A foreign citizen seeking to live permanently requires permanent residency in Australia. This type of visa is sometimes called a permanent residence permit. Whichever name you call it, a permanent visa grants you the freedom to live in Australia permanently.
If you aspire to move to Australia, you need to have a permanent resident visa. To become a permanent resident in the country, you have lots of golden opportunities. There are various types of permanent visas designed to meet your unique needs.
You might want to explore our article to find out how to get permanent residency in Australia, the best permanent visa option for you, and how to get it quickly.
How to Get a Permanent Residency In Australia?
There are many different pathways to getting permanent residence in Australia. This includes:
A family-stream permanent visa
This type of permanent visa is available to partners, family members, or a relative dependent on a foreigner with permanent residence in Australia, a citizen of Australia, or an eligible New Zealand citizen.
Family-related permanent visas are also available to adopted or about-to-be adopted children of parents who have permanent residence in Australia and foreign carers who provide long-term services to a relative with permanent residency in Australia.
A work-stream permanent visa
Work-related permanent visas are also another way to obtain a permanent residency visa in Australia. Foreigners can obtain work-stream permanent visas in two different ways. An Australian employer could sponsor it, or you must demonstrate that you have work skills that Australia values. An excellent way to identify the crucial skills is by checking the skilled occupation list.
Retirement visa
The Australian government has recently created a new way for employees who have worked for a long in Australia to become permanent residents through retirement visas. The retirement visa provides a way for people who have served and contributed to the community for a long to become permanent residents of the community.
Former Resident visa
Subclass 151 is a visa that grants foreigners with former permanent residents of Australia or has served in Australia’s Defence Force for a specific period permanent residency option in Australia.
Global Talent visa
The subclass 858 visa is a global talent visa designed to allow foreigners with exceptional talents who are recognized globally as permanent residents.
Refugee and humanitarian visas
You can also get a permanent visa if you can demonstrate that you are fleeing your country due to persecution or human rights abuse.
Australian Immigration Rules for Permanent Residency
To obtain a permanent residency visa in Australia, applicants must meet some of the rules laid out by the Australian immigration department. Some of the rules are specific for specific visas, while some apply to all permanent visa types.
Some of the most common Australian immigration rules for permanent residency are:
- For work-streamed visas, applicants must be less than 45 years of age.
- Applicants must be able to provide a certificate that proves their proficiency in the English language.
- For research-based permanent visas, applicants must have a Master’s or Doctoral degree in their field of study.
- For sponsorship visas, especially those that involve employees in Australia, applicants must be able to provide proof of their sponsorship by an employment officer.
- For family-stream visas, applicants must have a spouse who is a citizen of Australia, have a permanent resident in Australia, or are eligible New Zealand citizens.
There are many other specific rules attached to the different types of permanent visas. For instance, applicants who can’t apply for work-stream visas because they are above the age requirements can apply for a permanent retirement visa if they are eligible.
Permanent Residency Visas in Australia
While getting a permanent resident visa in Australia is entirely within your reach as a foreigner, taking the right step right before entering Australia will make all the difference.
This is simple — not every Australian visa can lead to a permanent visa. For instance, if you apply for a subclass 870 parent visa, you can go to Australia temporarily to see your family members. You cannot apply for permanent residence simply because the visa cannot be converted to a permanent residence visa.
On the other hand, a temporary visa like the subclass 173 visa can be converted to a permanent residence visa if you meet all the requirements for the permanent visa you want to apply for.
Like the above, many other temporary visas are easier to get, but some cannot be converted to permanent residence visas in Australia. You must plan and get the correct type of visa that can be converted to a permanent visa before moving to Australia.
For migrants, there are three dominant ways for you to obtain a permanent residence visa in Australia. This can be through:
- a family-stream permanent visa
- a work-stream permanent visa
- business or investor-stream permanent visa
Each of these visa categories has different visa options which cover other areas of need. The family-related visa contains 11 different permanent visa options, which cater to the needs of families in different scenarios.
For instance, a subclass 100 visa allows the spouse of an Australian citizen or a foreigner with permanent residence to come live with them permanently in Australia. The spouse must simultaneously apply for the subclass 100 with the subclass 309 visa.
On the other hand, a subclass 102 adoption visa lets an adopted child come live with the parent permanently in the country.
Each type of visa under the family stream visa covers a unique need of family members, and as such, when applying for permanent residence, you must pick the right fit for your needs.
All Family-stream permanent visa
- Partner Visa (migrant)- subclass 100.
- Partner Visa- subclass 801
- Child Visa – subclass 101
- Adoption Visa- subclass 102.
- Orphan Relative Visa- subclass 117, 837
- Carer Visa – subclass 116.
- Parent Visa- subclass 103.
- Contributory Aged Parent Visas – subclass 864
- Contributory Parent Visa- subclass 143
- Remaining Relative Visa – subclass 835
- Aged Dependent Relative Visa – subclass 114
All work-related permanent visas
- Permanent residence visa – Subclass 191.
- Skilled Nominated Visa- subclass 190.
- Skilled region visa – Subclass 887.
- Skilled independent visa – Subclass 189.
- Regional Sponsored Migrant Scheme Visa- subclass 187
- Employer Nominated Scheme- subclass 186.
All business or investor-stream permanent visa
- Business Owner permanent Visa- subclass 890
- Business Innovation and Investment Permanent Visa- subclass 888.
- Business Talent Permanent Visa- subclass 132
The three most popular permanent visa options available to foreign migrants in Australia are the above. There are other options, but these are primarily unique options and not readily available to everyone, as stated in the first portion of this post.
Australian Permanent Residency Requirements
The requirements for a permanent residency visa are similar to other Australian temporary visas. These requirements include:
- A valid international passport
- Receipt of the paid base fee
- National Identity
- Health insurance from an approved insurance company
- Financial stability
- Proof of employment
- Have an eligible visa if applicable
- Skill must be listed on the skilled occupation list
- Proof of good conduct
- Proof of Police clearance
- A letter of invitation, if applicable
- Authorized Recipient Form
- Civil Documents.
Keep in mind that these are the general requirements for most permanent visas. You may be asked to provide more documents to support your claims, and for some visa types, you may not be asked for some of these documents. You must check the visa page for the specified requirements of the visa you plan to apply for.
Health Requirements for Australian Permanent Visa
A health check-up is a requirement that you must meet for your visa application to be approved. Most times to pass the requirements, your health check-up must show that you are free from certain diseases or that your health condition will not strain the Australian healthcare system if you move to the country.
Some of the most common health requirements for an Australian permanent visa include:
- You must have no disease or condition that will increase demand for scarce resources like dialysis or organ transplant
- Free from diseases that can be spread easily (HIV, tuberculosis, cholera, etc.)
- Show that you do not have a health condition or illness that will require a high cost to treat
To verify your health condition, you will be required to present medical reports from a hospital approved by the immigration department.
How To Apply for An Australian Permanent Visa?
You can apply for a permanent resident visa online through the official immigration website or offline by submitting your application at the immigration office.
To get started:
- Select the permanent visa that you are eligible for
- Check the requirements of the visa
- Gather the required documents
- Then log on to the visa application portal and begin the application process.
- Or visit the immigration office to pick up your visa application form
- Pay the necessary fees to kickstart the review process
Temporary Resident Visa in Australia
Temporary resident visas are designed to provide foreign citizens with visiting rights to Australia. Since they are not permanent visas, your length of stay in the country is often limited. If your visa expires, you will be required to move back to your country or apply for an extension of your stay.
Not all temporary visas can be extended, but most study visas can be extended if there is a genuine need for the student to remain in the country.
An example of a temporary resident visa in Australia is the subclass 500 student visa which allows you to stay in Australia for up to 5 years to complete a course in any institution in Australia. This temporary resident visa will also allow you to work for specified hours and also allow you to bring your family members to Australia.
There are many other temporary resident visas in Australia designed for students, visiting family members, tourists, workers, investors, etc.
Australian Permanent Residency Renewal
On the contrary, you don’t need to renew your permanent residency visa. Instead, you will need to renew the travel visas attached to your permanent residency. This could be either subclass 155 or 157, depending on the travel visa type connected to your permanent resident visa.
Re-Entry Visa Australia
If you have lived in Australia for more than five years after obtaining your permanent resident visa, you will need to obtain a re-entry visa. After getting your permanent residence visa, you can only travel freely in and out of Australia for the first five years.
After the first five years, you will not be able to travel to Australia even though you have a permanent residence visa. To be able to do this, you will need a re-entry visa. The re-entry visa could be a subclass 155 or 157 visa.
Australia Permanent Residency Statistics
The total number of permanent residents in Australia from 2020-to 2021 is about 160,000. About 79,000 permanent residents were delivered through the work-stream visa, while about 77,000 were delivered through the family-stream visa. Only about 54 were given through the special visa category, while around 3,000 children were given the child-stream visa category.
Difference Between Australian Citizens and Permanent Residents
There is a little grey area between an Australian citizen and a permanent resident in Australia. For instance, as a permanent resident, you cannot:
- Vote in an election
- Get an Australian national ID
- Join the Australian military force
- Apply for student loans
- Work in a government ministry
- Or travel to Australia after five years without renewing your re-entry visa.
However, there are other benefits of being a permanent resident that do not apply to temporary visas. For instance, you can
- Stay, work, or study indefinitely in Australia
- Apply for Australian citizenship
- Participate in Medicare services
- Buy properties through bank loans and many more.
FAQ
You can get permanent residence in Australia through three dominant means. This can be through a work-stream visa, family-stream visa, or special provisional visa.
After getting a permanent residency visa in Australia, you will most likely want to:
– Enrol in Medicare to obtain your health insurance and your loved ones.
– Find a good bank to start saving with and for loan facilities
– Ensure you maintain your good character to prevent your visa from being revoked
To become an Australian permanent resident, you will need to check if you are eligible for any permanent resident visas, apply for the permanent visa you qualify for, and wait for it to be approved by the Department of Home Affairs.
A permanent resident can stay outside of Australia for five years from the initial date your permanent visa was issued. If your stay exceeds those five years, you will need to obtain a re-entry visa before being allowed re-entry into the country.
As listed above, they include work-stream visas, family-stream visas, and special visas.
If you fail the health requirements, your application for a permanent resident visa will most likely be denied. But you can also apply for a health requirement waiver. This will only be granted with valid reasons.
Most times, your application for a permanent resident visa will need to be completed within Australia, so you will need to be present in Australia with a temporary visa before applying for a permanent resident visa.
For the subclass 801 prospective partner visa, the spouse will need to apply for a permanent visa and a temporary subclass 820 visiting visa to allow the partner to visit Australia for the first time.
The cost of an Australian permanent residence visa varies depending on the type of visa you are applying for. The cost of a family-stream permanent visa costs about AUD 7,800, while that of a work-stream visa costs about AUD 3,000.
If your travel facility expires, you will need to apply for a resident return visa or Australian citizenship if you wish to travel out as an Australian citizen.
You won’t need to renew your permanent residency visa, but you will need to renew your travel facility every five years if you constantly travel overseas.
Yes — you can lose your permanent residency if you are no longer in the relationship that led to the visa or if your behavior is no longer satisfactory, as obtained during the review process. But this rarely happens, though.
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Conclusion
Applying for an Australian permanent step is a good step in the right direction but no less a tedious task that requires attention to detail. Our team of experts is always ready to walk you through the process, track your visa application, and help make everything easier for you.
Feel free to reach out to us, and book an appointment now.
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