How to become an Australian Permanent Resident

There are different pathways to become an Australian permanent resident depending on you individual circumstances. These are the most common types of temporary to permanent pathways:

TSS 482 visa to Australian Permanent Residency

Medium-Term TSS visa holders who have been working in Australia with the same employer for three years may be eligible to apply for Permanent Residency though the Transitional (TRT) Stream. There are also pathways to permanent residency for DAMA visa holders (including transitional arrangements for existing visa holders).

457  working visa to Australian Permanent Residency

If you held a 457 visa or had applied for a 457 on or before the 18th April 2017 you still have the opportunity to apply for Permanent Residence under 186 ENS or 187 RSMS, under the two-year pathway (Temporary Residence Transition), regardless of what 457 occupation you are employed under.

Regional visas to Australian Permanent Residency

Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa and subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored both have a pathway to permanent residency through the subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional): To meet the requirements of the permanent visa (from November 2022) applicants must have held a subclass 491 or 494 visa for at least 3 years, have complied with the conditions on that visa and have met minimum taxable income requirements.

Student visa to Australian Permanent Residency

You can express your interest in applying for permanent residency through the SkillSelect system, which could lead to permanent residency through a Skilled visa if you have enough points.

485 Graduate visa to Australian Permanent Residency

If you hold a 485 graduate visa, to obtain permanent residency on a sponsored visa, you must have an employer who agrees to sponsor you to stay in Australia, under the ENS 186 visa, or the RSMS 187 visa. If you have enough points and your occupation is in demand you may be eligible for the 189 Skilled independent visa, 190 Skilled Sponsored visa or the 489 Skilled Provisional visa.

489 skilled provisional visa to Australian Permanent Residency

Under current immigration legislation, the 489 visa is a pathway to permanent residency by allowing you to apply for the permanent Skilled Regional (Residence)visa (subclass 887) subject to meeting other criteria for the visa.

State sponsorship for Australian PR

The Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) allows points-tested skilled workers to live and work in Australia as a permanent resident. The Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) is a permanent residency skilled migration visa for people with an occupation in high demand in Australia’s labour market.

Select a state below to see it’s requirements:

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Australia

State and territory requirements

Each state and territory has its own list of occupations, requirements and processes you must follow.

More information about the requirements and processes on how Australian states or territories nominate applicants is available.

New Zealand citizen to Australian Permanent Residency

As a New Zealand citizen your eligibility for Australian citizenship depends on whether you arrived in Australia before or after 26 February 2001. On arrival in Australia, most New Zealand citizens are automatically granted a Special Category visa (SCV). An SCV is a temporary visa, but it allows the holder to remain and work in Australia. If you were present in Australia on 26 February 2001 as the holder of an SCV, you might be eligible to apply for Australian citizenship.

Family related visas to Australian Permanent Residency

As an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen, you may be able to sponsor your family to live in Australia. They may arrive in Australia as temporary residents and after meeting certain criteria may be grated permanent residency.

Australian permanent resident benefits

An Australian permanent resident (permanent resident) is the name given to a non-citizen who is the holder of a permanent visa. A permanent resident can live, work and study without restriction in Australia.

A permanent resident has most of the rights and entitlements of a citizen, however there are differences:

  • A citizen has an automatic right of entry to Australia, however if a permanent resident chooses to travel internationally, they need to ensure they have a permanent visa with a valid travel authority if they wish to return to Australia as a permanent resident.
  • A citizen can vote in Australian Government elections. In most cases permanent residents cannot, however if a permanent resident was enrolled to vote (as a British subject) prior to 1984, they may remain eligible to vote.

Eligibility for Australian government services and benefits, for both citizens and non-citizens, is the responsibility of the government agency with policy responsibility for the service or benefit.

Australian Immigration Webinar

Join our free webinar on “How to Migrate to Australia in 2019” to know more.

Book an appointment for a commitment free briefing with a Registered Migration Agent in Melbourne to find more about your temporary to permanent visa options. Register for our free immigration webinar on this topic here.

Other pathways