Air And Sea Crew Visas For Australia

Working for an air or sea crew is a popular way for people to balance their job with perks in travelling. If you are considering a career in air or sea crew to enable you to come to Australia, here are a few tips on the Air and Sea Crew Visas.

There are three main visas you may be able to attain that can help you decide where to look for employment.

Superyacht Crew

The Superyacht crew visa allows you to work on board a Superyacht in Australia and stay in the country for up to twelve months. A Superyacht is a high-value luxury sailing or motor vessel. It cannot carry cargo and must be used for sport or pleasure. In order to obtain it, you must be sponsored by an approved Superyacht Crew sponsor or be able to supply details of a potential sponsor.

Crew Travel Authority

This visa is usually completed by the airline for the crew, and members will often include airline crew members, airline positioning crew members, aircraft safety inspectors, or people who hold a Special Purpose Visa. Depending on the position you hold, you will still need to carry other documents when arriving in Australia. This includes a valid passport and an Airline Identity Card, and for some a letter from their employer certifying their position and purpose in Australia.

Maritime Crew

The Maritime Crew visa allows foreign members of a crew on non-military ships that are on international voyages to enter Australia by sea. This permit allows the partner or dependent child of the crew to come to Australia as well. Some positions include a crew member on a ship used for commercial trading, carrying paying passengers or a ship owned and operated by a foreign government for scientific research. Other positions include crew members on ships approved ‘public vessel’ status by the Australian government or ships registered in the Australian International Shipping Register, you have a chance of obtaining this visa. The visa itself may take up to 30 days to process, but there is no application charge. You will not be able to use this visa to stay or work in Australia.