Visa change may boost Australia property seekers

Those seeking to buy Australian property may be boosted by a change to visa rules in the country.

From July 1st holders of class 410 visas will now be able to work without restriction, rather than being limited to 20 hours per week as is the case now, the federal government has announced.

Those whose visas are issued between now and July will still be restricted, but once this is reapplied for they too will have no working time limit imposed.

Such a move could help many Britons keen to live in Australia but who would need to work full-time to support themselves and their families.

Australia's decision to change the law comes at a time when new-build homes in the country are becoming more affordable, the Housing Industry Association (HIA) has noted.

The HIA-RP Data Residential Land Report revealed that median land prices in state capitals across the country fell by 1.5 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2008, ending an increase of 111 per cent over eight years.

It said the most expensive city in the country remained Sydney, while Hobart in Tasmania was cheapest.