Australian permanent residency is granted to an international individual holding an Australian PR visa. Permanent residents can reside, work, and study in Australia indefinitely. After living in Australia with a PR visa for four years, the candidate is eligible to apply for Australian citizenship.
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The Australian PR process has three primary stages.
The Australian government offers multiple pathways for international individuals to apply for Australian PR. In recent times, the process has been streamlined to apply for a Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) or a Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190).
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The popular visa options for applying for Australia PR are given below. You can apply for:
The eligibility conditions for the Australian PR are given below. You must:
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You must obtain at least 65 points to qualify for the Australian PR. The higher the score, the greater the chances of being invited to apply for Australian PR. You can avail of quicker PR processing if you score between 80 to 85 points. There are multiple categories through which you can apply for Australia PR. Each category has its distinguished eligibility requirements.
Detailed information about the general eligibility factors is given below.
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 a Doctorate or a master's degree by research in Australia |
10 points |
Study in a regional area |
5 points |
Accredited in a 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 Australian citizen or PR holder |
10 points |
Relative or regional sponsorship (491 visa) |
15 points |
Work experience: Professional experience of over 8 years in the past 10 years in skilled employment outside Australia will give you 15 points. Skilled employment in Australia with 8 to 10 years of work experience from the date of application will give you 20 points.
Skilled Employment in Australia |
Points |
Below 1 year |
0 |
1 to 2 years |
5 |
3 to 4 years |
10 |
5 to 7 years |
15 |
8 to 10 years |
20 |
Educational Qualifications: Points for education criteria depend on the highest academic qualification. A doctoral degree holder obtains the most points.
Qualifications |
Points |
A Doctorate degree |
20 |
A Bachelor's (or Master's) degree |
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 |
Master's by research or a Doctorate degree from an Australian educational institution in the STEM fields |
10 |
Skilled Occupation Lists (SOL): The applicant must be employed in an occupation specified in the SOL. The list mentions the occupations that are acceptable for Australian immigration. The occupations in the lists are regularly updated and reflect the changes in the Australian job market. The SOL is divided into three categories:
Spouse application: If your spouse or partner has also applied for an Australian PR visa, you can gain 10 additional points for your Skill Select Expression of Interest. To get the additional points, your spouse must fulfil the requirements given below. Your partner must:
Other qualifications: You can gain points if you meet any of the following criteria.
Factors |
Points |
Study in a regional area |
5 points |
Accredited in a community language |
5 points |
Professional year in a skilled program in Australia |
5 points |
State sponsorship (190 visas) |
5 points |
Relative or regional sponsorship (491 visa) |
15 Points |
The detailed procedure for applying for Australian PR is given below.
Step 1: Check your eligibility for Australia PR.
Step 2: Organize the documents required to apply for Australian PR.
Step 3: Register your Expression of Interest for Australia PR.
Step 4: Receive an ITA.
Step 5: Obtain Australian PR.
There are multiple benefits of Australia PR, some of which are given below. You can:
An Australian PR visa is a pathway to permanent residency in Australia. It offers a wide array of opportunities for those who are granted PR. The PR visa enables foreign nationals to live, work, and study in Australia indefinitely. A permanent visa facilitates the PR holder staying in Australia permanently, accessing universal healthcare and social security benefits, and making the candidate eligible to apply for Australian citizenship.
While an Australian PR lets you live in Australia permanently, it does not grant citizenship. After 3 years out of 5 years of permanent residency in Australia, you can apply for Australian citizenship, provided you meet the eligibility conditions.
The Australia Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) is an Australian PR visa for foreign skilled workers. It allows individuals to live and work indefinitely in Australia without requiring a nomination by an Australian state or territory or sponsorship from a relative.
To be eligible for the 189 visa, applicants must:
The Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190) is a permanent visa of Australia aimed at skilled workers who are nominated by an Australian state or territory. The visa facilitates nominated skilled workers to reside, study, and work in Australia as permanent residents. The visa is formulated for those with skills in demand in Australia. A nomination by an Australian state or territory boosts the chances of securing the PR visa. The applicants must score 65 points or above to be eligible to apply for this visa.
Each state or territory of Australia has distinct occupation lists and requirements. Therefore, it is important to research the eligibility conditions of the state or territory in which you desire to be nominated.
Many Australian states require a two-year commitment to live and work in the state or territory before they consider a candidate for nomination.
Detailed information about the most in-demand jobs in Australia is given below.
Occupation |
Annual Salary (in AUD) |
IT |
$110,989 |
Marketing & Sales |
$103,078 |
Engineering |
$114,311 |
Hospitality |
$81,460 |
Healthcare |
$107,083 |
Accounting & Finance |
$90,157 |
Human Resources |
$81,078 |
STEM |
$106,909 |
Nursing |
$87,750 |
Teaching |
$88,944 |
An Australian PR visa costs from AUD 4,765 to AUD 9,795. The choice of Australian visa subclass and additional dependents influences the fee.
Detailed information about the cost of Australia PR is given in the table below.
Visa subclass |
Base application charge |
Additional applicant fee 18 and more |
Additional applicant charge below 18 |
Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) |
AUD 4,765.00 |
AUD 2,385.00 |
AUD 1,195.00 |
Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) |
AUD 4,770.00 |
AUD 2,385.00 |
AUD 1,190.00 |
Australia PR applicants under the Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (Subclass 188) pay a processing fee of AUD 9,795. In some specific investment streams, the fee is AUD 14,240.
Australia requires a skill assessment to determine whether the candidate's educational skills and qualifications are comparable to Australian standards. This formal evaluation is conducted by a designated Australian authority.
This is an essential step for candidates applying for Australian skilled migration. It confirms that they are capable of performing the activities of their nominated occupation.
Australia authorizes various organizations to conduct skills assessments, such as:
The assessment process involves:
A favorable skill assessment report demonstrates that the applicant's skills and experience meet the standards for their nominated occupation.
The processing time for the Australia PR visa ranges from 9 to 18 months, depending on the visa subclass.
Several factors affect processing time. It varies due to the volume of applications, a larger number of complex cases, or incomplete applications. Other reasons include:
There are several pathways for UK residents to gain Australian PR through investment. The UK residents can avail of long-term investment gains, entrepreneurial success, and the benefits of residing and working in Australia.
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