Updated on September 7th, 2021

If you ever had a dream to work & settle in Australia and you have recently graduated in engineering, then 476 Visa is for you. This opportunity can be a turning point in your engineering career and few right efforts can land you in your dream country. Every year Australia’s top engineering and construction companies look for talented and ambitious graduates to join their teams, so check with your eligibilities to apply for this visa.

What is skilled recognized graduate visa ?

This Visa (476 Visa) allows recent engineering graduates from recognized institutions and eligible universities to get up to 18 months of skilled work experience in Australia. Under this subclass, you get the right to work in Australia, which can further lead you to other visas, including your permanent residency. Under a specific arrangement called Washington Accord, they give some engineering institutes recognition, and their graduates are eligible to apply for this visa.

Washington Accord in brief

Washington Accord is an international agreement among bodies responsible for accrediting undergraduate engineering degree programs. Under this accord, every signatory body recognizes degree by other bodies. India is also official a member of the Washington Accord since 13th June 2014. Institutions coming under this accord and engineering degrees from these institutes are recognized worldwide. The Washington Accord encourages and facilitates the mobility of engineering graduates and professionals at the international level.

A student in India graduating from an institute accredited so is eligible to practice as an engineer in their relevant domain in any countries that have signed the Washington Accord. Like India, Australia is also a signatory of this accord. It should be apparent that not all Engineering colleges are eligible under this accord. Only the NBA accredited programs offered by the Tier -1 Institutions are eligible for recognition as per the Washington Accord. Further, all these arrangements do not apply to IT professionals. In brief Washington, Accord is a step forward to better the higher-education system in India and allow Indian graduates to compete at a global stage.

We can check a complete list of Institutions under this Accord online on the National Board of Accreditation link.

Engineering degrees required

An applicant under this visa class must have got any of the following qualifications in Engineering in the two-year period before applying for Subclass 476 visa:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Master’s degree
• Doctoral degree
• Postgraduate diploma

As per the present scenario, the engineering course you pursued must include a major sequence of study or specialization in any of the following streams:

• Civil Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Environmental Engineering
• Structural Engineering
• Mechanical, Production and Plant Engineering
• Mining and Material Engineering
• Electrical and Electronics Engineering

Eligibility criteria to apply 476 Visa

A candidate who is thinking to apply for a skilled, recognized graduate visa under subclass 476 must satisfy the following conditions.

• He must be below the age of 31 years
• He must have an engineering degree from a recognized institution got within the past two years
• And he should not be a primary visa holder of a Subclass 476 or 485 visa.
• Have excellent knowledge of English

Language proficiency requirement

• IELTS: Overall, 6, with a minimum score of 5 in each band.
• TOEFL IBT: Total score of at least 64 with minimum test scores in each of the four test components: 4 for listening, 4 for reading, 14 for writing, and 14 for speaking
• PTE: Overall 50, with a minimum 36 in each band
• Cambridge English: Overall score of at least 169 with a minimum score of 154 in each of the four test components

Documents checklist to apply 476 Visa

• All applicants above the age of 16 years must submit completed applications in Form 80.
• Identity documents
• Applicant must submit the following documents to prove his identity
• Certified copies of the biographical pages of current passport
• Two recent passport-sized photographs (45 mm x 35 mm)
• Certified copy of the birth certificate
• Educational qualification,
• Academic transcript for engineering qualification
• Letter of completion (including course completion date)
• Family relationship documents
• If the applicant is married, then certified copies of marriage certificates/ relationship registrations and partner’s passport must be submitted.
• If the partner/ spouse is not accompanying the candidate to Australia, a statement explaining the reason and whether they plan to join you in future
• Certified copies of birth certificates of children and their passports

Few more requirements

Along with the above documents, the applicant also needs to submit Health Insurance, Police clearance from each country where he stayed for over 12 months during the last 10 years. It required police clearance for everyone included in the visa application. A medical examination is also mandatory to apply under this visa clause.

You can apply for this visa, and the checklist can be helpful while submitting your application. Still, it is always advisable to consult some professionals to avoid any hassle or unnecessary refusal of visas. You must visit official sources of information while applying for your visa as this article gives you general information only. If you need more information on this visa, call my team at +91-9216 310 310 (India)

Know more different Australian Visas