Work in Australia for Filipinos: Jobs, Visas and Costs

Jobs where Filipinos are getting skilled visas

A shortage occupation is not the same as a job opening. A better guide is where Philippine nationals have recently received skilled visas. Australian immigration data for 2024–25 show temporary skilled grants in structural steel and welding trades, motor mechanics, chefs, metal fitters and machinists, registered nursing, painting trades, nursing support and personal care, mechanical engineering technical work, cooks and panel beating.

Skill-stream migration outcomes included registered nurses, chefs, software and applications programmers, motor mechanics, civil engineering professionals, physiotherapists, accountants and other occupations. The Australian Government's Philippines country profile gives the current data. These are past visa outcomes, not vacancies, so your chances still depend on the occupation, employer or state rules, skills assessment and your own experience.

Main visa routes for Filipinos who want to work in Australia

Start with whether you already have an Australian employer willing to sponsor you. If you do, look at the 482, 494 or 186 routes. If you do not, the 189, 190 or 491 skilled visas may be options if your occupation, skills assessment, English and points meet the rules.

For 482 Core Skills nominations lodged from July 1, 2026, the position must meet the A$79,423 Core Skills Income Threshold, the applicable market salary and other visa requirements. The Department of Home Affairs comparison of sponsored skilled visas summarizes the current 482, 494 and 186 routes.

The 189, 190 and 491 visas use SkillSelect. You submit an Expression of Interest and may later be invited to apply. The minimum threshold is 65 points, but reaching it does not guarantee an invitation. Applicants for these visas must be under 45 when invited. See SkillSelect for the current rules.

Australia and the Philippines have signed an arrangement for a Work and Holiday visa, subclass 462, but Home Affairs says the program has not yet launched for Philippine passport holders as of September 2026. See the Working Holiday Maker program updates for any launch date.

Applying from the Philippines or while working abroad

You can apply for Australian jobs from the Philippines or another country. If you are already working abroad, you do not normally need to return to the Philippines before approaching an Australian employer or lodging an eligible visa application. Before leaving your current job, confirm the Australian offer, sponsorship or invitation, visa requirements and any notice or exit obligations where you now work.

Philippine requirements are separate. Direct hiring is regulated, and workers hired while in the Philippines may need DMW processing and employment-document verification. If you are transferring from another country or will return to the Philippines before leaving for Australia, confirm your case with the Department of Migrant Workers' Migrant Workers Office directory instead of assuming the same process applies to everyone.

Will Australia recognize your qualifications?

A work visa does not by itself let you practice every occupation. Some professions and trades require a skills assessment, professional registration or state-based licensing. Nursing is one example: migration eligibility and professional registration are separate, so a nurse may still need Australian registration before working as a nurse.

Match your experience to the Australian occupation, not just your current job title. The Home Affairs skilled occupation list shows the relevant occupation codes, visa lists and assessing authorities. Confirm any registration or licensing requirement before spending heavily on the visa process.

Visa and migration costs

Australian skilled migration can require a large upfront budget. As of September 2026, the main-applicant charge for the subclass 494 visa is A$6,140, about ₱275,600 at the exchange rate used on this page. Charges depend on the visa and family members included, and they can change.

The visa fee is only part of the cost. You may also pay for a skills assessment, English test, medical examinations, police certificates, biometrics, professional registration or licensing and relocation. Before paying, see the Department of Home Affairs visa fees and charges page for the current amount for your visa.

What matters is what you can save, not the peso conversion

An Australian salary can look large when converted to pesos, but what matters is what remains after tax and living costs where the job is located. Build the budget around rent, utilities, transport, food, insurance if needed, phone and internet, family commitments, setup costs and an emergency fund.

Find out how the offer treats superannuation. Australia's compulsory superannuation guarantee is 12 percent, but an offer may quote salary plus superannuation or a total package that already includes it. The Australian Taxation Office publishes the current rate and rules.

Your rights as a migrant worker in Australia

Migrant workers have Australian workplace protections. An employer cannot cancel your visa, keep your passport, underpay you or use your immigration status to threaten you. Only the Australian Government can grant or cancel a visa.

Employers must follow the pay and conditions that apply to the job and provide required payslips and superannuation. Some sponsorship, nomination and recruitment costs cannot legally be passed on to the worker. See the Department of Home Affairs migrant-worker protections and the Fair Work Ombudsman migrant-worker information .

Who pays for health care?

Health coverage depends on your visa. If you enter Australia on a temporary employer-sponsored visa such as the Skills in Demand subclass 482, you generally need adequate health insurance for yourself and any accompanying family members. You are responsible for arranging it unless your employer provides or pays for the cover. Do not assume it is included unless the offer says so.

Medicare is Australia's public health-care system, not insurance paid by your employer. Permanent residents can generally enroll in Medicare. Some temporary or provisional visa holders, including eligible subclass 491 and 494 holders, may also qualify. The Philippines is not covered by Australia's Reciprocal Health Care Agreements.

Before accepting a job, confirm whether you can enroll in Medicare and whether you need private health insurance. Services Australia explains who can enroll in Medicare , while Home Affairs explains adequate health insurance for visa holders .

Avoid visitor-visa and sponsorship scams

A visitor visa does not give you permission to work in Australia. Be wary of anyone who tells you to enter as a tourist and start working, guarantees a visa or permanent residence, or asks for a large payment in exchange for sponsorship.

A genuine employer can offer a job and support an eligible sponsorship application, but the Australian Government decides the visa. The Australian Embassy in the Philippines publishes scam warnings aimed at Filipino applicants.

How to assess an Australian job offer

Start with the employer, job, location and visa route, then assess the offer as a whole. Confirm that your qualifications meet the occupation's assessment or licensing rules and that the pay meets the applicable legal, award and visa requirements.

A high salary can still produce weak savings if rent is high, the move requires debt or the job leaves you dependent on one employer. Compare the Australian offer with your current position, especially if you are already working overseas.

Is Australia a good move for you?

Australia makes more sense when the move improves more than your gross salary. Compare likely savings, job security, career value, family costs and the residence options attached to the route you are considering.

Do that comparison before resigning, borrowing for migration costs or paying an intermediary. The questions below cover the points that most often affect a Filipino applicant's decision.