Thinking of Making Australia Your Permanent Home? Discover These 3 Essential Permanent Visa Options!
Imagine waking up to Australia’s stunning landscapes and immersing yourself in its vibrant culture. With the right visa, you can have all of it permanently. While the world of Australian permanent residency pathways may seem complex at first, understanding the different types of permanent visa in Australia can pave the way for your smoother journey. From skilled worker visas to family reunification, Australia offers several pathways to turn your dream of living in the Land of Oz into a thrilling reality.
ONEderland Consulting, a Registered Migration Agent with over a decade of experience, has successfully guided numerous clients towards obtaining permanent residency in Australia. With the expert assistance of ONEderland Consulting, let’s explore the key types of permanent visas that could transform your Australian dream into a secure and permanent lifestyle.
Different Types of Pathways to Australian Permanent Residency
There are three pathways to Australian permanent residency, and different types of permanent visas are available in Australia. The three pathways to becoming a permanent resident in Australia are:
- Skilled Migration Pathway,
- Family Migration Pathway,
- Business Migration Pathway.
Skilled Migration Pathway
The Skilled Migration pathway is for skilled workers around the world. You must meet the requirements and/or have work experience for one of the eligible skilled occupations. The different types of permanent visas available for skilled workers are:
1. Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189)
The Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189) is a point test-based visa that lets you live, work, and study permanently in any area of Australia. Prior to submitting a 189 Visa application, you must have scored at least 65 points and received an invitation from the Australian Federal Government.
The 189 Visa is an excellent pathway to permanent residency in Australia if your occupation is listed in the Skilled Occupation List and you received a positive outcome for your Skills Assessment.
For more details on the 189 Visa, visit this page.
2. Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190)
Like the 189 Visa, the 190 Visa is also a point test-based visa. However, you must score at least 65 points and receive an invitation from the Australian state or territory government. Thus, you have to meet the additional requirements set by the respective state or territory government. The visa lets you live, work, and study permanently in an Australian state or territory that invites you.
The 190 Visa is a great pathway to becoming a permanent resident in Australia if your occupation is listed on the Skilled Occupation List and on the state’s occupation list. It is also a great PR pathway if you have targeted a certain state or territory to live and work.
Further details on important information about 190 visa can be found here.
3. Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)
The 186 Visa is an employer-sponsored visa, which means you must be sponsored by an Australian business to apply for this visa. It lets you live, work and study permanently in any area of Australia.
The 186 Visa has three different streams. Two of these serve as PR pathways for specific temporary work visas, while the other, the Direct Entry stream, serves as a direct permanent resident pathway for skilled workers in Australia.
Click here to explore further details on the 186 visa.
4. Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) Visa (subclass 191)
The 191 Visa mainly serves as an Australian PR pathway for the holders of the 491 and 494 Visas. It lets you live, work, and study permanently in Australian regional areas. It’s a great Australian PR pathway if you hold any of the mentioned visa subclasses and are excited to begin your journey in the Australian regional area.
To delve deeper into the 191 visa details, check out this link.
5. Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187)
The 187 Visa now serves only as a pathway to permanent residency in Australia for the holders of the 482 Visa or 457 Visa. The main requirement of the 187 Visa is that you must be sponsored by an Australian business that operates in the regional area.
Learn more about important 187 visa information here.
Family Migration Pathway
The Family Migration Pathway is designed for the family members of Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens. The definition of family members that are eligible for Family Migration Pathway are:
- Partner (spouse/de facto);
- Parent (biological/step/adopted); and
- Child (biological/step/adopted) – must be under 25 years old.
So, if you’re a partner, parent, or child of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen, this pathway to becoming a permanent resident in Australia is for you!
1. Partner Visa Options
The Partner Visa options are generally divided into onshore Partner Visa (subclass 820/801) and offshore Partner Visa (subclass 309/100). The main requirements for the Partner Visa are:
- Be above 18 years old,
- Be married or in a de facto relationship,
- Be in a genuine and continuing relationship,
- Must not live separately permanently.
Click here to explore further details on the Australian Partner visa.
2. Parent Visa Options
Consider these Parent Visa options if you plan on bringing your parents to live in Australia permanently. The permanent Parent Visa that you should consider as the pathway to Australian permanent residency are:
- Contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 864)
- Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143)
- Parent visa (subclass 103)
- Aged Parent visa (subclass 804)
Most permanent Parent Visa options require your parents to be of pension age. As the sponsor, you are also required to meet certain requirements, such as a balance of family test and financial requirements. You must also pay the Assurance of Support (AoS).
3. Child Visa Options
Enjoying the perfect life in Australia without your child is not 100% perfect. So, if you’re looking to bring your child to live with you permanently in Australia, you should consider these options:
Please note that your child must be under 18 to be eligible for this Australian PR pathway. If they’re above 18, they may still be eligible for the Child Visa, but they must be full-time students and not married or in a de facto relationship.
Business Migration Pathway
The Business Migration pathway, the final permanent visa option, is designed for business people worldwide. This pathway offers a unique opportunity for business professionals to establish themselves in Australia.
However, due to recent changes to Business Visas, permanent Business visa options are now only available for holders of temporary Business visas (subclass 188). So, if you’re a holder of an 188 Visa, it’s better to prepare your permanent business visa application now before the government closes the business visa as a permanent residency pathway to Australia.
Additional details on the updates on Business visa can be accessed here.
Do I have to hold a temporary visa before applying for an Australian permanent visa?
It depends on the types of permanent visa in Australia you’re applying for and your circumstances. For example, if you decide to obtain a permanent residency through the Skilled visa but don’t meet the work experience requirement yet, you may need to apply for and hold a temporary work visa like a 482 or 491 Visa.
Specifically, for Partner Visa options, you must first apply for the temporary Partner Visa (subclass 820 or 309). Only after you have been given the temporary Partner Visa can you apply for and be granted a permanent Partner Visa (subclass 801 or 100).
Read more: How To Transition From Student Visa To 482 Visa to ENS
Benefits of becoming an Australian permanent resident
Becoming an Australian permanent resident offers you many benefits, including:
- Live in Australia indefinitely,
- Study and work in Australia without limitation,
- Access to the health scheme, Medicare,
- Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want,
- Apply for bank loans to buy property,
- Sponsor your eligible family members for visiting Australia or for permanent residency,
- Apply for Australian citizenship if eligible.
Which is the best PR visa for Australia?
Deciding the best types of permanent visa in Australia depends on your personal circumstances. Many factors should be considered when applying for the best pathway to becoming a permanent resident in Australia, such as your qualifications, work experience, English proficiency level, marital status, etc.
Applying for Australian permanent residence can be difficult, time-consuming, and overwhelming. ONEderland Consulting is here to help you navigate the process of submitting Australian permanent visas and ensure that it goes well for you. Thousands of people have benefited from our assistance in becoming Australian permanent residents.
You can begin the process by having a personal consultation session with our Registered Migration Agent. Our consultation session is more than just a conversation. It’s a promise backed by a 100% refund guarantee if you’re unsatisfied with our service. We are proud to share that we have a 98% success rate and are experts in handling complex cases. So, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
We are here to help you.
Our visa specialists at ONE derland Consulting will help you decide on the best types of permanent visa in Australia for your situation. We have a 98% success rate and are one of Australia’s most highly recommended migration agents. Read our 4.9* score customer reviews.
We are complex visa specialists. As registered Australian migration agents with the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA), we are regulated in our professional practice and bound by the profession’s Code of Conduct issued by the MARA.
Our team speaks various languages, such as Mandarin/Chinese, Bahasa Indonesia, Arabic, Japanese, and Thai. Contact us through email at [email protected] or via phone at 1300 827 159. Alternatively, you may book your consultation online, and it is backed by our 100% Money Back Guarantee Program.