Is there an easy way into Australia? What Vietnamese applicants need to know

Tips · 2026-09-03 · 3 min read

You may hear that Australia has an easy way in, or that migrants get everything for free. Both ideas are wrong. Here are the facts in clear words, so you can plan with confidence.

No quick lane

Australia has six broad migration streams. They are visitor, student, family, skilled, refugee and compliance-related visas. Every year the government sets planning caps for each stream. Each stream also has many legal rules. Applicants usually have to meet the rules twice: when they apply, and again when the visa is granted.

The skilled stream uses a points test. It scores qualifications, work history and English. Only the highest scorers get an invitation to apply. Partner visas need strong proof of a real relationship, such as years of shared money and shared housing. Family sponsorship is narrow and usually covers only immediate family.

What temporary visa holders can use

Many people think new arrivals can use all public services at once. The rules say otherwise.

Medicare is the national health cover. It usually starts only when a person has permanent residency or has applied for it. Some temporary visa holders can also use it.
Centrelink pays support such as JobSeeker and the aged pension. Most temporary migrants cannot get these payments without meeting residency rules. Refugees are the exception. A waiting period of up to four years usually applies, on top of the time already spent as a temporary resident. For some people that time goes past a decade before permanent residency.
Public schooling may cost money for temporary visa holders, depending on the state and the visa subclass.

What temporary workers give back

Temporary residents pay tax on their Australian income. Between 2019 and 2022, this group earned $230 billion in personal taxable income. A 2021 Australian Treasury study also found that migrants, as a group, pay in more than they take out. Visa application charges alone brought in $4.15 billion in departmental revenue in the 2025 financial year.

Rules you must keep

Every applicant must pass a character test. Anyone who has lived in a country for 12 months or more must give a police clearance from that country. For Vietnamese citizens this is usually the Judicial Record Certificate No. 2 (Phiếu lý lịch tư pháp số 2). A criminal record leads to a special review that can take a long time.

After you arrive, keep to your visa conditions. In 2024–25, visas were cancelled 37,033 times. A charge is enough to start cancellation, even without a conviction. A prison sentence of more than 12 months means automatic cancellation.

How to prepare, and how to stay safe

Get certified English translations of your Vietnamese documents when the visa rules ask for them.
Vietnamese vocational certificates and degrees are usually assessed again in Australia, through a skills assessment.
Take IELTS or PTE only if the visa or employer needs it.
Deal only with licensed organisations and real employers. Never pay an unlicensed broker. Be careful with anyone who asks for money upfront to secure a job or a visa.

For current rules, read the official immigration website. A clear plan and honest paperwork are the best way to start.

#visa myths #australia #temporary visas #vietnamese applicants #safe migration #police clearance