PR Visa for Australia – Everything You Need to Know!

To migrate and live in Australia, you must apply for one of the visas that allow being an Australia PR (Permanent Resident). You can apply for this visa from anywhere in the world. According to a research, 70% of the foreign nationals coming to Australia for myriad reasons wish to stay back, work and live in Australia.

DMS Migration Services, is a MARA Registered Migration Agent and can provide end-to-end assistance to you in applying for an Australian PR from anywhere in the world. The process is online.

The merit based processes for immigration to Australia, are mainly points tested and are primarily based on occupational or business skills, experience and English competency. There are two significant streams for merit based migration:

• Skilled Migration
• Business Migration

There are other non-points based pathways to PR in Australia that include

• Family Migration
• Distinguished Talent
• Employer nominated scheme
• Regional Skilled Migration Scheme (RSMS)
• Humanitarian Streams

The process for Australian PR takes time and requires a thorough preparation of documents, filling forms, submission on deadlines, proving the eligibility on different conditions etc.

We can help you apply for a suitable Australian PR from wherever you are located as the entire process is online. Right from providing you detailed information about the immigration process of Australia to getting your Australian PR visa grant we will be assisting you throughout. We consistently follow up with Australia immigration bureau and update you on the status of your PR application.

For applicants in skilled migration category, we provide professional help by sharing our insightful advices on CV preparation. Your CV represents strength of your visa application, hence, having an impressionable cover letter and CV are important.

What is Australia Permanent Residency?

Australia Permanent Residency Visa (PR) is a type of visa given to foreign nationals on meeting the set criteria by the immigration authority of Australia. An Australian PR (permanent resident) is a non-citizen of Australia, who can work, live and study in Australian just like an Australian citizen without any restrictions.

The permanent residency of Australian and citizenship bear differences in cases of international travels and voting.

Australia Permanent Residency Visa and Eligibility Criteria

The immigration process of Australia is based on points system. For someone, who is interested to apply for Australian Permanent Residency Visa, it is mandatory to follow the point based system. The point test system is applicable to some of the categories, and not all.

Subclass 189, 190, and 491 under skilled migration are point tested and the minimum requirement is 65. In business migration only two streams in subclass 188 are points tested and the minimum score requirement is 65.

The calculation of points varies for each visa and subclass. Greater the points, the stronger would be your permanent visa application case.

Points Test (only for subclass 189, 190 and 491)

The Australian Immigration Authorities have a clear and concise method of weighing your credentials while granting you Australia Permanent Residency Visa. The factors on which you are assigned points are:

• Age: You should be below 45 years of age to get Australian PR.
• Skills: Your skills, are your greatest markers for PR visa application. Every year, the Immigration and Border Protection Department of Australia releases updated list of skill sets, that are highly rated in Australia or in any region of Australia.

If the skills, you have nominated are in the regional or Australian highly rated skills list, you are more likely to get invitation for visa application and approval thereof for permanent residency in Australia.

• English language proficiency: The minimum requirement for making a valid application for Australia PR visa is competent English, which is as follows:
• IELTS – The minimum requirement is 6 points for listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills.
• TOEFL iBT – The minimum requirements for listening skills is 12, reading skills is 13, writing skills is 21, and speaking skills is 18 points.
• PTE Academic – The minimum requirement for listening, speaking, writing, and reading skills is 50 points.
• CAE – The minimum requirement for speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills is 169 points.

• Academic qualification: Your academic qualification (accredited in Australia or overseas) count to the points test.
• Profession: Your occupation would not offer you points, but would surely give your application an edge over others. It is because points are awarded based on the number of years of ‘recognized experience’ you have in that occupation. Most importantly, it is mandatory to nominate an occupation from one of the lists (MLTSSL or STSOL or ROL), which not necessarily will give you points.

The points test, decides what advantages you bring to Australia if you work and live here as an Australia PR holder.

Other Recommended Posts:

Australia PR Process for Offshore Engineers in 2017

How to Apply for Australian Citizenship – A Comprehensive Post

How To Apply For A Spouse Visa (Partner Visa) To Australia From India?

Australia PR Visas – Categories of Migrations:

The permanent residency visa of Australia can be given to several types of migrations. You can opt to apply for Australia PR from India in any of the below mentioned migration types. We will help you understand what type suits you best.

1. Skilled Migration Visas

• Points Tested:
  • Skilled Independent Migration: subclass 189
  • Sponsored Migrations: State sponsored (subclass 190)
  • Skilled Regional Provisional: subclass 489
    • Designated Area State Sponsored
    • Designated Area Relative Sponsored
  • The following are not points tested:
    • Regional sponsored (subclass 187)
    • Employer nominated (subclass 186)
    • Skilled Regional visa: subclass 887
    • Distinguished Talent: subclass 124

2. Business Migration Visas

• Points Tested
  • Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188)
    • Business Innovation Stream
    • Investor Stream
• The following are not points tested
  • Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188)
    • Business Innovation Stream
    • Premium Investor Stream
    • Entrepreneur Stream

3. Family Migration Visas

• Parent visas
• Aged Dependent Relative visa
• Orphan Relative visa
• Remaining Relative visa
• Child visa
• Partner visa
• Adoption visa
• Carer Visa

4. Refugee and Humanitarian Migration Visas

• Woman at risk visa: subclass 204
• Emergency Rescue visa: subclass 203
• Global Special Humanitarian visa: subclass 202
• In-country Special Humanitarian visa: subclass 201
• Refugee visa: subclass 200

Pre-requisites to Applying for Australian PR:

Note: These are the pre-requisites for Points tested Skilled Migration Visas.

Before actually applying for Australia PR, we will inform you on arranging necessary documents and appearing for online procedures.

1. Necessary Documents: There is going to be some paper work before you embark on visa application for your permanent residency status in Australia.
   • Academic qualification certifications
   • Employment documents
   • Travel documents
   • Skill assessment document
   • English language proficiency test (IELTS) score
2. Applicable category of migration: We have given earlier in this post, a list of different migration visas that can be opted for Australia PR. We will advise you on applicability and selection of migration visas.
3. Nomination of Skills: The skill sets you possess should be nominated from the list of Skilled Occupation List (SOL) provided by Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Australia. Nominating of skills is applicable to people intending to apply for permanent residency visa under skilled or business migrations category.
4. Expression of Interest: Again, this is for skilled and business migration category. You will need to express your interest to work and live in Australia through SkillSelect, an online platform.

An expression of interest is not a visa application.

Your Expression of Interest is reviewed by the immigration authorities of Australia and a nomination from a state, an Australian employer, or the Australian Government is extended to you, by inviting you to lodge your visa application with the concerned immigration department.

5. Health Check-up: As an applicant for Australia PR visa, you should provide your medical health check-up certificates to prove you are in good health and medically fit.
6. Character Verification: The character verification is an important prerequisite for applying for permanent residency visa in Australia.
7. National Security: Your candidature is checked for probable threat for national security.

Application for Australia PR Process from India

• As explained above, once you express your interest through SkillSelect, you will have to wait for the response from immigration authorities of Australia.
• If your Expression of Interest is shortlisted by the immigration office of Australia, you will be invited to lodge your visa application under the migration category of your choice.
• You will need to submit your duly filled visa application along with necessary documents (mentioned above in Prerequisites) within 60 days of receiving an invitation from the immigration office of Australia.
• Once your visa application for Australia permanent residency is approved and you begin to soak in the thrill of making Australia your new home, you would want to know what welfares you are entitled for with the title of Australian Permanent Resident.

Time taken to process immigration applications to Australia:

The processing time for immigration applications entirely depend on the type of migration visa you are opting for. Permanent Residency visa for Australia take more time and is subject to the availability of places in that migration category.

Factors that decide processing time:

• If all the necessary documents are submitted along with completed application form
• Your response to additional information queries by immigration office
• Time taken to verify the details provided by you
• Verify with external institutions on your character, health and national security fronts
• Audit of work references

Welfare Aids for Permanent Resident Holders of Australia:

• Lifetime residence: You are now entitled to live and work in Australia for lifetime!
• Australian citizenship: Your child/ children born in Australia, will be Australian citizens by default.
• Free exit and entry to Australia: As an Australia PR, for the first 5 years you can freely exit and enter Australia. After which, you will need to renew your re-entry permission unless you have applied for and have acquired citizenship. This is subject to your meeting the criteria for this category.
• Health and legal rights and services: After you get your Australia permanent residency, you are considered on par with Australian citizens and you are entitled to health grants and legal aids as any Australian citizen.
• Upgrade to citizenship: After living in Australia as a permanent resident for stipulated time, you can apply for Australian citizenship provided you meet all other requirements for the citizenship application
• Live in New Zealand: After obtaining Government of New Zealand’s permission, you can reside, get employment or study in New Zealand.

Author: Amitava Deb

Last Updated: 4 Jan, 2020.