1 July 2024, introduced three distinct salary thresholds: the Specialist Skills pathway requires a minimum AUD 135,005 salary (approximately £70,000); the Core Skills pathway requires the applicable Award rate or AUD 73,150, whichever is higher; the Essential Skills pathway covers aged and disability care workers only. These changes directly affect UK professionals assessing employer-sponsored options for the 2026 intake.

SkillSelect issued 3,753 invitations in the February 2026 round across all skilled visa subclasses, with the highest invitation scores for Software Engineer (ANZSCO 261313) sitting at 90 points and Registered Nurse (ANZSCO 254411) at 80 points, according to the published SkillSelect round report. The Department of Home Affairs extended the age limit for the subclass 462 Work and Holiday visa for UK nationals from 30 to 35 years, effective from 1 July 2025, in line with the UK-Australia FTA Schedule on Temporary Entry.

How the points test works for UK applicants in 2026

The General Skilled Migration points test awards points across age, English proficiency, qualifications, work experience, state nomination and partner skills. UK nationals under 25 receive 25 points for age; those aged 25-32 receive 30 points (the maximum age band). A Competent English score -- IELTS 6.0 in each band -- contributes 0 additional points but is mandatory; a Proficient English score (IELTS 7.0 each band) adds 10 points; a Superior score (IELTS 8.0 each band) adds 20 points. An Australian study requirement of two academic years delivers 5 points; a Master's degree by research or a Doctorate adds 10 points. Recognised skilled employment in Australia in a nominated occupation adds up to 20 points for eight or more years of experience. The minimum invitation-eligible score is 65 points, but no invitation has been issued below 75 points for the subclass 189 since December 2023, according to SkillSelect round records.

State and Territory nomination (subclass 190) adds 5 points and provides an alternative to the highly competitive subclass 189. Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland each published their 2025/26 occupation lists in July 2025; Queensland added Cybersecurity Analyst to its list in November 2025. State nomination places are finite and typically close within weeks of opening each financial year. The Australian Taxation Office notes that UK citizens who become Australian permanent residents are treated as residents for tax purposes from the date of visa grant, not from the date of physical arrival.

Subclass 189 -- Skilled Independent visa fees and process

The primary application charge for a subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa is AUD 4,640 (approximately £2,400 at April 2026 rates), for the main applicant. Each secondary applicant aged 18 or over attracts an additional AUD 2,320; secondary applicants under 18 pay AUD 1,160. Skills assessments -- required before an Expression of Interest can be lodged in SkillSelect -- cost between AUD 300 and AUD 1,000 depending on the assessing body. Engineers Australia charges AUD 890 for a full competency assessment; the Australian Computer Society charges AUD 540 for an ICT migration skills assessment; the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) charges AUD 365 for initial registration assessment for nurses, according to each body's published schedule as of April 2026.

Once an invitation is issued, applicants have 60 days to lodge a complete visa application. Processing times vary significantly by occupation and completeness of documentation; the Department of Home Affairs published a median processing time of 7 months for the subclass 189 as of April 2026 (75% of applications finalised within 11 months). Health examinations must be booked through an approved panel physician -- a list of UK-based panel physicians is maintained on the ImmiAccount portal -- and police clearance certificates are required from every country where the applicant has lived for 12 months or more since age 16. The UK Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate is accepted for UK residency periods; ACRO Criminal Records Office certificates serve applicants who need a broader UK police clearance.

Subclass 482 -- Temporary Skill Shortage visa for UK nationals

The subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage visa, now operating alongside the Skills in Demand (SID) framework since July 2024, requires an approved sponsor employer, a nominated occupation, and salary at or above the applicable threshold. Under the Core Skills pathway, the minimum salary is the greater of the Award rate for the occupation or AUD 73,150 (approximately £38,000). Labour market testing -- advertising the role locally for at least 28 days -- is required for most Core Skills occupations unless an exemption applies (international obligations, for example, cover certain high-skill occupations). The median processing time for an employer-sponsored subclass 482 application was 29 days as of the Department of Home Affairs monthly statistics for February 2026.

UK nationals on a subclass 482 in the Core Skills pathway may apply for the subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme permanent visa after two years of full-time employment with the sponsoring employer, provided the employer lodges a nomination. The Direct Entry stream of the subclass 186 does not require prior 482 holding. The sponsoring employer pays a Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy: AUD 1,200 per year for businesses with annual turnover below AUD 10 million, and AUD 1,800 per year for larger businesses, capped at the visa duration. UK employers posting staff to Australian subsidiaries may use the International Agreements stream, which exempts them from labour market testing.

Partner and family visa routes from the UK

British nationals in a genuine relationship with an Australian citizen or permanent resident can apply for the Partner visa, which operates as a two-stage process: the temporary subclass 820 (onshore) or subclass 309 (offshore), followed by the permanent subclass 801 or subclass 100 after two years. The combined application charge for the Partner visa is AUD 8,850 (approximately £4,600 at April 2026 rates), paid at the time of the temporary-stage application -- no second fee is charged for the permanent stage. Processing of offshore partner applications (subclass 309) is currently running at a median 19 months according to the Department of Home Affairs, while onshore subclass 820 applications are running at a median 21 months as of April 2026 statistics.

Evidence requirements for the Partner visa include joint financial records, correspondence addressed to both partners at a shared address, statutory declarations from people who know the couple, and evidence of a shared social life. Relationships of less than two years at the time of application are classified as de facto relationships, and while these are eligible for the Partner visa, the Department may request additional evidence to establish genuine commitment. Married couples must provide a marriage certificate; UK-registered marriages are accepted. Civil partnerships registered in the UK are also recognised for Partner visa purposes under Australian family law provisions.

Working Holiday and Working Holiday Maker options

UK nationals aged 18-35 (as of 1 July 2025, extended from 30) are eligible for the subclass 417 Working Holiday visa, which permits a 12-month stay with the right to work for any employer. The subclass 417 costs AUD 635 (approximately £330 at April 2026 rates) and is applied for online through ImmiAccount. A second Working Holiday visa (another subclass 417) is available to applicants who complete 88 days of specified work in regional Australia during their first visa; a third visa is available for 179 days of specified work during the second visa. Specified work includes farm work, fishing, mining, and certain construction activities in regional postcodes listed in the Department of Home Affairs instrument.

The Working Holiday Maker does not lead to permanent residency directly, but time spent in Australia on a Working Holiday visa can contribute to points under some state nomination schemes if the applicant later transitions to a skilled visa. Working Holiday Makers pay a flat 15% tax on earnings up to AUD 45,000 from 1 July 2025, following changes introduced in the 2025/26 Australian Federal Budget; previously, Working Holiday Makers were taxed at 15% only on the first AUD 37,000. The Australian Taxation Office administers the taxation of Working Holiday Makers under a separate registration system -- employers must verify WHM status before applying the reduced rate.

Skills assessment: which body assesses which occupation?

Every applicant for a General Skilled Migration visa must obtain a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority before lodging an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect. The assessing body is determined by the ANZSCO (Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations) code of the nominated occupation. For UK professionals, the most common assessing bodies are: Engineers Australia (engineering occupations, ANZSCO group 233); the Australian Computer Society -- ACS (ICT occupations, group 261-263); the Australian Institute of Management Education and Training -- AIMET (management occupations); AHPRA (medical, nursing and allied health); the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand -- CA ANZ (accounting, group 221); and Vetassess (a wide range of trade and professional occupations). The Department of Home Affairs maintains the complete assessing authority list on its website, updated quarterly.

UK professional qualifications are generally well regarded by Australian assessing bodies under mutual recognition arrangements, but assessment is not automatic. CA ANZ, for instance, recognises ICAEW and ACCA qualifications under a reciprocal agreement and issues a streamlined assessment, typically within eight weeks. Engineers Australia assesses UK university engineering degrees against the Washington Accord and Sydney Accord, depending on the level. Applicants with qualifications from UK universities that are not on Engineers Australia’s assessed list must submit full transcripts, course descriptions and referee contacts for competency-based assessment, which can take 14-20 weeks and cost AUD 890 as noted above.

UK tax implications when leaving for Australia

HMRC applies the Statutory Residence Test (SRT) to determine whether a UK national who moves to Australia remains a UK tax resident. Under the third automatic overseas test, a UK national who spends fewer than 16 days in the UK in a tax year (having been UK-resident in any of the three prior years) will be automatically non-UK resident for that year. Individuals who do not meet any automatic overseas test must count UK ties -- family, accommodation, work and 90-day ties -- against their UK day count to determine residence. The UK tax year runs 6 April to 5 April; departure mid-year triggers a split-year claim under Cases 1-8 of Schedule 45 Finance Act 2013, allowing UK income before departure to be taxed in the UK and Australian-source income after departure to fall outside UK charge. For a detailed breakdown of the SRT and split-year cases, see our leaving-UK tax guide.

National Insurance contributions cease on departure if you stop UK employment; however, you may choose to pay voluntary Class 3 NI contributions (£17.45 per week in 2025/26) to protect your State Pension entitlement. The UK State Pension requires 35 qualifying years for a full pension (£221.20 per week in 2025/26, rising to £230.25 per week from April 2026 under triple lock). Australia and the UK have a bilateral Social Security Agreement in force since 1 July 1995, which allows qualifying periods in both countries to be combined for pension purposes where neither country's pension qualification threshold would be met independently. For full details of pension preservation options for UK nationals in Australia, see our UK pension abroad guide.

English language requirements and document checklist

All primary applicants for General Skilled Migration, Skills in Demand, and Partner visas must demonstrate English language ability unless they are a passport holder of the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, or Republic of Ireland -- British passport holders are therefore exempt from providing an IELTS or PTE score for the purposes of meeting the English-language requirement. However, claiming Proficient English (IELTS 7.0) or Superior English (IELTS 8.0) for points-test purposes requires a valid test result from an approved provider (IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge C1 Advanced, or OET) taken within three years of the Expression of Interest submission date.

The standard document checklist for a subclass 189 or 190 application includes: a valid passport, birth certificate, skills assessment certificate, English test result (if claiming Proficient or Superior), evidence of work experience (payslips, employment contracts, tax records), qualifications (degree certificates, transcripts), and a completed health examination form. For UK applicants, the DBS certificate or ACRO certificate is required. Penal clearances from any other country of residence are required for 12-month-plus periods since age 16. The Australian Border Force checks travel history against immigration records; undisclosed prior visa refusals in any country are a common cause of application refusal under character grounds.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute tax, legal, financial or immigration advice. Rules and rates change; verify with the primary sources cited or consult a qualified adviser before acting.

FAQ

Can UK citizens move to Australia without a job offer in 2026?

Yes, via the subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa, which does not require employer sponsorship. You need a positive skills assessment, a minimum 65 points (in practice 75+ to receive an invitation), and an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect. Invitation scores for competitive occupations in the February 2026 round reached 90 points, according to the Department of Home Affairs SkillSelect data.

How long does a subclass 189 visa take to process?

The Department of Home Affairs reported a median processing time of 7 months for the subclass 189 as of April 2026, with 75% of applications decided within 11 months. Processing times can be longer if health examinations or police clearances are delayed. Lodging a complete application -- all documents uploaded at the time of submission -- significantly reduces requests for further information.

What is the cost of a UK to Australia partner visa in 2026?

The combined application charge for the Partner visa (subclass 820/801 or 309/100) is AUD 8,850, approximately £4,600 at April 2026 exchange rates. This fee covers both the temporary and permanent stages. There is no second payment when the permanent stage is assessed. Additional costs include health examinations (approximately £300-£400 per person in the UK) and police clearances.

Does the UK-Australia free trade agreement make migration easier?

The Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement, in force since May 2023, improves access for some skilled workers under commitments in Chapter 12 (Temporary Entry). It extended the Working Holiday Maker age limit to 35, improved access for Intra-Corporate Transferees, and removed some labour market testing obligations. It does not create a visa-free work right or a points-test exemption -- a visa application through the Department of Home Affairs remains mandatory for all UK nationals wishing to work in Australia.

Will I pay tax in both the UK and Australia if I move mid-year?

Typically not on the same income. HMRC’s split-year treatment under Schedule 45 Finance Act 2013 means that UK income earned before your departure date is taxable in the UK, and Australian-source income earned after that date falls outside UK charge for that tax year. You must satisfy one of the eight Cases for split-year treatment to apply, and you must file a UK Self Assessment return for the year of departure. The UK-Australia double tax convention prevents double taxation of most income types.

What English test score do UK passport holders need for an Australian visa?

UK passport holders are exempt from the English language requirement for basic visa eligibility purposes. However, to claim extra points for Proficient English (10 points) or Superior English (20 points) in the points test, a valid test result from IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge C1 Advanced, or OET -- scoring at Proficient (IELTS 7.0) or Superior (IELTS 8.0) band levels -- taken within three years of the Expression of Interest is required, per Department of Home Affairs policy.

Sources

1. Department of Home Affairs -- Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa (verified 26 April 2026)
2. Department of Home Affairs -- SkillSelect round invitation data (verified 26 April 2026)
3. HMRC -- Residence, Domicile and Remittance Basis manual (RDR1) (verified 26 April 2026)
4. Australian Taxation Office -- Working Holiday Makers tax rates (verified 26 April 2026)
5. GOV.UK -- Foreign travel advice: Australia (verified 26 April 2026)
6. OECD -- International Migration Outlook (verified 26 April 2026)