The new Australian superyacht work visa is making life easier for crew visiting Down Under, allowing crew members to work on board vessels over 24 meters, to remain in Australia for up to 12 months.In what is an up-and-coming industry in Australia (in 2007 some 50 superyachts graced Australia’s shores) this new visa system opens the region to the all important global charter market.
One feature of the new superyacht visa, is that crew do not need to make a personal appearance to apply for it. They can download it directly from the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizen Website from anywhere in the world. That's pretty handy when you're used to a life at sea!
Any information needed about how the visa works is provided in a systematic guide to track the applicant through the process.
You can nominate a validity period of three, six, or 12 months for each multiple entry crew visa. However, all applicants must be over 18 years of age, and meet eligibility requirements - consisting of a medical check and character references. In addition, all crew need to be sponsored to work in Australia by the owner, or captain of the vessel on which they are employed (the visa is only valid for work on that vessel).
There are no application fees for the superyacht crew visa. However, to apply you will need to have the following items in order:
- Signed employment contract
- Letter from owner or captain on company letterhead confirming your employment status
- Evidence of the vessel’s registration
- A copy of the vessel’s insurance certificate or survey papers
- Revision of materials by the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans
