What's next after the Working Holiday Visa?

Regional sponsorship

Many regional employers are licensed to sponsor skilled workers on subclass 482 (TSS) or 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional) visas. These can lead to permanent residency through subclass 191 after 3 years.

Industries where sponsorship is common: hospitality (chefs, restaurant managers), trades (mechanics, electricians, carpenters, plumbers), agriculture (managers, farm hands with experience), aged care, nursing, IT.

RuralMatch lets employers mark jobs as "sponsorship available". Filter for these on the jobs page.

Studying in Australia

A student visa (subclass 500) gives you 24 months of work rights per 2-week period plus full work rights during holidays. Many backpackers study in regional Australia to lock in residency points.

Common pathways:

• Trade courses (commercial cookery, automotive, carpentry) — 12-24 months, leads to graduate visa.
• Diploma / Advanced Diploma — business, hospitality, IT.
• Bachelor's / Master's in regional universities (Wagga, Bendigo, Toowoomba, Darwin, Launceston) — extra residency points.

Skilled migration (Skilled Independent 189 / Skilled Nominated 190)

If your occupation is on Australia's skilled occupation list and you can pass the points test, you may not need sponsorship at all. Check your eligibility with a registered migration agent (MARN-registered).

Partner directory (coming soon)

We're building a directory of partners who can help with the next step. Listings will be clearly marked when sponsored.

When live, sponsored partners will display a clear "Sponsored" badge. We'll never hide commercial relationships. See our sponsored content disclosure.