What is an Australian 457 visa?

457 visas are visas issued to non nationals by employers who cannot find local labour. To be eligible you need an employer who will sponsor your visa as they will be saying that they cannot find somrebody through advertising.Preschool places are very limited and many kindergartens have waitlists. fees are just over $100 per day or around $450 a week

457 visas are employer sponsored and needs to be lodged by the company on your behalf. http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/457- Public/state education for secondary and primary in Australia is free and compulsory. Any resident can avail of this. However, there will be fees involved for things like text books, school trips, etc. One thing to note is that many public schools work on the catchment system which is the schools will only accept students if they live within an area. There are families who have moved to particular locations so that they are within the catchment of particular schools. To tie these two info together... if you are on a 457 visa then children's education, primary and secondary, at a public state run school will be free.

Thanks Shantalie.. Its really helpful. Thanks again for your time

Hi there,

A 457 visa is a work permit which allows foreigners to work in Australia for up to four years. It is a multiple-entry visa, and with this visa expats can also legally bring their family with them. You can read more about eligability  on the Work Permits for Australia page.

The cost of schooling varies in Australia depending on the institution you chooseand fees at kindergartens are not regulated, so its best to contact each kindergarten individually.You can do some background research using the Education and schools in Melbourne page.

Good luck with the move

Shantalie