Permanent Residence Visa In Australia
If you are one of those people who dream to live in Australia on a permanent basis, you might have been frustrated to wait several years and pay huge amounts of money for gaining permanent residence visa in Australia. But now with the partnership between Government of Australia & Nauru government, The waiting and expensive part is over.
If you are an immigrant to Australia, you want to make sure that you will be able to stay in the country permanently. A popular option is to apply for a permanent residence visa. In this article, we are going to talk about how to get permanent residence visa in Australia. We will also explain how the frequent traveler program works and how it can be beneficial for those applying for a permanent visa.
Visa (also called Permanent Residence Visa) in Australia is granted to aspirants who have worked and lived in the country for at least four years under temporary visa status.
The Australian permanent residence visa is a very elusive type of visa and extremely challenging for many to get. To apply for Australian PR, you need to fit one of the eligibility requirements and then follow the application process properly.
Permanent Residence Visa In Australia
Australia has always been a popular choice for individuals who desire to migrate to another country. The country has favorable factors such as a thriving economy which means more job opportunities. Australia promises a better quality of life and a multicultural society where there is peace and harmony.
Australia offers a permanent residency or PR visa to immigrants. The Australia PR visa has a validity of five years. With a PR visa, you can move into Australia along with your family. You can apply for citizenship after living in Australia for four years with an Australia PR visa.
2022-23 Australia Immigration Program
Each year, the Australian government increased the migration planning levels and invites a certain number of candidates under each migration program. In 2022-2023, there are better chances for the following streams and categories. As the country has many job opportunities, there is a lot of scope for candidates under skills streams.
| Visa Stream | Visa Category | 2022-23 |
| Skill | Employer Sponsored | 30000 |
| Skilled Independent | 16652 | |
| Regional | 25000 | |
| State/Territory Nominated | 20000 | |
| Business Innovation & Investment | 9500 | |
| Global Talent (Independent) | 8448 | |
| Distinguished Talent | 300 | |
| Skill Total | 109900 | |
| Family | Partner* | 40500 |
| Parent | 6000 | |
| Child* | 3000 | |
| Other Family | 500 | |
| Family Total | 50000 | |
| Special Eligibility** | 100 | |
| Total Migration Program | 160000 |
BENEFITS OF HAVING A PR VISA
- You can live and travel anywhere within Australia
- You can pursue higher studies in Australia and can apply for certain educational loans
- You become eligible for Social Security benefits after two years of having an Australia PR visa
- You can sponsor the PR of your relatives if they meet certain pre-requisites
- You can apply for government jobs with a PR visa
- You can travel to New Zealand and can even apply for a visa there
What are the occupations in demand in Australia:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=jsCoOILvF6w%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26enablejsapi%3D1%26origin%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.y-axis.com
Check the IT companies hiring foreign workers in Australia:
GENERAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
There are various categories under which you can apply for a Australia PR visa which have different eligibility requirements. But the general eligibility factors are as under:
Points Requirement: Points determine your eligibility for a PR visa You must score at least 65 points under the Points Grid. The below table describes the different criteria for scoring points:
| Category | Maximum Points |
| Age (25-32 years) | 30 points |
| English proficiency (8 bands) | 20 points |
| Work Experience outside Australia (8-10 years) | 15 points |
| Work Experience in Australia (8-10 years) | 20 points |
| Education (outside Australia) – Doctorate degree | 20 points |
| Niche skills such as Doctorate or master’s degree by research in Australia | 10 points |
| Study in a regional area | 5 points |
| Accredited in community language | 5 points |
| Professional year in a skilled program in Australia | 5 points |
| State sponsorship (190 visa) | 5 points |
| Skilled spouse or de facto partner (Age, Skills & English language requirements to be met) | 10 points |
| Spouse or de facto partner with ‘competent English’ (No need to meet Skills requirement or age factor) | 5 points |
| Applicants without a spouse or de facto partner or where a spouse is an Australia citizen or PR holder | 10 points |
| Relative or regional sponsorship (491 visa) | 15 points |
Age: Your age should be below 45 years to apply for a PR visa
Language Proficiency: You should have proof that you have a competent level of proficiency in the English language.
Skilled Occupation Lists (SOL): The applicant must choose an occupation that is available in the following skilled occupation lists. The list contains the occupations that are currently acceptable for migration to Australia. The occupations in the lists are updated regularly and reflect the changes in the Australian labor market. There are three categories of the SOL:
- Medium- and long-term Strategic Skills List
- Short-term Skilled Occupation List
- Regional Occupations List
Eligibility points requirement for PR visa
- 65 points is the minimum points required to be eligible for PR visa, the higher you score on the eligibility calculation, the brighter the chances of you being invited to Apply for Australian PR. Scoring anywhere from 80 to 85 points can make you eligible for a quicker PR invitation to apply.
The following Australian visas require 65 points for eligibility for PR visa:
Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
This visa is for those invited foreign workers that possess the skills required by the Australian government. With the subclass 189, the visa holder can live and work permanently anywhere in Australia.
No nominator or sponsor is needed.
You can only apply for this visa after being formally invited to do so.
You must be below 45 years of age to be able to apply.
Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
Allows nominated skilled workers to live,work/study anywhere in nominates state/territory in Australia as permanent residents.
Like the subclass 189, to be able to apply for subclass 190 you must have received an invitation to apply.
With both subclasses 189 and 190, you must –
- Score 65 on the points calculator
- Receive an invitation to apply
- Have an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List
- Be in possession of a suitable skills assessment for the occupation
English test scores will also be required.
How are the eligibility points calculated?
The 65 points to be attained are calculated based on the following criteria:
Age: You will gain a maximum of 30 points if your age is between 25 to 32 years.
| Age | Points |
| 18-24 years | 25 |
| 25-32 years | 30 |
| 33-39 years | 25 |
| 40-44 years | 15 |
English proficiency:A score of 8 bands in the IELTS exam can give you a maximum of 20 points. However, the Australian immigration authorities allow applicants to take any of the English proficiency tests such as IELTS, PTE, TOEFL, etc. You can try for the required score in any of these tests.
Work experience: Skilled employment outside Australia with more than 8 years of experience in the last 10 years will give you 15 points, lesser years of experience means fewer points.
| Skilled employment outside Australia | Points |
| Less than 3 years | 0 |
| 3-4 years | 5 |
| 5-7 years | 10 |
| 8-10 years | 15 |
Skilled employment in Australia with 8 to 10 years of experience from the date of application will give you a maximum of 20 points.
| Skilled employment in Australia | Points |
| Less than 1 year | 0 |
| 1-2 years | 5 |
| 3-4 years | 10 |
| 5-7 years | 15 |
| 8-10 years | 20 |
Education: Points for the education criteria depends on the educational qualification. Maximum points are given to a doctorate degree from an Australian university or a doctorate from a university outside Australia provided it is recognized by the Australian government.
| Qualifications | Points |
| A Doctorate degree from an Australian university or institute outside Australia. | 20 |
| A Bachelor (or Masters) degree from an Australian university or institute outside Australia. | 15 |
| Diploma or trade qualification completed in Australia | 10 |
| Any qualification or award recognized by the relevant assessing authority for your nominated skilled occupation. | 10 |
| Masters by research or a Doctorate degree from an Australian educational institution in the STEM fields | 10 |
Spouse application: If your spouse is also an applicant for the PR visa, you will be eligible for an additional points to your Skill Select Expression of Interest. To get these additional 10 points, your spouse must meet the following requirements:
Should be less than 45 years of age
Should have the basic competent level scores in English
Job occupation code should appear in the same occupation list as the primary applicant list
Based on the changes in the Australia points-based system from November 2019, applicants can gain points on the following criteria for spouse application. The table gives more details:
| Spouse qualification | Points |
| Spouse has a PR visa or is an Australian citizen | 10 |
| Spouse has competent English and has a Positive Skill Assessment | 10 |
| Spouse has only competent English | 5 |
Other qualifications: You can gain points if you meet any of the following criteria.
| Study in a regional areaAccredited in community languageProfessional year in a skilled program in AustraliaState sponsorship (190 visa)Relative or regional sponsorship (491 visa) | 5 points5 points5 points5 points15 Points |
While 65 is the minimum needed to be eligible for applying, getting an invitation to apply for Australian PR in 2022 is much easier with a score of 80.
WHAT ARE THE VARIOUS AUSTRALIAN PR VISA CATEGORIES AN APPLICANT CAN CHOOSE?
Australia offers many options to apply for the PR visa card. You can choose the appropriate option based on your eligibility and requirements. Here are the popular options for your Australian PR:
Family-stream permanent residence visas: This stream is for spouse/partner, children or parents of Australian citizens or permanent residents.
Under the family stream you can migrate to Australia if your close family member is a citizen or permanent resident in Australia. The family stream gives preference to the spouse/partner, dependent children, parents of citizens and permanent residents in Australia. It also provides an opportunity for other family members such as relatives who are old and dependent, caretakers etc. to move to Australia to be with their families.
AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION MINISTER TO GIVE PRECEDENCE TO CLEAR VISA APPLICATIONS BUILD-UP
Andrew Giles, the new immigration minister of Australia, slammed the previous government for overlooking immigration activities. At the FECCA 2022 conference, he also said that their government was working to reduce the waiting period for parent visas.
Minister Giles emphatically stated that their government was absolutely focused on dealing with the current visa backlog. He added that awarding visas and citizenship was the government’s major priority. According to Mr. Giles, for his electorate, the Parent visa was the primary issue.
He said the previous government had neglected and caused a logjam in the visa system and the citizenship process. He said he was working with Prime Minister Albanese to concentrate on cleaning up the backlog.
Mr. Giles said he was having discussions at regular intervals with departments and officials to ensure this was accorded precedence. He said that he couldn’t exaggerate the importance of citizenship for many people who were forced to separate due to the pandemic.
When asked about the issue of awarding permanent residency to qualified temporary workers, Mr. Giles replied that his concern was to ensure the rebalancing immigration system of Australia systemically.
AUSTRALIA’S CENSUS 2021 SHOWS THE COUNTRY IS BECOMING MORE MULTICULTURAL
According to Australia’s 2021’s Census results, significant changes have been noticed in the country’s population. As differences in cultures and religions increase, the population of Australia has become more multicultural. Moreover, the country’s population has doubled in numbers during the last five decades to 25.5 million.
The statistics of the Census 2021 further indicated that in the last five years, over one million new residents have come to Australia. The numbers of millennials, i.e., those aged 25 to 39, are now nearly equivalent to the population of Baby Boomers, aged 55 to 74.
BUSINESS OR INVESTMENT-STREAM PERMANENT RESIDENCE VISAS:
This stream is for those willing to invest in Australia for business purposes. To be eligible to apply for PR under this stream, applicants should have had the provisional visa (subclass 188) for at least one year and meet the financial requirements.
The Australian business visa program helps foreign business owners, senior executives and investors to come here for business purposes and develop new or existing businesses in Australia. This can also be a pathway to a PR visa.
With this visa you can own and manage a business in Australia or conduct a business or investment activity entrepreneurial activity in Australia.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
- Submission of your Expression of Interest in SkillSelect
- Nomination from a state or territory government agency or Austrade
- Invitation to apply
The applicant must qualify for either one of the three visa sub-categories:
Business Innovation
Business Investment
Classification as a significant investor.
The applicant must be below 55 years when submitting the application. They should have a detailed plan for the business or be willing to invest in an existing business in Australia. He should have at least 65 points which are based on various factors that include age, education, previous business activities, and investment experience.
THE PROVISIONAL VISA PROGRAM HAS SEVEN CATEGORIES:
1.Business Innovation Stream- This provisional visa allows you to operate a new or existing business in Australia. You must be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency or Austrade.
2.Investor stream- For this you will require at least AUD 1.5 million in an Australian state or territory and maintain your business and investment activity in Australia.
3.Significant investor stream- People willing to invest at least AUD 5 million in Australian investments can apply for this visa. They must be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency or Austrade.
4.Business innovation extension stream- With this visa holders of the Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa can extend their stay in Australia for 2 more years. For this extension applicants must have had Business Innovation stream visa for at least 3 years and must be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency or Austrade.
5.Significant investor extension stream- With this visa holders of the Significant Investor stream can extend their stay in Australia for up to 4 more years. For this extension applicants must have had Significant Investor stream for at least 3 years and must be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency or Austrade.
6.Premium Investor stream-This visa requires nomination by Austrade and an investment of at least AUD 15 million in Australian enterprises or in philanthropic contribution.
7.Entrepreneur stream-With this visa you can carry out entrepreneurial activities in Australia.
The Business Investor visa under the Investor Stream (Subclass 188B) allows you to establish your business in Australia and later apply for permanent residence.
Applicants for the 188B visa must be nominated by an Australian state or territory government. This is a four-year temporary visa for those who desire to invest in an Australian state or territory in a specific way.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
For the previous two fiscal years, your business and personal net assets totaled at least AUD 2.25 million.
You must be below 55 years, unless the nominated state or territory certifies that you would create an exceptional economic benefit.
The Business Innovation and Investment Points test must be passed to receive a passing grade (currently 65)
Prior to receiving the visa, you must invest AUD 1.5 million in Australian State or Territory bonds.
You have three years of experience operating a qualifying business or “eligible investments” and have demonstrated strong management abilities.
You have done one of the following in at least one of the last five fiscal years:
You have done one of the following in at least one of the last five fiscal years:
- Managed a company in which you own a 10% stake; or
- Managed at least AUD 1.5 million in eligible investment
ELIGIBLE INVESTMENT INCLUDE:
- Ownership interests in a business
- Cash on deposit
- Stocks or bonds
- Real estate
- Gold or bullion
- Loan to a business
APPLICATION PROCESS
You must register with the Department of Home Affairs and submit an expression of interest.
Wait for a state or territory to nominate you, or go straight to Austrade and request an intimation.
You can apply for a visa after receiving an invitation.
WORK-STREAM PERMANENT RESIDENCE VISAS:
This visa stream is for workers who are sponsored by an Australian employer. The various visa categories under this stream include:
Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189): This visa option is suitable for skilled workers. However, this visa cannot receive sponsorship.
Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190): This visa is applicable to skilled workers who have a nomination from an Australian state/Territory. For this visa, you will have to prove that your occupation exists in the Skilled Occupation List.
Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491): For eligibility under this visa, you must meet the skill requirement and get sponsorship or nomination from either state or region or territory.