How to Become an Australian Permanent Resident After Your Studies

With a laid-back culture and hospitable people, Australia is a wonderful location to live in. Australia’s appeal is also in its vibrant urban centres and huge open expanses in the heart of the country. Down under is also one of the world’s top locations to study because of the quality of the education and availability of internationally recognised degrees.

According to the QS World University Rankings, eight Australian universities were listed among the top 100. And numerous additional institutions received high rankings in all reputable international publications of university rankings. Reasons enough to study in Australia and work and live in the country after receiving the degree.

Here’s how to become an Australian permanent resident. We break down what you need to know about PR status down under.

PR in Australia – Facts About Australian Permanent Residency

Permanent residents are people who emigrated to Australia that haven’t become Australians yet. These are the key factors of PR:

• PR permit holders can study, work, and live in Australia restriction-free

• PR residents also get Medicare, Australia’s national healthcare program

• PR permit holders cannot benefit from the Higher Education Loan Program or HELP to suspend higher education fees

To apply for PR, you must use the Department of Immigration and Border Protection’s SkillSelect program. It’s an online portal for applicants to be considered for a skilled visa under an EOI, or Expression of Interest. You must pass the skilled migration points test to get an invitation.

Types of PR

The types of permanent residency schemes include:

• Skilled Independent Visa

• Employer Nomination Scheme

Skilled Independent Visa

Applicants not sponsored by an employer, state/territory, or family member who is a permanent resident or Australian citizen can get a Skilled Independent Visa. You can apply to live and work permanently in Australia and include your family members in the application. 

These are the requirements:

• Get an invitation to apply via SkillSelect portal

• Be aged 45 or younger

• Specify a job that fits your credentials and skillset

• Get a positive skills assessment from the authorised authorities

• Have the required command of English

• Achieve a minimum score of 65 points

• Meet the government’s imposed behavioural and health standards

Employer Nomination Scheme

With the help of the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), Australian businesses can sponsor foreign workers. They can do that by offering them employment opportunities and the chance to settle permanently in Australia. The main benefits of this visa include the following:

• the ability to work and live down under permanently

• access to MediCare

• several return trips over five years

• and sponsorship of qualifying family members for other Australian visas. 

The Employer Nomination Scheme comprises three streams through which prospective applications are sorted. We only cover the ‘Direct Entry stream’ here, which is the most pertinent stream for overseas students. The Direct Entry stream is for applicants not fitting the criteria for the Temporary Residence Transition stream (those without a subclass 457 visa). 

Direct Entry stream candidates have to comply with the following:

Rules for the nominating employer:

• legally and actively operating in Australia

• Fulfil the relevant requirements to train employees

• Lack any adverse information about them or people associated with them

Rules that apply to your nominated position:

• It must be a real and valid position
• It has to be a full-time job for a minimum of two years from when you apply for the visa
• It must be on the Skilled Occupations List
• It must provide terms of employment equivalent to those that Australian citizens and permanent residents get

Rules that apply to you:

• You must be aged 50 or younger

• You have to prove your command of English

• You must have been assessed successfully for your nominated job

• You must have a minimum of three years of relevant work experience

• You must meet the behavioural and health standards stipulated by the authorities

Tips to Improve Your Chances of Getting Permanent Residency (PR) After Studying in Australia

• Apply first for Graduate Temporary Visas or Post Study Work Visas after your studies

• While on graduate temporary or post-study visas, your work experience is the most important. Sometimes, having work experience before studying in Australia can help, too.

• Choose a course from the Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List that could lead to a career (MLTSSL). The next best action is to pick a job from a combined list of qualified, skilled occupations. These lists are updated each year. Please remember both your talents and interests. The demand is important, but interest and expertise are equally so for future work.

• To meet the requirements for studying in Australia, ensure you choose a course for two academic years

• Brush up your English and improve your IELTS score. This will help you get a better EOI score and gives you a better chance for PR

• State nomination can also be very helpful for international students

• Students who finish two years of study at a regional campus are awarded an additional five points

• Keep tabs on workplace sponsorship opportunities

• Use the Bridging Visa wisely

• Know the skills selection criteria and keep your eyes peeled for modifications

Need help getting an Australian student visa? Any questions on Australian visa validity? Book a free consultation today. UIS Australia can also help you get other visas, e.g., tourist visas, family visas, business visas, or student visas. Need your CV optimised? Let our experts do that for you. We also offer job search services and can help you on your way to permanent residency in Australia.

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