Australian permanent resident status is given to a candidate having a permanent residence visa. However candidates with Australia PR do not hold Australian citizenship. Permanent Residents in Australia can live, work, and study for 5 years permanently in the country. After living in Australia on PR status for 4 years, the candidate can apply for citizenship based on eligibility.
Generally, the Australian PR process has the following three different stages.
The Australian government provides various pathways for foreign nationals to obtain Permanent Residency in Australia. In recent times, the Australian PR process has become easier for Indians if they apply through a Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) or a Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190). As per the recent news update, Australia and India signed an agreement for easy immigration paths for skilled professionals and students (Read more…).
* Need guidance to apply for Australia PR? Get expert advice with Migrate to Australia Flipbook.
Here are the popular visa options to become an Australian Permanent Resident:
65 points is the minimum score required to qualify for an Australia PR visa. The higher you score on the eligibility calculation, the brighter the chances of you being invited to apply for Australian PR. Scoring anywhere from 80 to 85 points can make you eligible for a quicker PR invitation to apply. There are various categories under which you can apply for an Australia PR visa with different eligibility requirements. But the general eligibility factors are as under:
Category | Maximum Points |
Age (25-32 years) | 30 points |
English proficiency (8 bands) | 20 points |
Work Experience outside Australia (8-10 years) | 15 points |
Work Experience in Australia (8-10 years) | 20 points |
Education (outside Australia) – Doctorate degree | 20 points |
Niche skills such as Doctorate or master’s degree by research in Australia | 10 points |
Study in a regional area | 5 points |
Accredited in community language | 5 points |
Professional year in a skilled program in Australia | 5 points |
State sponsorship (190 visa) | 5 points |
Skilled spouse or de facto partner (Age, Skills & English language requirements to be met) | 10 points |
Spouse or de facto partner with ‘competent English’ (No need to meet Skills requirement or age factor) | 5 points |
Applicants without a spouse or de facto partner or where a spouse is an Australian citizen or PR holder | 10 points |
Relative or regional sponsorship (491 visa) | 15 points |
Age: You will gain a maximum of 30 points if your age is between 25 to 32 years. Your age should be below 45 years to apply for a PR visa
English proficiency: A score of 8 bands in the IELTS exam can give you a maximum of 20 points. However, the Australian immigration authorities allow applicants to take any of the English proficiency tests such as IELTS, PTE, etc. You can try for the required score on any of these tests.
Work experience: Skilled employment outside Australia with more than 8 years of experience in the last 10 years will give you 15 points; fewer years of experience means fewer points. Skilled employment in Australia with 8 to 10 years of experience from the date of application will give you a maximum of 20 points.
Skilled employment in Australia | Points |
Less than 1 year | 0 |
1-2 years | 5 |
3-4 years | 10 |
5-7 years | 15 |
8-10 years | 20 |
Education: Points for the education criteria depend on the educational qualification. Maximum points are given to a doctorate degree from an Australian university or a doctorate from a university outside Australia, provided the Australian government recognizes it.
Qualifications | Points |
A Doctorate degree from an Australian university or institute outside Australia. | 20 |
A Bachelor’s (or Masters) degree from an Australian university or institute outside Australia. | 15 |
Diploma or trade qualification completed in Australia | 10 |
Any qualification or award recognized by the relevant assessing authority for your nominated skilled occupation. | 10 |
Master by research or a Doctorate degree from an Australian educational institution in the STEM fields | 10 |
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 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:
Spouse application: If your spouse is also an applicant for the PR visa, you will be eligible for additional points to your Skill Select Expression of Interest. To get these additional 10 points, your spouse must meet the following requirements:
Other qualifications: You can gain points if you meet any of the following criteria.
Study in a regional area | 5 points |
Accredited in community language | 5 points |
Professional year in a skilled program in Australia | 5 points |
State sponsorship (190 visas) | 5 points |
Relative or regional sponsorship (491 visa) | 15 Points |
*Check your score with the help of the Y-Axis Australia Immigration Points calculator.
To get an Australia PR visa, candidates must follow the below 7 steps. Check the below steps to get Australia PR in a hassle-free process:
Get your skills assessed by the Skills Assessment Authority, which will assess your skills, education, and work experience based on Australian standards.
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, etc. So, you can take any of these tests to obtain the specified score.
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.
Once you submit your application and meet all the requirements, you will get an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Australia PR.
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.
The last step is getting your PR visa.
Australia has always been a popular choice for individuals who desire to migrate to another country. The country has favorable factors such as a thriving economy which means there are more jobs in Australia. Australia promises a better quality of life and a multicultural society with peace and harmony. Australia offers a permanent residency or PR visa to immigrants. The Australia PR visa has a validity of five years. You can move into Australia with your family with a PR visa. You can apply for citizenship after living in Australia for four years with an Australia PR visa.
Australia offers many options for applying for a PR visa. An Australian PR visa allows the eligible candidate to become a permanent resident in Australia. Applicants can choose the appropriate option based on their eligibility and requirements. Below are popular options to get an Australian PR Visa:
This visa is for those invited foreign workers who possess the skills required by the Australian government. With a subclass 189 visa, you can live and work permanently anywhere in Australia.
Allows nominated skilled workers to live, work/study anywhere in the nominated state/territory in Australia as permanent residents. Like subclass 189, to be able to apply for subclass 190, you must have received an invitation to apply.
With both subclass 189 and 190, you must –
To work in Australia, candidates need to have the ability to enhance the Australian economy. There are 800,000 jobs in Australia, for overseas skilled professionals. Here is the list of top-in-demand occupations in Australia:
OCCUPATION | ANNUAL SALARY IN AUD |
IT | $99,642 – $ 115, 000 |
Marketing & Sales | $84,072 – $103,202 |
Engineering | $92,517 – $110,008 |
Hospitality | $60,000 – $75,000 |
Healthcare | $101,569- $169279 |
Accounting & Finance | $77,842 – $92,347 |
Human Resources | $80,000 – $99,519 |
Construction | $72,604 – $99,552 |
Professional and Scientific Services | $90,569 – $108,544 |
The total Australian PR cost for Indians is $4640 Australian dollars or approximately INR 275,000. The sum total of all these costs will give you the total cost of the PR visa along with the visa application fees.
Category | Fee Effective from 1st July 24 |
Subclass 189 | Main Applicant -- AUD 4765 |
Applicant above 18 yrs -- AUD 2385 | |
Applicant below 18 yrs -- AUD 1195 | |
Subclass 190 | Main Applicant -- AUD 4770 |
Applicant above 18 yrs -- AUD 2385 | |
Applicant below 18 yrs -- AUD 1190 | |
Subclass 491 |
Main Applicant -- AUD 4770 |
Applicant above 18 yrs -- AUD 2385 | |
Applicant below 18 yrs -- AUD 1190 |
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 Assessments, Sponsorship applications, English language tests, visa applications, medical tests, police clearance, etc. Each step comes with its own separate cost.
It depends upon the Skills Assessment Authority with which you are applying. Basically, it ranges from AUD605 to AUD3000 or more as per the authority requirements.
Generally, your Australia PR visa application takes 6.5 to 8 months to process. Each stage has a different time structure. Here is a breakdown of the time taken for each stage. The total processing time for your PR visa is determined by adding the time taken for each stage.
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 visas.
Many factors can affect processing time. The time can vary every month because of factors such as the number of applications coming in, seasons that see a higher number of applications, a higher number of complex cases, or incomplete applications. Other reasons that impact processing times include:
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To ensure that your Australian PR visa application is processed on time, do not submit an incomplete application. For the smooth processing of your application, make sure you meet the requirements of the visa application process.
Here are some reasons why your PR visa application could be rejected
The Australian immigration authorities are careful in their verification process. The Australian immigration authorities are careful in their verification process. They focus on reviewing the documents you send thoroughly. You will be barred from entering the country for a certain number of years if it is found that you have submitted false information. Check carefully for any inconsistencies before sending your papers.
February 27, 2025
Australian government has discontinued the Accounting Professional Year Program in 2025
Australia declared it would discontinue the Accounting Professional Year Program because of its decline in enrollment. The enrolments decreased from 7,122 in 2018 to 340 in 2024 because of a lack of government account on proposed reforms. The new enrolments will discontinue on 5 March 2025, with the program concluding by 1 May 2026.
*Want to migrate to Australia? Let Y-Axis assist you with the procedure!
February 19, 2025
Western Australia announced invitations issued for the State Nomination Migration Program 2025
Australia declared the State Nomination Migration Program 2025 invitations issued in 2025, which are:
Intending visa subclass | General stream | General stream | Graduate stream | Graduate stream |
WASMOL schedule 1 | WASMOL schedule 2 | Higher education | Vocational education and training | |
Visa subclass 190 | 200 | 330 | 225 | 358 |
Visa subclass 491 | - | 370 | - | - |
*Willing to apply for the Australia Skilled Migration Program? Let Y-Axis assist you with the procedure!
February 15, 2025
Australia is welcoming foreign nurses and midwives under two streamlined pathways
The Nursing and Midwifery Board (AHPRA) in Australia will be introducing two streamlined pathways for internationally qualified registered nurses (IQRNs) applying for approved regulatory jurisdiction in the UK, US, Ireland, Singapore, Spain or in Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Ontario. The new streams will reduce the time and complexity of Australia work visa and will come into effect from April 2025.
Requirements for Pathway 1:
Requirements for Pathway 2:
Note: Candidates not meeting the mentioned requirements can migrate to Australia via other pathways based on outcome-based assessments.
*Looking for healthcare jobs in Australia? Avail Y-Axis Job Search Services for complete assistance!
February 03, 2025
The recent ACT Canberra Matrix Invitation Round issues 544 Invitations
The ACT Canberra Matrix invitation round on January 30, 2025, issued 544 invitations to overseas applicants and Canberra residents combined. Invitations were issued under various categories. The next invitation round is expected to be conducted before March 27, 2025.
Category | Visa Subclass | Invitations Issued | Minimum Matrix Score |
Canberra Residents | |||
Small Business Owners | 190 | 12 | 115 |
491 | 5 | 115 | |
457 / 482 Visa Holders | 190 | 22 | N/A |
491 | 4 | N/A | |
Critical Skill Occupations | 190 | 170 | N/A |
491 | 207 | N/A | |
Overseas Applicants | |||
Critical Skill Occupations | 190 | 26 | N/A |
491 | 98 | N/A |
*Want to migrate to Australia? Let Y-Axis guide you with the procedure.
January 28, 2025
Australia replaces ANZSCO with OSCA for job classification
A new job classification called Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) codes has been officially released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) is replaced by this new job classification.
January 14, 2025
Northern Territory's General Skilled Migration allocated nomination places for 2024-2025
The Northern Territory's General Skilled Migration updated the allocation nomination for 2024-2025 programs. The NT General Skilled Migration has completed this year's allocation capacity, resulting in the suspension of an online portal to accept new applications. The program will reopen for new applications when allocation nominations are received for 2024-2025 programs.
Onshore Applicants who are eligible for assessment
During the suspension, specific onshore applicant's applications will only be accepted if:
*Note: Nomination for these cases will be prioritized during this suspension
*To know more about the Australia Skilled Migration Program contact Y-Axis.
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