A guide to getting permanent residency in Australia

If you’ve dreamed of being able to live and work in Australia indefinitely, chances are you’ve researched how to gain Australian permanent residency. Unlike short-term visas that can have relatively short expiration dates, permanent visas afford you many of the same rights as Australian citizens.

Not only will you have the freedom to work in any occupation and pursue education at school or university, but permanent residency presents a pathway to becoming an Australian citizen after you’ve resided in Australia for at least a year as a permanent resident and for at least 4 years in total.

This guide covers everything you need to know about Australian permanent residency, including what’s required in your application, the visa pathway options available, and the benefits of permanent residency.

In this guide, we'll cover:

• What is Australian permanent residency?
• How to obtain a permanent residency visa in Australia
• What’s next: the pathway to Australian citizenship
• Australian Permanent Residency FAQs

What is Australian permanent residency?

Permanent residency is an immigration status you can obtain in Australia.

It grants you the right to live in the country indefinitely so you can fully immerse yourself in Australian life. You’ll have access to various healthcare services and educational opportunities so you can work and study in Australia without restriction.

Permanent residency does offer a pathway to Australian citizenship. But you just need to secure your permanent residency first! Here are the main pathways to securing a permanent residency visa.

💡 Matilda Tip: No matter which permanent visa stream you follow, you’ll need to have lived in Australia for at least four years, with at least one of those as a permanent resident, to be eligible for Australian citizenship. 

Benefits of permanent residency in Australia

Securing permanent residency in Australia offers a number of benefits. These include:

• Unlimited stay: As a permanent resident, you’ll be able to continue living in Australia indefinitely.
  
  
• Access to education: Permanent residents can access government-funded education and university courses at domestic student rates.
  
  
• Work opportunities: You can seek employment in any occupation with unrestricted working rights in Australia.
  
  
• Social security benefits: Permanent residents may be eligible for certain social security payments and benefits, such as the ability to enrol in Medicare and access things like Jobseeker Payments, Youth Allowance, and Parental Leave Pay. Keep in mind you may need to wait a few years before you gain access to some social security benefits.
  
  
• Freedom of travel: Permanent residents can travel to and from Australia as long as the travel facility is valid–which is valid for five years and can be easily renewed as long as you’ve lived in Australia for at least two years out of this five-year period.
  
  
• Sponsor family members: As a permanent resident, you may be able to sponsor eligible family members for permanent residency via certain family-stream visas.

How to obtain a permanent residency visa in Australia

Obtaining a permanent visa in Australia looks different for everyone because there are several pathways you can choose depending on your circumstances. For example, obtaining permanent residency through the family-stream pathway means you won’t need to do a skills assessment. 

No matter what permanent visa stream you’re following, you’ll follow these key steps to secure your visa:

1. Find out which visa pathways you’re eligible for: At this initial stage, assessing the eligibility criteria is the best way to shortlist all your potential visa options. Using Matilda's Find Your Visa tool, you can quickly assess your eligibility online. You may be eligible for multiple visa pathways, a single visa pathway, or not eligible at all.
   
   
2. Choose the best visa pathway for your personal circumstances: If you’re eligible for multiple visa pathways, it’s worth comparing your options by considering:some text
   • What is the cost of each visa pathway?
   • What is the average processing time for each visa pathway?
   • What are the potential risks of each visa pathway? (For example, if you’re in a secure, long-term relationship, you may feel more confident in the longevity of a partner visa rather than a work sponsorship visa stream).
     
     
3. Decide how to apply for your permanent visa: It’s worth weighing up the different ways to prepare your permanent visa application, such as working with a traditional registered migration agent (RMA), doing it yourself (DIY) or working with our team at Matilda Migration.‍
4. Check you meet the specific eligibility criteria: With your visa stream selected, it’s time to check you meet the eligibility criteria of the specific subclass of visa. This can be a time-consuming process, which is why many applicants opt to work with an RMA to clarify their eligibility.
   Keep Reading: Discover how to choose an RMA by learning what to look for in the best registered migration agents.
5. ‍Prepare and submit your application: From gathering evidence to collating supporting statements and completing forms, it’s time to complete the application form for your permanent visa pathway. ‍
6. Wait for your application to be processed: After submitting your application, keep tabs on your visa subclasses’ average processing time to understand how long you’ll have to wait to receive the outcome of your application.

Permanent visa streams: exploring your options 

There are various pathways to securing a permanent partner visa in Australia, with the main options being: family-stream visas and work-stream visas.

1. Family-stream permanent residence visas

Family-stream visas are best suited to parents, children, partners, or dependent relatives of an Australian citizen, permanent resident of Australia, or eligible New Zealand citizen. They are also for children being adopted or in the process of being adopted outside of Australia and carers who need to move to the country to provide long-term care for an approved relative.

There are several visa subclasses within this category, each of which is tailored to specific relationships within the family unit. When applying for this visa, select from the following that best matches your circumstances:

• Partner visas: These visas are designed for spouses, de facto partners and those in a civil registered relationship with an Australian citizen, permanent resident of Australia, or eligible New Zealand citizen. Including:some text
  • Onshore partner visas (subclass 820 and subclass 801)
  • Offshore partner visas (subclass 309 and subclass 100)
    
    
• Prospective Marriage Visa (subclass 300): This visa is designed for fiancés of an Australian citizen, permanent resident of Australia, or eligible New Zealand citizen.
  
  
• Child visa (subclass 101/102/445): This visa is suitable for dependent children of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens.
  
  
• Parent visa (subclass 103/143, 173): This visa allows parents to join their children in Australia.
  
  
• Other family visa (subclass 114,115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 837, 838, 835, 806): These visa subclasses cover a range of familial relationships, including aged dependent relatives, remaining relatives, carers, and more.

👀 Keep Reading: Discover everything you need to know about applying for a partner visa in Australia with our ultimate guide.‍

Eligibility requirements will vary depending on the specific visa subclass you are applying for, but most applicants will need to demonstrate:

• A genuine and ongoing relationship for partner visas
• Age limitations for parent visas and for partner visas (where you can’t be under 18 years of age in most cases)
• Assurance of care for aged dependent relatives or carers
• Meeting health and character requirements
• Being dependent on a parent for child visas

2. Work-stream permanent residence visas

Work-stream permanent residence visas are suited for workers who have an Australian employer sponsoring them to work in the country or have skills that Australia values. The main visas that apply to this category include:

• Employer-sponsored visas: These visas allow people working for Australian employers to live and work in their designated professional field in Australia.some text
  • Employer Nomination Scheme Visa (186 visa)
  • Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme Visa (187 visa)
    
    
• Skilled visas: These visas are available to people who are qualified to work in an eligible skilled occupation in Australia. some text
  • Skilled Independent Visa (189 visa)
  • Skilled Nominated Visa (190 visa) 

All of these visas are permanent, allowing you to live and work in Australia indefinitely. All skilled visas will require an invitation to apply, while all employer-sponsored visas will require an employer nomination. 

You’ll also need:

• An occupation that is listed on Australia’s skilled occupation list.
• A score of at least 65 points on your Expression of Interest in Skillselect. You must also have a valid skills assessment at the time you apply for your visa. This online points calculator can be used to see how many points you would score.

What’s next: the pathway to Australian citizenship

If you’ve been a permanent visa holder and resided in Australia for at least four years (and a permanent residence for at least one of those), you may be eligible to become an Australian citizen after meeting certain requirements.

As a citizen, you’ll be able to vote in Australian government elections and have an automatic right of entry to Australia after travelling overseas. As outlined in the table below, a permanent resident has most of the same rights as a citizen, but key differences remain.

Australian Permanent Residency FAQs

Can permanent residents vote in Australia?

Permanent residents can’t vote in Australian government elections. This is a privilege extended only to Australian citizens. Plus, permanent residents can’t hold an Australian passport either, while Australian citizens can.

What is the cost of an Australian PR visa?

The cost of an Australian permanent residency visa will vary depending on the particular visa you are applying for. Typically, you can expect to pay $XXX for a family stream permanent (partner) visa fee and $XXX for a work-stream visa. 

What are the requirements for maintaining permanent residency status in Australia?

While permanent residency allows you to live in Australia indefinitely, you could lose your permanent residency status if you spend too long travelling or living outside of Australia. If you want to maintain permanent residency status in Australia after five years, you will need to apply for and be granted a Resident Return Visa so you can re-enter the country as a permanent resident after overseas travel.

To meet the criteria for a 5-year Resident Return Visa, you need to have spent 730 days in Australia during which you were a permanent resident within the five-year validity of your permanent visa. The 730 days do not have to be consecutive.

If you’ve maintained strong ties with Australia or have compelling reasons for your absence, you may be granted shorter Resident Return Visas with a validity of up to 12 months. 

What happens after five years of permanent residency in Australia?

While your permanent residency allows you to live in Australia indefinitely without having to renew the visa, after five years, you will need to renew your travel facility. If you wish to travel overseas and re-enter Australia as a permanent resident, you’ll need to apply for and be granted a Resident Return visa. Alternatively, you can choose to apply for Australian citizenship, as once you are a citizen, you don’t need to apply to have a travel facility.

Is dual citizenship recognised in Australia?

Yes, Australia does recognise dual citizenship. This means that Australian citizens can hold an additional foreign citizenship as well as multiple passports, too. 

However, dual citizenship is not recognised in many countries around the world (including Japan, Indonesia, China, India and Singapore). That’s why it’s important to check whether your home country allows for dual citizenship before applying for Australian citizenship as a permanent resident.