Looking to settle in Australia after your higher studies? You’ll need a work permit allowing you to stay and work there for two to four years. However, work permits often come with constraints limiting access to facilities and career opportunities. An Australian PR (Permanent Residency) offers numerous benefits, making it a preferable option. To help you navigate the process, we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide detailing the steps to obtain PR in Australia. Keep reading to find out more!
What Are The Benefits Of Having A PR In Australia?
Before we explore the steps to obtain PR in Australia, let’s first examine the advantages. Alongside the obvious benefit of indefinite stay in Australia, here are some additional advantages that will undoubtedly appeal to you when considering applying for PR in Australia.
- Continue higher education in Australia without any hindrance.
- Reside or travel anywhere in Australia after acquiring a PR.
- Be eligible for social security benefits after a mere two years.
- Act as a sponsor for your family to get a PR.
- Access healthcare plans in Australia.
- Access loans for buying property.
- Apply for government jobs.
- Gain eligibility for education loans for the dependents.
Along with the above benefits, a permanent residency is the pathway to obtaining Australian citizenship. Anyone who stays in Australia for at least four years via a PR is liable to apply for citizenship. However, no absences of more than 12 months are permitted.
Categories Of Australian PR
There are 7 significant categories of PR visas in Australia. These are typically classified based on the candidate’s purpose or nature of application. Check out the following list to learn about these categories. They may also help you to determine the pathway or figure out the type of your application once you begin the steps to get PR in Australia.
- Family-Based PR Visa: This visa applies to spouses, children, parents, siblings, or other family members of Australian citizens or permanent residents. Dependents of New Zealand citizens are also eligible
- PR Work Visa: Designed for candidates working in Australia or possessing the skill set that could secure employment
- Business or Investment-Stream PR Visa: Offered to business owners, investors, and entrepreneurs seeking to expand their businesses.
- Retirement Visa: Available to individuals aged 55 and above who can contribute to the Australian economy and have deep ties within the community.
- Former Resident Visa: For candidates who previously held PR status in Australia.
- Global Talent Visa: Open to candidates with global recognition, acclaim, or significant achievements seeking Australian PR.
- Refugee and Humanitarian PR Visa: Intended for refugees and individuals forced to leave their home countries due to unavoidable threats.
Pathways Towards The Steps To Get PR In Australia
You can acquire permanent residency in Australia through 3 significant pathways. These are elaborated in-depth in the following sections.
1. Family Sponsorship
If you have a spouse, parent, sibling or any other family member living in Australia who already has a permanent residency, they could act as a sponsor for you to apply. Since the Australian government has a separate category for approving visas through family ties, this could be a potential pathway that can help you get a PR faster and more efficiently.
2. Business or Investment Stream
Do you have a business setup that you wish to expand abroad? You can choose to gain an Australia PR through this pathway. However, you must have a new or existing business in Australia, and you have to qualify for the visa for their requirements. Lastly, you must have an invitation to apply for this visa.
3. Skilled Worker Programme
This is the optimal path to attain Permanent Residency (PR) in Australia post-graduation. International candidates are eligible to apply for this visa if they possess skills that are in demand in Australia, thereby contributing to the economy. The program facilitates the PR process in Australia through the Skill Select Program, which employs a point-based system to evaluate eligibility and prerequisites. Additionally, there are four distinct pathways within this program, categorized based on eligibility and employment/sponsorship criteria, which expedite the visa processing by authorities.
| Subclass | Pathway | Characteristics |
| 189 | Skilled Independent Visa | Previous work experience. |
| No job offer is required. | ||
| Eligible for all work rights and benefits. | ||
| 190 | Skilled Nominated Visa | State nominated. |
| Requires job offer or sponsorship. | ||
| 186 | Employer Nominated Visa | Must have a nomination from the employer. |
| 191 | Skilled Regional Visa | Must have lived in Australia before. |
| Temporary visa holders are eligible. | ||
| Must have a visa of subclass 491 or 482. |
Australia PR Eligibility
The Australia PR process is based on a points system that assists the authorities in determining whether your application is eligible. In addition to the required number of points, there are a few other factors in which your Australia PR eligibility is assessed. Find them here-
- A minimum of 65 points
- Candidate must be under 45 years of age.
- English Proficiency
- Appropriate study and work background
- The applicant’s job must be under the Skilled Occupation List.
- Clean criminal record
- Health assessment and medical records
Here’s how the authorities consider points in the grid according to the respective factors.
| Criteria | Requirements | Maximum Points |
| Age | 25 – 33 | 30 |
| English Proficiency Exams | 8 bands | 20 |
| Work experience in Australia | 8 – 10 years | 20 |
| Work experience outside Australia | 8 – 10 years | 15 |
| Education outside Australis | Doctorate | 20 |
| Education in Australia | Doctorate or master’s degree | 20 |
| Community Language | Accreditation | 5 |
| Education in a regional area | – | 5 |
| State sponsorship | For 190 visa | 5 |
| Skilled spouse | – | 10 |
| Spouse with English competency | – | 5 |
| Spouse with PR or citizenship | – | 10 |
Australia PR Requirements
Along with the eligibility, there are several prerequisites that you need to take care of before commencing the steps to get PR in Australia. Here’s a general list of Australian PR requirements –
- A complete application form
- Assessment of educational credentials
- Skill assessment
- Birth certificate
- Character certificate
- Evidence of employment
- Proof of nomination (under specific subclasses, if applicable)
- Results of English proficiency tests
- Passport size photographs (minimum 2)
- Skill documents of spouse/family member (if applicable)
- Police clearance certificate
- Reference letters of business
- A valid passport
- Documents of health examination
Steps To Get PR In Australia
You can complete the Australia PR process efficiently by following our guide. Consider the following steps to get PR in Australia.
1. Check your eligibility. It is crucial to ensure that you fit the eligibility criteria for any of the subclasses you qualify for so that the process becomes more manageable. The primary focus must be acquiring 65 points to qualify in the system.
2. Acquire results of English proficiency tests. These exams are fundamental requirements when applying for a PR in Australia, to the extent that the lack of these will immediately make you lose any candidature. Here are the scores you need.
| Exam | Minimum required score |
| IELTS | 7.0 |
| PTE | 65 |
| TOEFL | NOT APPLICABLE AFTER JULY 26, 2023 |
3. Complete the skill assessment. Skill Select, the authority that verifies your application under their programme, will assess your qualifications and professional experience.
4. Register your EOI – Expression of Interest. This step indicates the need to express your reasons and interest in residing or working in Australia. You must elaborate on how you can contribute to Australia’s economy through your skill set or employment. For this, applicants must create a profile on the official portal of Skill Select. Based on your EOI, the government will send an invitation to apply for PR.
5. Compile the required documents. Once you receive the invitation to apply for the visa, gather all the documents mentioned in the previous sections.
6. Submit the PR application. Along with the complete application form, you must also submit health and character certificates and pay the application fee.
Cost Of Application
The total cost of the application includes the expenses of medical tests, visa, IELTS/PTE, and the application fee. In addition to this, the cost of getting evaluated by Skill Select is around $2,815. The application costs are summarised in the following table.
| Type of applicant | Cost (in AUD) |
| Primary applicant | AU$ 4,115 |
| Dependent above 18 years of age. | AU$ 2,055 |
| Dependent below 18 years of age. | AU$ 1,030 |
Time Duration
The processing time for a PR application varies largely based on your application. The skill check takes around 45 to 60 days. After that, the processing of EOI becomes slightly unpredictable. If you have more points, the process could be comparatively faster, and vice versa. Once you receive the invitation to apply, you’re given a buffer time of 60 days to submit your final application. Lastly, after the whole procedure, the actual visa processing time could be as short as 3 months or as long as 3 years.
Once you acquire the visa, you get the right to stay, work, or study in Australia for as long as you want. However, if you travel or move to your native country, you must return within 5 years to avoid losing credibility. After holding the PR visa and staying in the country for at least 4 years, you can apply for Australian citizenship.
Application Status
Since the entire process requires the applicant to complete multiple steps in a strict time frame, it is advisable to track the status of the application routinely to stay ahead. You can visit the Australian Government’s official website. You’ll be required to enter your reference number or transaction ID in the ‘Visa Entitlement Verification Online’ section.
FAQs
1. What medical tests are required for Australia PR visa applicants?
Ans: Applicants of Australian PR must undergo a standard medical checkup, chest x-ray, HIV test, and Serum creatinine or eGFR test. These reports are required to prove your wellness and health points.
2. Is it tough to get a PR in Australia?
Ans: The process of acquiring a PR in Australia is quite lengthy and complex. Applicants must adhere to the requirements, eligibility and guidelines to ensure a successful application. However, once you gain the PR, its benefits are quite worthy.
3. Is IELTS required for Australia PR?
Ans: Results of English proficiency tests are mandatory for applying to Australian PR. Candidates can take IELTS or PTE as the required exams.
4. What is the minimum score for Australia PR?
Ans: Candidates must have a minimum score of 65 points to be eligible to apply for an Australia PR.
Thank you for reading our guide to the simple steps to get PR in Australia! Let us know your queries or experience in the comments below!
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