The Australian Permanent Residency(PR) is a dream of thousands of overseas students studying in Australia. It provides several benefits, and the process of applying for a PR is laborious.
There are many pathways to obtaining an Australian Permanent Residency. The three major pathways to PR are students living in Australia on a Student Visa (500)or a Temporary Graduate(Subclass 485) Visa. You need to fulfill certain requirements to get Pr. Firstly, you must get your skills tested by Engineers Australia or ACS. For that, you need to write an RPL Report or CDR Report mentioning overall performance, work experience, and educational qualifications performed while studying or working.
Benefits of an Australian Permanent Residency
There are many benefits you obtain if you get Australian PR. Some of the benefits are:
- Stay in Australia endlessly
- Enlist in the Australian National Health Scheme i..e, Medicare
- Qualified to apply for Australian Citizenship
- Apply for bank loans to buy property
- Can Sponsor qualified relatives for Permanent Residency
Eligibility Criteria
The conditions to meet the eligibility or suitability criteria for applying for a permanent residency are:
- Age needs to be less than 45 pears
- Need to score a minimum of 65 points for Permanent Residency
- Need to be listed in MLTSSL List
- Authoritative bodies like Engineers Australia and ACS do Skill Assessment
- Need to have successful Medical and Character Assessment
Pathways to Permanent Residency
There are several pathways to obtain a permanent residency skill, business, work visas, etc. The most popular pathways for international students are:
- Skilled Independent Visa(Subclass 189)
- Skilled Nominated Visa(Subclass 190)
- Skill Work Regional/ Provisional Visa(491)
How to get a Permanent Residency with a Temporary Graduate Visa?
You can seek a Temporary Graduate Visa Subclass 485 to gain permanent residency later. This visa lets international students temporarily live and work in Australia after completing their two-year studies.
Suppose you cannot fulfill the Skilled Independent Visa conditions. In that case, a Temporary Graduate Visa offers a great opportunity for you to stay and live in Australia to improve your English Language ability or gather skilled work experience. It helps you to prove permanent residency after gaining permanent residency.
While applying for the Temporary Graduate(Subclass 485) Visa, you need to estimate the following points:
- The visa candidates must have completed a course minimum of 2 years in Australia.
- Two workstreams are related to Temporary Graduate Visas- The Post-Study Work Stream and the Graduate Work Stream.
- Visa Applications are submitted directly via DIBP.
- Workstream Permanent Residence Visa
This visa stream is for workers whom an Australian employer sponsors. The different visa categories under this stream include:
1. Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) Visa
This visa option is appropriate for skilled workers. However, this doesn’t need any sponsorship.
2. Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190) Visa
This visa applies to skilled workers nominated from an Australian or Territory State. For this visa, you must prove that occupations exist in the Skilled Occupation List.
3. Skilled Regional / Provisional (Subclass 491) Visa
To be eligible for this visa, you must meet the skill requirements and get sponsorship or nomination from the state or territory.
4. The Australian Investor Visa(Subclass 891)
The Australian Investor Visa(Subclass 891) Visa is for immigrants who wish to start a business or undertake investment activities in Australia. With an Australian Investor visa, you can work, live, and stay in Australia endlessly.
Eligibility Criteria for the Australian Investor(Subclass 891) Visa
The first and foremost criteria for the Australian Investor is that you need to hold a subclass 162 Visa, and you must have lived in the country for at least two years in the previous four years. Similarly, you need to invest 1.5 million Australian dollars for four years. Your commitment to your business activities in Australia will play a great role while staying in Australia. Also you and your family must also meet health and character requirements.
Other Eligibility Conditions for an Australian Investor Visa
1. Ownership needs to have a turnover of a minimum of AUD 500,000 for at least two fiscal year
2. Net personnel and business property of at least AUD 800,000
3. Under 55 years of age will get exceptional economic benefit
4. Need to meet the minimum 65 points to apply for the visa
5. Age
6. English Language Ability Test Result
7. Qualifications
8. Job experience in business or investment
9. Net personnel or business worth
10. Innovation
11. Special Advertisement
12. You need to have an overall successful career in business
What can you do with a Subclass 891 Visa?
- Stay in Australia endlessly
- Stay in Australia for unlimited time
- Available for Australia’s healthcare Scheme
- Eligible for Australian Citizenship
- Can Travel in and out of Australia for five years
- Eligible to include family members in the Visa Application
Visa Processing Time
Australian Investor(Subclass 891) visa applications are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and the processing time can be provided if you meet the following conditions.
- Need to submit a complete application with all the required documents
- Your response time to requests if additional information is required
- Time is taken by the authorities to verify the provided information
- If your occupational program is vacant in the migration program
Australia Permanent Residency
Subclass 891 is eligible for a permanent visa—applicants with the required investment in the country alone or with a partner. If you get this visa, you can stay and work indefinitely here.
Permanent Residency After Studying in Australia
Overseas students who come to study in Australia willing to stay in Australia apply for a permanent residency in Australia. They can apply for a PR Visa via the SkillSlelect Program. They can apply for the following visas:
- Skilled Independent Visa
- Employer Nomination Visa
- Regional Sponsored Visa
But, applicants need to qualify themselves through skill assessments assessed by various authorities like Engineers Australia, ACS, or others. If they qualify for the skill assessment test, they will get an invitation to apply for a PR Visa.
Applicants can qualify either through the points test or the required SkillSelect. They can continue in the country by choosing further studies or applying for anyone temporary visas.
Suppose you prefer to study further in Australia. In that case, the Australian Government will increase their duration of stay in Australia, and you can obtain skills and qualifications that help you gain employment in Australia.
Post-Study Work Stream of the Temporary Graduate(Subclass 485) Visa
Temporary Graduate(Subclass 485) visa rewards post-study work rights to overseas students who have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral degree in Australia. They can work for two to four years to gain international work experience.
Students are also eligible for the Graduate Work Stream. They are qualified for this stream if they have graduated with the skills and occupation list featured in the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List(MLTSSL). This visa is valid for 18 months.
Professional Year Program(PYP)
Australia has a Professional Year Program(PYP) outlined for international students who have graduated from an Australian university and are willing to apply for permanent residence.
The PYP helps international students search for a career path by providing appropriate practical training. This internship is approved by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection(DIBP).
The main aim of PYP is to fulfill the shortage of skilled workers in various important sectors in Australia. It was acquired to promote skilled workers in sectors like engineering, IT, Medicare, and Accounting.
The PYP is open to those students who have completed a degree in an Australian University. However, the degree need not be more than two years old. This program lasts 44 weeks(combining 32 weeks of coursework and 12 weeks of internship).
The internship period should be in the nominated skilled occupations or an occupation closely related to your selected course code or ANZSCO Code.
The Professional Year Program is designed for international students to gain work experience and develop specific skills in a particular field of study. It helps to prepare for a career in Australia.
Advantages of the Professional Year Program
Students gain experience through the Professional Year Program. Its benefits are:
1. Relevant Work Experience in an Australian Company
The internship opportunities provided by PYP help overseas students find jobs in Australia based on their occupation list. If they excel in their job, they might get hired in their position. Many universities in Australia provide internship opportunities to their students under the PYP.
2. Expand the network of professional contacts
The PYP allows students to expand their list of professional contacts. It provides an opportunity to meet professionals in their field and network with people who have similar career goals and interests.
3. Familiarize with Australian Work Culture
Students will be able to understand the workplace culture in Australia. It helps them to understand the Code of Conduct in Australia and also their work culture. They will get the value once they get a full-time job.
4. Changes to the Points System
The Australian Government enforced changes to its points-based immigration system. Changes to the point-based system are listed below:
- 10 points to the individual applicants.
- 10 points if the applicant has a skilled spouse or partner.
- 15 points to the candidates who are nominated by a State or Territory government or sponsored by a family member residing in Australia.
- 10 for those candidates who have STEM qualifications.
- 5 points for candidates who have a spouse or partner with competent English.
Hence, these changes have impacted General Skilled Migration(GSM) Visa lists.