Australia PR Step-By-Step Process: 7 Essential Tips for a Successful Application!
Australia has become a preferred destination for permanent residency for immigrants from all around the world. In recent years, Australia has invited millions of immigrants, and Indians constitute the third-largest immigrant population in Australia. An Australia PR (Permanent Residency) Visa is a point-based immigration system that allows you to settle, work and study in Australia indefinitely. After three years of being a PR holder, you can apply for Australian citizenship. This article lists the benefits of an Australian PR Visa and provides the Australia PR Step-By-Step Process in 2024.
Table of Contents
What is an Australia PR?
An Australian Permanent Residency (PR) visa is a type of visa that enables you to reside, work and study in Australia for an indefinite period, and it is obtained through a point-based immigration system. There are numerous advantages to obtaining an Australian PR, such as the ability to apply for Australian citizenship after holding a PR visa for three years.
Australia PR Benefits
- Live and settle anywhere in Australia
- Pursue higher education in Australia
- Be eligible for social security benefits after two years
- Be eligible for free medical insurance
- Dependents of PR holders can receive subsidized education loans
- Be eligible for the First Home Owner Grant worth $10,000
- Sponsor your family members to become permanent residents
- Apply for government jobs in Australia
- Travel to New Zealand without a visa
- Have a pathway to Australian citizenship after being a PR holder for 3 years
Available Australia Immigration Programs for Skilled Workers
For Skilled workers, the Australia Immigration program offers the below pathways for PR.
- Subclass 189 – Skilled Independent Visa
- Subclass 887 – Skilled Regional Visa
- Subclass 858 – Global Talent Visa
- Subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme Visa
- Subclass 187 – Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme Visa
- Subclass 190 – Skilled Nominated Visa
Among the above 6 options, the most sought-after options are Subclass 189 and 190. Let’s check out a little more details about these visa options.
Subclass 189 – Skilled Independent Visa
This particular visa is designed for individuals who possess skills that are in demand, including invited workers, eligible New Zealand citizens, and eligible Hong Kong or British National (Overseas) passport holders. It offers the opportunity to reside and work in any part of Australia permanently.
This is the most popular PR Visa that allows you to move to Australia without a job offer or employer sponsorship. To be eligible for this VISA, you need a minimum of 65 points as per Point Grid (which we will see in more detail), but as per the latest trends in the past few years, if you are from Information Technology (IT) or Software or Computer industry, then you will need minimum 85-90 points as competition is very tough.
Also Read,
Subclass 887 – Skilled Regional Visa
This visa is for people who have lived and worked in specified areas of regional Australia on a previous, eligible visa.
- You must have been living and working in a specified regional area of Australia
- You must hold a subclass 489, 495, 496, 475, or 487, or a Bridging visa A or B after applying for a subclass 489, 495, or 487 visa
Subclass 858 – Global Talent Visa
This is a permanent visa for people who have an internationally recognized record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in an eligible field.
- You must be in or outside Australia but not in immigration clearance when you apply and when we grant the visa.
- You must have an internationally recognized record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in a profession, a sport, the arts, or academia and research.
- You must be nominated by an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, eligible NZ citizen, or Australian organization with a national reputation in your area of talent.
Subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme Visa
This visa lets skilled workers, who are nominated by their employer, live and work in Australia permanently. Each employer has their own internal rules for this visa, hence sometimes you need to be with the employer for min 3 years or maybe for 5 years as well. So this one is a little tricky and mostly fully dependent on the employer.
Subclass 187 – Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme Visa
This visa allows skilled workers, who are nominated by their employer in regional Australia, to live and work in Australia permanently. In this Visa type also you must be nominated by an Australian Employer.
Subclass 190 – Skilled Nominated Visa
After subclass 189, this is the most popular visa option for PR in Australia. This visa lets nominated skilled workers live and work in Australia as permanent residents.
- You must be nominated by an Australian state or territory government agency
- You must score at least 65 points on our points test to be eligible
- You must be aged under 45 to apply
So now, as we have seen the different types of Visa pathways for PR in Australia, let’s check out the top 2 options in more detail, i.e. Subclass 189 and 190.
Steps for Australia PR Process
Below is the step-by-step process to apply for Australia PR. The major difference between subclass 189 and 190 is that you get extra 5 points for subclass 190 once nominated by the regional body. The rest of the process is the same.
Eligibility Check
To qualify for an Australian PR Visa, your profession must be included in the Skilled Occupation List, regardless of the visa category you have selected. You must also be under the age of 45 to apply and achieve a minimum score of 65 points in the Points Grid, where factors such as your age, education, work experience, and other criteria are evaluated. You can use the Points Calculator to check how many points you can get.
Get your English Language Test Results
The English language test is mandatory for all applicants, except the ones who hold a valid passport issued by the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand, or the Republic of Ireland.
You can take any one English language proficiency test, IELTS, or PTE.
- For IELTS, a score of 7 or above
- For PTE, a score of 65 or above
Get Skills Assessments from the designated authority
Skills assessments are issued by relevant skills assessing authorities. A skill-assessing authority is an organization that checks that your skills meet the standards they set to work in a relevant occupation. There are in total of 42 skill-assessing authorities in Australia, you need to contact the relevant authority based on your area as per the Skilled Occupation List. Charges and timelines for providing skill assessment are different for different authorities. Like ACS i.e. Australian Computer Society Incorporated, is responsible for Information Technology professionals and they charge approx. AUD 530 for Skill assessment, which will be processed in approx 10-12 weeks.
Register your Expression of Interest (EOI) on Skill Select
To apply for an Australian PR Visa, you need to register an Expression of Interest (EOI) in Australia’s Skill Select portal. This is a way of indicating your interest to the Australian Authorities that you want to apply for the visa.
After registering your EOI, you may be invited to apply for a visa based on various factors such as your English proficiency score, education, and the number of years you have worked in a specific field.
On the Skill Select portal you need to create your account, fill in your personal information & then fill in the required details as requested like your English test score, your experience as per Skill Assessments, etc. Once done, attach the supporting doc (if asked) and submit the application. You will get the tracking number once you submit the application.
Wait for an Invitation to Apply (ITA)
Now this is the most challenging part of the whole process, waiting. The waiting time can be anywhere between a few months to more than a year as well. Normally the EOIs with the highest points are selected. If there is a tie between the EOI of the same points then preference will be given to EOI which was submitted first.
Once you receive ITA, you are just a step away from PR.
PR Application Submission
After receiving your ITA, the final step is to submit your Australia PR visa within 60 days. For a subclass 190 visa, you need to submit your PR application within 14 days, but this varies from state to state, so do check the regional website for more details as the information keeps on changing frequently.
While submitting your PR application, you also need to submit PCC (Police Clearance Certificate) and Health Check reports as per standard. Please note that PCC might be required from each and every country you lived in before applying for Australia PR. This may take time, hence you need to act quickly after receiving your ITA.
Cost of an Australian PR
The cost or fees for PR application, mainly for subclass 189 and 190 is as follows.
| Applicant | Fees in AUD |
|---|---|
| Primanry Applicant | $4,240 |
| Dependent Visa Applicant (Over 18 Years) | $2120 |
| Dependent Visa Applicant (Under 18 Years) | $1060 |
You can also use the Visa Pricing Estimator to get more accurate details based on the type of Visa you are opting for. For example, if you are a family of 4, i.e. 2 adults and 2 kids, then you need to pay approx. $8,480 AUD or ₹4,98,400/- INR. Please note in this cost, the price of the English language test (₹15,900/- for PTE) and Skill Assessment (₹29,300/- for ACS) & charge for transcripts for your educational documents are not included.
So what are you waiting for, start with the preparation if you have decided that you will move to Australia. Hope this blog is helpful in providing all the required information for Australia PR.
Stay Healthy, Stay Safe, Jai Hind!
