Anthony Tran Xuan Anh, who will go to Colac, said he looked forward to experiencing the parish and discovering how it worked. "I've been ordained for two years so it's a new experience for me," he said.

Joseph Vu Ngol Tuyen, who will be based in Maryborough, said it would be good to put seven years of education to practice.

"This is my first time in a parish and I am happy to work with people," he said.

Felise Ielome, originally from Samoa, arrived in Australia three weeks ago.

"I am looking forward to learning how to deal with people of different ages," he said.

The four priests, including Peter Ly Trong Danh, will start the early stages of their training on Friday.

Bishop of Ballarat Paul Bird said the allocation of the international priests had been negotiated between the Redemptorists and the Ballarat Diocese.

"The idea is that they serve in the parish and continue training for the early part of their priesthood," he said.

"They will visit Ballarat once a month to reflect on their progress."

The Ballarat Catholic Diocese spans most of western Victoria.