Australia grants permanent residency only to the holders of specific visas. So there are several permanent immigration programs available in Australia for Australia Permanent Residency, including the family stream, the workstream, the business stream, the special eligibility stream, and the child stream.
There are several requirements foreigners must meet in order to obtain Australian permanent residency just like they need them for other Australia Visas.
What are the Australian visas that lead to permanent residency?
Permanent residency in Australia is possible with these visas and their subtypes. So, if you want to know about the sub-types, you can watch the video on our youtube channel.
- Family Stream Visas
- Work Stream Visas
- Other visas
Here is a visa type explained that will help you get Australia Permanent residency:
SKILLED INDEPENDENT VISA 189 & SKILLED NOMINATED VISA 190
Skilled Independent Visas and Skilled Nominated Visas provide young, skilled and experienced people with the opportunity to live and work in Australia.
They differ from other visas in that they are based on points rather than employer sponsorship.
A Skilled Nominated or Independent Visa Has the Following Benefits:
As permanent residents of Australia, these visas are highly sought after by visa holders and their families. The following benefits are available to those granted a Skilled Nominated or Skilled Independent visa:
- Work & live in Australia indefinitely
- You can study in Australia
- Get Medicare coverage
- (If eligible) Apply for citizenship
- Obtain permanent residency for relatives
- Travel to and from Australia for five years (after which you’ll need a resident return visa)
How do 189 and 190 Visas differ?
People planning to move to Australia frequently ask this question. The main difference between a Skilled Independent Visa (189) and a Skilled Nominated Visa (190) is that a Skilled Independent Visa does not require sponsorship. On the contrary, the holder of a Skilled Nominated Visa (190) must be “sponsored” by a state or territory. “Sponsored” visa holders are subject to obligations related to their place of residence that independent visa holders are not subject to.
A Skilled Nominated Visa entails the following obligations:
- It is necessary to be nominated by one of the Australian states or territories. In this case, you must make a separate application to the state or territory and meet their specific requirements.
- As soon as you get the approval, you must move to your nominated state or territory within six months.
- You must live and work for at least two years in the state/territory in which you are nominated.
A Skilled Independent Visa (189) and a Skilled Nominated Visa (190) differ in the following ways:
- An occupation nominated for a 190 visa must appear on the Combined List of Eligible Skilled Occupations, while an occupation nominated for an 189 visa must appear on the Medium and Long Term Strategic Skills List (‘MLTSSL’).
- The 190 visa allows you to receive five more points towards the points test if you are short on points.
You can read our dedicated article for detailed information on Skilled Independent Visa 189 & Skilled Nominated Visa 190. In case of any update you can visit the official website:
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skilled-independent-189 and https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skilled-nominated-190
What are the requirements for Permanent Residency in Australia
For any type of Australia permanent visa, you have to provide the following documents:
- Passport that is valid.
- Application form for Permanent Visa.
- Form of Authorized Recipient (if applicable).
- Base fee payment proof.
- Recent Identity Photographs.
- National ID.
- Clearance from the police.
- Civil Documents.
- Financial stability proof.
- Health Insurance.
- A written invite (if applicable).
- Good conduct
- Signed Values of Declaration
What are the Health Requirements for Australian Permanent Visas?
As a health requirement, you must:
- Neither have any diseases nor conditions that require extensive healthcare services.
- Be free of diseases or health conditions that might negatively impact the healthcare services for Australian citizens and permanent residents, namely dialysis and organ transplants.
- Be virus-free, like measles, tuberculosis, HIV and hepatitis, yellow fever, polio, and Ebola.
As stated before for other visas, it is mandatory for Australia permanent visa applicants to meet the health requirements outlined by Immigration Office and complete the required health examinations. All members of your family applying for the visa should get the health examination, as it is compulsory.
However, it may not be necessary to re-do the full health check if the applicant has had a full medical examination within the past 12 months.
What if you don’t meet the Health Requirements?
You will not be granted a permanent residence visa as long as you do not meet the health requirements. In those cases, you may be able to apply for a health waiver. Consequently, is most likely that you will receive your permanent visa if a health waiver is granted.
It is essential, however, that you have strong reasons to believe that you meet the health requirements. Additionally, a health waiver will only be granted if all other requirements are met.
What Are the Steps to Getting Permanent Residency in Australia?
One of the following is the most common way to obtain permanent residency in Australia:
- Family-stream permanent visa.
- Work-stream permanent visa.
- Business or investor-stream permanent visa.
You can also obtain a permanent residency in Australia through the following visas:
- Distinguished Talent visa (subclass 858).
- Distinguished Talent visa (subclass 124).
- Retirement visa pathway.
- Refugee and Humanitarian visas.
Is there a requirement of a Temporary Visa before becoming a Permanent Resident?
Before applying for a permanent visa in Australia, you will usually need a provisional visa in the same category. You should apply for the temporary visa and the permanent residency visa simultaneously for some visa types within the family stream. While your permanent visa is under process, you may apply for a temporary partner visa (subclass 820) and for your permanent visa (subclass 801).
After receiving your temporary visa, eventually, you should receive your permanent visa immediately if there are no problems with your application. The application for a permanent visa may take up to two years if you don’t get your permanent residency right away.
How Much Does Australian Permanent Residency Cost?
If you are applying for a permanent visa, the cost varies depending on the type of visa you are applying for:
- Fees for the Family Stream Permanent (Partner) Visa – subclass 801: AUD 7,715.
- Visas under the Business Stream – subclasses 888, 893, and 891: AUD 2,450-2,950.
There are various streams available within the work visa category, as well as different fees depending on the type of visa you are applying for. Additionally, the cost for a permanent visa through a work-stream migration program may vary based on the applicant’s individual circumstances.
What is the process for applying for a permanent visa to Australia?
1. Choose the type of visa you need
The type of visa that will lead to permanent resident status must be selected before you apply for an Australian permanent visa. If you are applying on paper, select the specific form that corresponds to your visa application in your ImmiAccount.
2. Check Each Visa’s Requirements
You will need to meet different requirements depending on the type of visa application you are making. You must meet the character requirement and the health requirement in every permanent visa application.
3. Prepare the documents
Prepare all the documents you need to submit with your visa application. All visa application forms will list these requirements, but make sure you follow the guidelines as outlined by the Immigration Office (translation, certification, etc.).
4. Apply for the Visa
The final step is to apply for the visa you want. It takes less time for online applications to process than paper applications, but you can submit a paper application either way.
What are the Immigration Rules for Permanent Residency in Australia?
There are certain requirements depending on the migration program to qualify for Australian permanent residency:
- Applicants must be under 45 years old (work-stream-based permanent residency).
- You must submit a certificate of English language proficiency (most permanent residency programs).
- Masters or Doctoral degrees needed (for research work based).
- Applicants should present sponsorship when applying (for sponsor visas).
- It is mandatory for applicants to have an Australian spouse or de facto partner (for the family stream migration program).
People who cannot apply for permanent residency through the work-based migration program can apply through the retirement visa pathway.
Is there a time limit for permanent residents to stay outside of Australia?
Yes, there is a time limit. For five years, permanent residents can travel freely within and outside of Australia. Travel facilities expire after five years, so if you leave Australia after that time, you will not be able to re-enter.
How to proceed after Travel Facility ends?
After five years of permanent residency in Australia, you must switch to a Resident Return visa (subclass 155 or 157). Applicants who hold a resident return visa are free to leave and re-enter Australia for another five years. Eventually, can apply for a resident return visa multiple times during that time.
You may, however, be eligible for a resident return visa only for a period of one year or three months, depending on your individual circumstances. You don’t need this visa, unless you plan on traveling.
What to do if your Travel Facility expires while you are outside of Australia?
A resident return visa or Australian citizenship is required if you were outside of Australia when your travel facility expired. You must apply for another permanent visa if none of these apply to you (former resident visa, family visa, or skilled visa).
Having a valid visa is necessary for re-entering Australia; however, you shouldn’t seek a temporary visa just to return, as this will negatively impact your permanent residency status.
Is it necessary to renew Australia Permanent Residency Visa?
The permanent visa itself does not need to be renewed, only the travel facility attached to it. Depending on how long you have lived in Australia as a resident, you have different options to renew your travel policy (visa subclass 155 and 157).
Does Permanent Residency in Australia expire?
It is impossible for your Australia permanent residency to expire, but its travel facility will.
Is it possible to lose my permanent residence in Australia?
Australia does not allow permanent residents to lose their residency. However, there are some instances when you may lose your permanent residency status.
Your permanent residence may be revoked if you are no longer in a relationship that you were in when you applied for the family stream visa. Additionally, you may lose your permanent visa if you violate the good character rules while you hold a permanent residency.
In every case, though, it requires a compelling reason before they revoke your permanent resident status.
How Do Permanent Residency and Citizenship Differ?
In contrast to citizenship, permanent residents are not allowed to perform the following activities:
- Hold an Australian passport.
- Re-enter Australia if your travel facility expired.
- Apply for student loans.
- Be a part of the Australian Defence Force.
- Vote in Australia.
- Work within the Australian Government.
As an Australian permanent resident, you are entitled to:
- Work and study indefinitely in Australia.
- Buy property through bank loans.
- Access Medicare services.
- Apply for Australian citizenship.
- Sponsor other family members for permanent residence.
- Work in New Zealand.
- Follow free language classes.
- Travel as you wish (as long as your travel facility is valid).
So make sure to keep in mind these rules and regulations for Australian Permanent Residence Permit. I hope the information in the blog would help you to apply for Australia Permanent Residency. Furthermore, you must have got even a few of your queries answered as well. In case of any update, you can get it on the official website of Australia- https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/permanent-resident