In exciting news, in a deal that goes both ways, Australians could soon be able to move to Europe for up to 4 years under a new arrangement being forged between Australia and the European Union.
What you’ll learn in this article
- What the new EU–Australia mobility idea actually is
- How it differs from current European visa rules for Australians
- Why it’s being discussed now, and what still needs to happen
- What this could mean for work, study and queer Aussies eyeing a European move
Currently, Australians can already visit most of Europe without a visa for short trips. Under Schengen rules, Aussie passport holders can stay in participating European countries for up to 90 days in any 180‑day period for tourism, family visits and some business activities, but need national visas for longer stays, work or study.
From around late 2026, Australians will also need to apply online for ETIAS – a low‑cost travel authorisation similar to the US ESTA – before boarding a flight, but this still won’t give work rights or long‑term residency.
These new discussions between Canberra and Brussels are exciting as EU officials have floated a two‑way labour mobility scheme as part of long‑running talks on an EU–Australia free trade agreement.
The new arrangement would allow Australians to live and work across EU member states for up to four years without needing a job offer before they leave, with Europeans getting similar access to Australia.
This would be a huge shift away from patchy working‑holiday visas and employer‑sponsored schemes that currently exist.
For now, though, this is still in the negotiation phase. The free trade talks themselves have stalled before, including a near‑miss in 2023 when the sides clashed over agriculture and the protection of product names like prosecco and feta. Any mobility deal would need political sign‑off in both the EU and Australia, then be written into domestic law and built into immigration systems, which takes time even when everyone agrees. Until that happens, existing rules stay in place: short stays are visa‑free, long‑term work or study still requires visas, and ETIAS is coming down the line for travellers.
If you’re already dreaming of moving to Europe for an extended period of time, keep an eye on official updates from the Australian Government and the European Union.
