How to Apply For Australian Permanent Residency

Australia migrations follow a point system.
The minimum score required to be eligible for a permanent residency visa is 60 points
The family-based permanent residency and work-based permanent residency categories are most popular

People move to Australia for a host of reasons. The country has excellent schools and universities, a strong economy with good job opportunities and plenty to see. If you’re planning on living here permanently, what you need is a permanent residency visa. Read on to learn more about this visa.

Australian Permanent Residency — Coat of Arms of Australia. Image Courtesy Sodacan

Australia is a very popular destination with tourists, students, skilled workers and professionals alike. The country is culturally diverse with people from over 100 countries residing here. Australian student and work visas are relatively easy to acquire and allow people holding them to live, study and work freely in the country for as long as they are valid.

The downside of moving to Australia on these visas is that one must renew the visa periodically. Thus, if you are planning on migrating to Australia permanently, it is best to apply for an Australian permanent residency visa.

Why Apply for an Australian Permanent Residency Visa?

An Australian permanent residency visa allows a person to live and work in Australia indefinitely. The visa holder and his or her family can move in an out of Australia as they wish. After receiving approval from the New Zealand government, the visa holder can travel in and out, live and work in New Zealand as well.

They can also get access to subsidized or free health and legal services. If they so choose, the visa holder can also apply for citizenship after a few years. Children of people born to permanent residents in Australia will automatically get Australian citizenship.

Types of Australian Permanent Residency Visas

There are almost 40 different types of migrant visas that can be used to apply for Australian permanent residency. The most popular ways to migrate are via family-based permanent residency and work-based permanent residency. Visas under the family-based permanent residency category can be availed by the partner, spouse, fiancée, child or relative dependent on an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident.

Work-Based Permanent Residency visas are available to people who possess skills that are required in Australia and those who have a full-time job sponsored by an Australian company. Migrants can also get permanent residency if they are refugees or if they need humanitarian aid.

Eligibility for Australian Permanent Residency Visas

To be eligible for this visa, the applicant must have a minimum of 60 points on the migration scale. These points can be categorized under a number of different criteria such as age, proficiency in English, educational qualifications, overall work experience, work experience in Australia and the applicant’s partner’s skill and qualifications.

Category	Breakup	Points
Age	18-24	25
	25-32	30
	33-39	25
	40-44	15
IELTS score	IELTS score >=8	20
	IELTS score >=7	10
	IELTS score >=6	0
skilled employment outside Australia	3 years of skilled employment outside Australia	5
	5 years of skilled employment outside Australia	10
	8 years of skilled employment outside Australia	15
skilled employment in Australia	1 year of skilled employment in Australia	5
	3 years of skilled employment in Australia	10
	5 years of skilled employment in Australia	15
	8 years of skilled employment in Australia	20
Educational Qualifications	Award or qualification recognised by the assessing authority in the assessment of the skilled occupation	10
	Australian Diploma or trade qualification	10
	Bachelor's or Master's degree	15
	Doctorate	20
	Any degree, diploma, or trade qualification earned in Australia after at least 2 years of study	5
Community language skills	NAATI recognised translator/interpreter level skills in a community language	5
Spouse/partner skills and qualifications	Spouse/partner meets basic requirements	5

Documents Required for Australian Permanent Residency Visas

The first step to applying for permanent residency in Australia is to collect all the relevant documents. This includes:

Valid passport of applicants and dependent included in the application
English Proficiency Test score
Skill assessment report
Copy of applicant’s birth certificate
Recent passport sized photographs
Copy of all educational certificates
Copy of marriage certificate
If divorced or widowed; a copy of divorce papers of the death certificate
Proof of score according to the points system
Character certificate
Birth certificate for all children included in the application
Evidence of parental custody if one of the parents of a minor child is not included in the application
Employment references
Completed application form

How to Apply for Australian Permanent Residency Visas

Before applying for permanent residency, all applicants need to take the IELTS test and a Skills test.

The first step to applying for permanent residency is to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). This can be submitted online and has no fee required. An EOI is valid for two years from the date of submission.

After 1-3 months, the applicant should receive an invitation to apply for a migrant visa. This application must be made within 60 days of receiving the invitation. The application for Residency is available online and can be submitted online as well.

Digital copies of all relevant documents must be submitted with the application. A visa processing fee is payable at this stage. The applicant may also need to undergo a medical exam. All that’ left to do after this is to wait for the visa to be processed. This can take anywhere between a few weeks and a few months.