Quick Comparison: K Visa vs Australia Skilled Visas
Here's the deal: China's K Visa is qualification-based (meet requirements = approved), while Australia uses a competitive points system (65-85 points minimum, higher is better). This fundamental difference changes everything about your application strategy.
| Criteria | 🇨🇳 China K Visa | 🇦🇺 Australia 189 | 🇦🇺 Australia 190/491 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points Required | ✅ None (qualification-based) | ⚠️ 65-85 points minimum | ⚠️ 65-75 points (state sponsored) |
| Processing Time | ✅ 4-6 weeks | ⏱️ 6-12 months | ⏱️ 8-15 months |
| Total Cost | ✅ $400-$700 | 💰 $4,000-$8,000 | 💰 $3,500-$7,000 |
| Employer Sponsorship | Required (Chinese company) | ✅ Optional (no job needed) | ✅ Optional (state nomination) |
| English Test | ❌ None required | Required (IELTS 7+ for points) | Required (IELTS 6.5-7) |
| Age Limit | ✅ None (any age) | ⚠️ Under 45 (0 points at 45+) | ⚠️ Under 45 (0 points at 45+) |
| Skills Assessment | ❌ None (degree apostille only) | Required ($500-$1,500) | Required ($500-$1,500) |
| PR Pathway | 4 years continuous work | ✅ Immediate PR (no work needed) | 190: Immediate PR, 491: 3 years |
| Salary Range (STEM) | $80k-$150k USD | AUD $135k-$240k (~$99k-$176k) | AUD $120k-$210k (~$88k-$154k) |
| Family Inclusion | Spouse + children (separate visa) | ✅ Included in PR (no extra cost) | ✅ Included in PR |
Data Sources: Salary ranges based on 2024 China Tech Salary Report, Glassdoor China data, and public job postings. Figures represent market averages and may vary by company, location, and individual qualifications.
Points System: Why K Visa is Easier for Many Professionals
Australia's points system sounds fair, but it heavily favors young professionals (under 32) with perfect English and Australian work experience. If you're 40+, don't have IELTS 8+, or worked outside Australia, you'll struggle to get 65+ points. K Visa has no points—you either qualify or don't.
Australia Points Breakdown (189/190)
- Age: 25-32 (30pts), 33-39 (25pts), 40-44 (15pts), 45+ (0pts)
- English: IELTS 8+ (20pts), 7+ (10pts), 6+ (0pts)
- Work (AUS): 3yr (5pts), 5yr (10pts), 8yr (15pts)
- Work (Foreign): 3yr (5pts), 5yr (10pts), 8yr (15pts)
- Education: Bachelor (15pts), Master (15pts), PhD (20pts)
- Australian Study: 2yr+ (5pts)
- STEM Degree: Australian STEM (10pts)
- Partner Skills: 5-10pts (if partner meets criteria)
- State Nomination (190): +5pts
- Minimum: 65pts (189), 60pts (190)
- ⚠️ Realistic cutoff: 75-85pts (due to competition)
K Visa Requirements (No Points)
- ✅ Bachelor's degree in STEM field
- ✅ Job offer from Chinese company
- ✅ No criminal record (FBI check)
- ✅ Health check (basic medical)
- ✅ Apostilled documents
- That's it! No:
- ❌ Age limits (can be 50+)
- ❌ English test (IELTS/PTE)
- ❌ Work experience requirements
- ❌ Skills assessment fees
- ❌ Waiting for invitations (ITA)
- ❌ Points competition
💡 Real Example: 35-year-old engineer with Bachelor's, 8 years foreign work, IELTS 7 = 70 points (Age 25 + Education 15 + Work 15 + English 10 + Master 5). That's below the realistic 75-85 cutoff for 189. Same person qualifies immediately for K Visa (no points needed). This is why K Visa is popular with mid-career professionals.
Cost Comparison: Australia is 5-10x More Expensive
Australia's skilled migration is one of the most expensive immigration pathways globally. For families, the cost difference is staggering—you could save $5,000-$10,000 by choosing K Visa.
| Expense Category | 🇨🇳 K Visa | 🇦🇺 Australia 189 |
|---|---|---|
| Visa Application Fee | $140 | $4,640 (main) + $2,320 (partner) + $1,160 (child) |
| Skills Assessment | $0 (not required) | $500-$1,500 (ACS/EA/VETASSESS) |
| English Test | $0 (not required) | $385 (IELTS) or $330 (PTE) |
| Health Exam | $150-$250 (if required) | $500-$1,000 (family of 3) |
| Police Checks | $18-$75 (FBI) | $200-$500 (multiple countries) |
| Document Translation | $50-$150 (if needed) | $300-$800 (NAATI certified) |
| Migration Agent (Optional) | $0-$500 (simple process) | $3,000-$6,000 (recommended) |
| Courier/Admin | $30-$50 | $100-$200 |
| Total (Single, No Agent) | $400-$700 | $6,125-$8,425 |
| Total (Family of 3, With Agent) | $800-$1,400 | $11,000-$15,000 |
💰 Bottom Line: K Visa saves $5,500-$7,700 for single applicants, or $10,000-$13,600 for families. That's a massive financial advantage, especially for young professionals just starting their careers.
PR Pathway: Australia Gives Immediate PR, China Requires 4 Years
This is Australia's biggest advantage: you get PR immediately upon visa grant (no work required). China requires 4 years of continuous work before you can apply for PR. However, Australia PR is harder to GET (due to points), while China PR is harder to MAINTAIN (must stay 3+ months/year).
🇨🇳 China PR (After 4 Years)
- Requirement: 4 years continuous work on K Visa
- Tax compliance: Paid Chinese income tax all 4 years
- Language: Basic Chinese (HSK 3+) recommended
- Processing: 6-12 months after application
- Validity: 5 years (renewable), or 10 years for high-talent
- Maintenance: Must stay in China 3+ months per year
- Benefits: Work anywhere, buy property, public education
- ⚡ Total time to PR: 4-5 years
- ⚠️ Hard to maintain if you want to live abroad
🇦🇺 Australia PR (Immediate)
- Requirement: Meet 65-85 points, pass health/character checks
- No work required: Get PR even before finding a job
- Language: Already proven via IELTS in application
- Processing: 6-12 months from invitation
- Validity: Permanent (PR never expires)
- Maintenance: 0 days initially, just prove genuine ties
- Benefits: Medicare, free public school, Centrelink, voting (after citizenship)
- ✅ Total time to PR: 6-12 months
- ✅ Can live abroad and maintain PR easily
🎯 Strategy: Many people use K Visa as a "bridge" while waiting for Australia PR. Apply for both—work in China (save money, gain experience), then move to Australia once PR is granted. Chinese work experience counts toward Australia points (15-20pts for 3-5 years), so you're building your profile while earning.
Salary & Cost of Living: Comparable Gross, But China Saves 30% More
Gross salaries look similar between China and Australia, but net take-home is very different due to tax rates, living costs, and mandatory expenses. Here's the real picture.
| Role | 🇨🇳 China (K Visa) | 🇦🇺 Australia (PR) | Net Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer (Mid) | $80k-$110k | AUD $135k-$170k (~$99k-$125k USD) | Australia +10% |
| Senior Engineer | $120k-$150k | AUD $180k-$240k (~$132k-$176k USD) | Australia +15% |
| Data Scientist | $90k-$130k | AUD $140k-$200k (~$103k-$147k USD) | Australia +10% |
| Income Tax (Senior) | 15-20% (progressive) | 30-45% (federal + state + Medicare levy) | China -15% |
| Rent (1BR City) | $800-$1,500/mo (Beijing/Shanghai) | AUD $2,200-$3,500 (~$1,610-$2,565 USD) | China -40% |
| Healthcare | $100-$200/mo (private insurance) | Free (Medicare), $0-$150/mo (extras) | Australia wins |
Net Take-Home Example (Senior Engineer, Single)
🇨🇳 China (Shanghai)
- Gross: $140k/year
- Tax (18%): -$25.2k
- Rent: -$18k/year
- Living expenses: -$18k/year
- Health insurance: -$2k/year
- Net savings: $76.8k/year (55%)
🇦🇺 Australia (Sydney)
- Gross: AUD $200k (~$147k USD)
- Tax (38%): -$55.9k
- Rent: -$28k/year
- Living expenses: -$22k/year
- Health: -$0 (Medicare)
- Net savings: $41.1k/year (28%)
💡 China saves you $35k more per year (+87% higher savings rate)
What Industry Data Shows
Key Insights from Immigration & Employment Trends
Career Advancement Patterns
- Engineers in China's semiconductor sector report 15-25% annual salary growth during first 3 years
- Promotion to senior roles typically occurs in 3-5 years vs 5-8 years in Western companies
- International engineers cite faster project ownership as primary career benefit
Compensation Trends (2024 Data)
- Median base salary for foreign STEM talent: $85k-$120k
- Total compensation (incl. housing, bonus): $100k-$155k
- Cost of living adjustment: 30-40% lower than US/EU major cities
Important Disclaimer
K Visa program details are preliminary. Official implementation began October 1, 2025, with full regulatory guidelines expected by Q1 2026. Salary ranges and benefits mentioned are based on:
- • 2024 China semiconductor industry compensation surveys
- • Historical data from similar talent visa programs (e.g., Singapore Tech.Pass, Germany EU Blue Card)
- • Public job postings from major Chinese tech companies (SMIC, Huawei, YMTC) in 2024-2025
Always verify with official Chinese immigration authorities and consult qualified immigration attorneys before making relocation decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
K Visa has NO points system. If you meet requirements (Bachelor's in STEM + job offer), you qualify. Australia requires 65-85 points minimum (Subclass 189/190/491) based on age, education, English, work experience. Australia is much harder to qualify for if you're 40+, don't have perfect English, or lack Australian work experience.
K Visa is 5-10x cheaper. K Visa total cost: $400-$700. Australia Subclass 189: $4,000-$8,000 (application $4,640, health exam $500-$1,000, skills assessment $500-$1,500, police checks $200-$500, agent fees $0-$3,000). For family of 3, Australia can exceed $10,000.
K Visa is 3-4x faster. K Visa: 4-6 weeks to start working. Australia: 6-12 months processing AFTER invitation (which can take 1-2 years if low points). Total Australia timeline: 1-3 years from application to PR grant. K Visa gets you working in China within 2 months.
Yes, many professionals apply for both. Australia skilled migration is a long process (1-3 years), so you can work in China on K Visa while waiting. Chinese work experience counts toward Australia points (15-20 points for 3-5 years). This strategy maximizes your options.
Salaries are comparable but China offers better net savings. China K Visa: $80k-$150k USD (lower tax 3-20%, rent 40% cheaper). Australia: AUD $135k-$240k (~$99k-$176k USD, tax 30-45%, rent expensive). After tax and living costs, China offers 20-30% higher savings rate for equivalent roles.
Australia PR is FAR easier to maintain. Australia: 0 days residency requirement initially, just prove genuine ties (can live abroad). China PR: Must stay 3+ months per year in China to maintain. Australia PR never expires (just need RRV for travel). China PR renews every 5-10 years. Most people prefer Australia PR long-term.
Ready to Compare Your Options?
Calculate your Australia points and check K Visa eligibility side-by-side.