About Australia

The Commonwealth of Australia comprises the mainland of the Australian continent and many smaller islands. By area, it is the world's sixth-largest country and is the only nation to govern an entire continent. Australia was one of the first countries to establish democracy in the modern world. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 and maintains a stable, liberal, democratic political system comprising six states and several territories. The 25 million population is centered in urban areas in the east and in coastal areas.

Australia is a highly developed and wealthy country, with the world’s 14th largest economy. It ranks 3rd in the UN’s Human Development Index.

Australia is a member of ANZUS, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Commonwealth of Nations, G20, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Pacific Islands Forum, the United Nations, and the World Trade Organization.

All foreign nationals apart from New Zealand citizens must hold a visa prior to travelling to Australia.

There are two types of migration for non-Australian citizens: temporary and permanent. Temporary resident visas allow non-Australian citizens to remain in Australia for a specified duration for purposes that may include tourism, visiting family, study, work, and medical treatment. Many temporary visas provide a pathway to permanent residence eligibility.

Benefits For Permanent Residents Of Australia

• You can live and travel anywhere within Australia
• You can pursue higher studies in Australia and can apply for certain educational loans
• You become eligible for Social Security benefits after two years of having a PR visa
• You can sponsor the PR of your relatives if they meet certain pre-requisites
• You can apply for government jobs
• You can travel to New Zealand and can even apply for a visa there

An Overview of Australia Residence-by-Investment

Visa applicants must meet certain criteria prescribed to the appropriate visa subclass. The criteria prescribed to a visa application will include either ‘at time of lodgment’ requirements, ‘at time of decision’ requirements, or a combination of both. Visa applications may be refused if an applicant does not demonstrate that they meet the criteria at the correct time. All visa subclasses include the requirement to satisfy certain health, character, and public interest criteria. 

Permanent residents are required to spend at least two years of a five-year period in Australia or demonstrate significant ties to Australia, in order to maintain their residence status. 

The Australian visa application process is very structured and based on laws, regulations, policy, and legislative instruments. The application processing time is nine to twelve months but may differ according to the visa type. The Department of Immigration has a priority processing tier under which visa applications that yield the greatest benefit to the country (skilled visas) will be assessed quicker than those with less benefit (family visas). 

The Business Innovation and Investment Program and the Business Talent Program

There are six visa streams under the Business Innovation and Investment Program and the Business Talent Program.

The Business Innovation and Investment Program includes the following:

• The Business Innovation Stream — Individuals must pass a points test, have a successful business career with a business turnover of at least AUD 500,000, and net assets of AUD 800,000. They must also obtain and maintain substantial ownership and management of an Australian business.
• The Investor Stream — Individuals must pass a points test, have three years’ investment experience, commit AUD 1.5 million into an Australian state or territory bond for four years, and have net assets of AUD 2.25 million.
• The Significant Investor Stream — Individuals must commit at least AUD 5 million into a complying Australian investment for at least four years.
• The Entrepreneur Stream — Individuals must have signed a formal agreement to receive AUD 200,000 in venture capital funding from an Australian company for the commercialization and/or development of a high-value business idea or product.

The above temporary visas offer a direct pathway to permanent residence after four years, subject to meeting certain residence and investment or business turnover requirements.

The Business Talent Program includes the following:

• The Business Talent (Significant Business History Stream) — For successful business people who own or part-own a business with a turnover of at least AUD 3 million per year. Individuals must have a successful business career and have net assets of AUD 1.5 million. They must make a substantial contribution to a new or established business in Australia and take an active role in managing the business.
• The Business Talent (Venture Capital Entrepreneur Stream) — Individuals must have sourced AUD 1 million in venture capital funding to fund the start-up or product commercialization of a high-value business idea in Australia and must establish (or participate in) that business.

The above two streams offer direct permanent residence and applicants must quickly become involved in the relevant business.

The Global Talent Independent Program

The Global Talent Independent Program is a streamlined pathway to permanent residence for highly skilled executives, businesspeople, entrepreneurs, and professionals. It is designed to help grow Australia’s innovation and tech economies and create opportunities for Australians by transferring skills, promoting innovation, and creating jobs. The Australian Government is seeking the best and brightest global talent in the following seven future-focused sectors:

• Agricultural technology (agtech)
• Space and advanced manufacturing
• Financial technology (fintech)
• Energy and mining technology
• Medical technology (MedTech)
• Cybersecurity
• Quantum information, advanced digital technology, data science, and information and communications technology (ICT)

Applicants for the Global Talent Independent visa must be internationally recognized, currently prominent in their field, and able to provide evidence of outstanding achievements over their career. They must also provide evidence that they would be an asset to Australia in their area of expertise and have no difficulty obtaining employment in the country or becoming established in their field. Places are also available to master’s and PhD students who can demonstrate their exceptional talent and international recognition across the target sectors.

Acquiring Australian Citizenship

A child born in Australia to an Australian permanent resident or citizen parent will automatically be entitled to Australian citizenship. A child born outside of Australia to an Australian citizen parent will also automatically be entitled to Australian citizenship. 

After four years of lawful residence in Australia, with at least the last 12 months of that period spent as an Australian permanent resident, it is possible to apply for Australian citizenship. There is a citizenship appointment and test that must be attended and passed, as well as a pledge that must be made before citizenship will be granted.   

It is compulsory for adult Australian citizens to vote in federal, state, and local government elections, and failure to do so may result in financial penalties. It is also a requirement for Australian citizens to exit and enter Australia using their Australian passport. 

Australia allows dual citizenship.

Australian General Skilled Migration (Skill select) Visa Subclasses

All Australian skilled immigration worker visas have been replaced by The General Skilled Migration (Skill Select) program since the years 2012-2013. Applicants are required to meet a minimum goal of 60 points, achieved from the General Skilled Migration (Skill select) table of points in order to be considered for the program. There are five visa subclasses that fall under this program to attain efficiency in the migration system of the country, and are as the following:

Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189)

This visa is point-based and is aimed at those skilled workers that have not been sponsored by an employer nor any family member. The visa provides the entitlement for the owner to live and work permanently anywhere in Australia with eligible family members included.

Skilled – Nominated (subclass 190) Visa

This visa is point-based and is aimed at those skilled workers that have been nominated by a state or territory of Australia. The visa provides the entitlement for the owner to live and work permanently anywhere in Australia with eligible family members included.

Graduate Temporary (Subclass 485) Visa

This visa is aimed at the migrating students that have completed a minimum of 2 years’ worth of study in Australia, allowing them to live and work in the country for anywhere between 18 months and 4 years.

Skilled – Nominated or Sponsored Provisional (Subclass 489) Visa

This visa is point-based is aimed at those skilled workers that have been nominated by a state or a territory to live and work in a specific region or have been sponsored by an able relative belonging to a certain area of Australia. The visa duration is of 4 years and the owner must live and work in the designated area, with eligible family members included.

Skilled Regional (Subclass 887) Visa

This visa is a second-stage permanent visa that is not points-based, rather there are other certain requirements that must be met by the applicant in order to obtain it. The visa provides the owner with full legal and permanent residence.

GENERAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

There are various categories under which you can apply for a PR visa which have different eligibility requirements. But the general eligibility factors are as under:

Points Requirement:  Points determine your eligibility for a PR visa You must score at least 65 points under the Point’s Grid. The below table describes the different criteria for scoring points:

Age: Your age should be below 45 years to apply for a PR visa

Language Proficiency: You should have proof that you have a competent level of proficiency in the English language.

Skilled Occupation Lists (SOL): The applicant must choose an occupation that is available in the following skilled occupation lists. The list contains the occupations that are currently acceptable for migration to Australia. The occupations in the lists are updated regularly and reflect the changes in the Australian labor market. There are three categories of the SOL:

1. Medium- and long-term Strategic Skills List
2. Short-term Skilled Occupation List
3. Regional Occupations List

WHAT ARE THE VARIOUS AUSTRALIAN PR VISA CATEGORIES AN APPLICANT CAN CHOOSE?

Australia offers many options to apply for the PR visa card. You can choose the appropriate option based on your eligibility and requirements. Here are the popular options for your Australian PR:

Family-stream permanent residence visas: This stream is for spouse/partner, children or parents of Australian citizens or permanent residents.

Business or investment-stream permanent residence visas: This stream is for those willing to invest in Australia for business purposes. To be eligible to apply for PR under this stream, applicants should have had the provisional visa (subclass 188) for at least one year and meet the financial requirements.

Work-stream permanent residence visas: This visa stream is for workers who are sponsored by an Australian employer. The various visa categories under this stream include:

Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189): This visa option is suitable for skilled workers. However, this visa cannot receive sponsorship.

Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190): This visa is applicable to skilled workers who have a nomination from an Australian state/Territory. For this visa, you will have to prove that your occupation exists in the Skilled Occupation List.

Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491):  For eligibility under this visa, you must meet the skill requirement and get sponsorship or nomination from either state or region or territory.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED IN PR VISA APPLICATION:

• Application form
• Report of Educational Credential Assessment
• Birth certificate
• Character certificate
• Proof of nomination (if any)
• Test results of IELTS or PTE exam for English proficiency
• 2 passport size photos
• Spouse Skill documents if a spouse is also applying for a PR visa
• Police Clearance Certification (PCC)
• Business reference letters

STEPS IN THE PR APPLICATION PROCESS

Step 1:  Check the eligibility requirements

• Check if you meet the eligibility requirements.
• Verify if your occupation is present in the list of occupations in demand.
• Check if you have the required points based on the points table.

Step 2: English proficiency Test

Check if you have the required proficiency in the English language by taking the specified English language test. Fortunately, the Australian immigration authorities accept scores from various English ability tests like IELTS, PTE, TOEFL, etc. So, you can take any of these tests to obtain the specified score.

Step 3: Get your skill assessment done

Get your skills assessed by the Skills assessment authority which is an organization that will assess your skills, education and work experience based on Australian standards.

Step 4: Register your Expression of Interest

• The next step is to register an Expression of Interest (EOI) on Australia’s Skill Select website. You should fill an online form in the SkillSelect portal where you should give responses to questions on your skill which is again based on the visa subclass you are applying under. The SkillSelect program offers three visa categories under which you can apply for a PR visa.
• Skilled Independent Visa Subclass 189
• Skilled Nominated Visa 190
• Skilled regional (provisional) Subclass 491

The first two are permanent visas while the third one is a temporary visa with a validity of five years which can later be converted to a PR visa.

You should provide all the required information in the online application.

Step 5: Get your Invitation to Apply (ITA)

Once you submit your application and if it meets all the requirements then you will get an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Australia PR.

Step 6: Submit your PR application

The next step is to submit your PR application. You must submit it within 60 days. The application must have all the supporting documents for processing your PR visa. These documents are your personal documents, immigration documents, and work experience documents.

Step 7: Get your clearance certificates

The next step is to submit your police clearance certificates. After a medical examination, you must submit your medical clearance certificate.

Step 8:  Get your PR visa

The last step is getting your PR visa.

HOW MUCH TIME DOES A PR VISA TAKE?

If you diligently follow all the steps involved in the PR application process, the next question would be how long it will take for the visa to be processed. PR visa processing includes different stages. Each stage has a different time structure.  Here is a breakdown of the time taken for each stage. The addition of the time taken for each stage determines the total processing time for your PR visa.

1. Skill assessment: This is done by a designated skill assessment body. Based on how soon you submit your documents, you will get a faster response from them. The processing time ranges from 45 to 60 days.
2. Expression of Interest: The processing time depends on your eligibility score. The higher your score, the better are your chances to get an invitation to apply (ITA).
3. Visa Application Submission: After you receive your ITA, you must submit your visa application to the DHA or the Department of Home Affairs. This must be done within 60 days of receiving your ITA.
4. Medical and character certificate: The character and medical certificates may take some time to be processed. It is better if you start the process of getting these documents as soon as you receive your ITA so that you can submit your visa approval as soon as possible.
5. Visa Approval: Once you submit the required document, the DHA conducts thorough research of your profile. If they are happy with your profile, they will give you a visa grant. This process takes about 3 to 5 months.
6. Preparation for Departure: Once you get your visa approval, you will have to move to Australia within six months.

Getting your PR visa for Australia can be a complicated process, but with the help of an immigration consultant, it can be easy. Our expertise of over 15 years has helped many individuals to get their Australia PR visa.

COST OF AUSTRALIA PR VISA

The application process for the PR visa through the General Skilled Migration program follows a set process that contains a series of steps. These include Skills Assessment, English language test, medical test, police clearance, etc. Each step comes with its own separate cost. The sum total of all these costs will give you the total cost of the PR visa along with the visa application fees.

Overview of costs in the PR application process:

The PR visa application starts with a Skills Assessment where your skills and qualifications are reviewed by an accreditation body affiliated with the Australian Government. You’ll have to pay the Skills Assessment fees for this, which vary depending on the profession.

You will have to prove your English skills by taking some of the Australian Government’s accredited English language exams. Those include IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, etc. Again, the cost of the exam can vary depending on the exam you choose.

Applying for PR under Subclass Visa 190 requires State sponsorship. This makes you for state nomination for your PR visa. State Sponsorship fees vary with each state, the average cost is around AUD 300.

When applying for your PR visa, you and your dependents should submit certificates for good health and character. For this, you will have to pay for a medical examination and a police clearance certificate.  The cost of the police clearance certificate depends on the country you are from.

Variation in cost:

Please note that the cost of PR visa application changes periodically. The cost is dependent on the date the application is filed. If the cost of the application increases between the date of filing and the time it reaches the immigration department then you will have to pay as per the new charges.

Total cost for the PR visa:

The total cost of your PR visa depends on the kind of visa you are applying for, its application fees, fees for medical examination, English language test, health insurance, number of dependents, airfare to Australia and other miscellaneous costs.

CHANGES TO THE POINTS SYSTEM

The Australian government implemented changes to its points-based immigration system. Below are the changes to the points-based system:

• 10 points to applicants who do not have a spouse or a partner.
• 10 points if you have a skilled spouse or partner
• 15 points for applicants who are nominated by a State or Territory government or sponsored by a family member residing in Australia
• 10 points for applicants for STEM qualifications
• 5 points for applicants who have a spouse or partner who has competent English. The spouse or partner need not go through a skill assessment if this is the case

The above changes have created an impact on General Skilled Migration (GSM) visa categories.

INTRODUCTION OF TWO NEW REGIONAL VISAS

The Australian government introduced two visas that came into effect from November 2019. This is intended to attract skilled migrants to settle down in regional areas. The two visas Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional visa (subclass 494) will have 25,000 visa places reserved for them out of the total permanent migration planning level of 160,000 by the Australian government. The two new visas have replaced the Subclass 489 and Subclass 187 visas.

The key changes these visas have brought include:

• Priority processing of these visa applications
• Visa holders will be eligible for permanent residency without the need to undergo a second nomination stage
• Subclass 491 visa applicants get access to more points
• Regional visas have a wider range of occupations compared to non- regional pathways
• The time required to live and work in regional Australia has been extended to three years from the earlier two years
• The validity of the visa has been extended to five years

The Australian government introduced these visas to encourage immigrants to settle in regional areas and reduce their concentration in the three major cities of Australia. These visas are expected to provide incentives to migrants to settle in regional Australia and consequently help to improve the economy in these regions.

You can become an Australian citizen through permanent residency, also called as conferral by the Australian government. This is the most popular way to become an Australian citizen.

For this, you will have to fulfil the residence requirements. This is based on the period you have lived in Australia and the time you have spent outside the country.

The residence requirements include:

• Must have been living in Australia on a valid visa for four years before the date of application
• Must have lived the last 12 months as a permanent resident
• Must not have been away from Australia for more than one year in this four-year period
• Must not have been away from the country for more than 90 days in the year you are applying for the PR visa

Citizenship through residency is possible if the individual stays continuously in Australia for four years on a qualifying visa that includes living in the country for one year as a permanent resident.

Qualifying visas that will help you stay continuously in the country for four years are:

• Skilled migration: There are various visa categories under skilled migration. Eligibility for these visas is based on a points-based system. Points are given based on age, educational qualification, English language skills. You must score a minimum of 65 points to be eligible for this visa. If your occupation is in demand and appears in the Skilled Occupation List, then you will have more visa options.
• Employer-sponsored visa: You can move to Australia on this visa if you can find an Australian employee who is ready to sponsor you.
• Business visas: You can apply for these visas if you are willing to start a business or invest in Australia. The visa can give you permanent residency and subsequently Australian citizenship.

SKILL ASSESSMENT FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCY

Skill assessment is an integral part of the General Skilled Migration program which helps to choose immigrants with the right qualities to come to Australia. Without a skill assessment, the applicant will not be able to apply for a permanent residency in the country.

Under the points-based immigration, the immigrant must select an occupation that is listed in Australia’s Occupational Demand List. This list will mention occupations that face a skill shortage in the country. Every occupation in the list has its own skill assessing authority. For instance, trade occupations are assessed by the TRA (Trade Recognition Australia) or the VETASSESS (Vocational Educational and Training Assessment Services).

To get their skill assessment done candidates must meet the required conditions outlined by the assessing authority which is evaluating their occupation. The candidate should have the related qualifications and experience to get a positive assessment.

The first requirement for a skill assessment is that your occupation must be related to your work experience. If there is a mismatch, then you will not get the required points.

Apart from this, you must submit all the required documents. They must be authentic and complete and any small discrepancy in your documents can lead to a negative assessment. You will have to submit every additional detail requested by the assessing authority. The documents should support your qualifications and experience claims.

Factors considered by the assessing authority:

• Occupation in which you nominated yourself
• Your qualifications
• Your work experience
• The relevance of your work to your occupation
• Visa category under which you are applying

Apart from this, proof of undergoing a language assessment test such as IELTS or PTE is required by the skill assessment bodies.

You must also submit proof of your work experience, these can include:

• Payslips
• Employer reference letters
• Recent bank statements that show salary credits

You must also submit proof of undergoing a language assessment test such as IELTS or PTE as required by the skill assessment bodies.

Skill Assessment is an important factor in the General Skilled Migration program and getting a positive skill assessment report is the crucial first step in getting a PR visa to Australia.