Common Pathways to Permanent Residency

Due to the overwhelming response we received to our previous blog ‘What Are My Visa Options’ as Migration Consultants, Migration Agents and Migration Lawyers in Brisbane we thought it would be helpful to provide another graphic which illustrated the most common pathways to permanent residency, particularly for those already on short term temporary visas in Australia. Accordingly, a large percentage of the people we assist are those who are already inside the country on Working Holiday, Tourist or Student visas looking to extend their stays through legitimate means.

As the below graphic demonstrates, Working Holiday and Tourist visa holders may want to consider enrolling in an Australian course of study which although does not directly lead to permanent residency, can be used as a vehicle to obtain skills in an industry or occupation in demand in Australia. Importantly, this means that Students who have studied in skilled areas may then be able to apply for permanent residency through the Skilled Visa pathways, or alternatively, obtain sponsorship through an Australian employer. Additionally, many Student visas holders find an Australian partner which also opens up the possibility of applying for a Partner visa from within the country.

Moving on to the longer term temporary visas, visas such as the 457, Regional 489 and 820 Partner visa are the first step in obtaining permanent residency. Importantly, all three visas have a clear pathway to permanent residency assuming the visa holders adheres to the visa conditions required by each. For example, applicants who have held a 457 visa for two years with the same employer may be eligible to apply for permanent residency under the 186 or 187 visas through the Transition Stream. Similarly, 489 visa holders who have lived in a designated regional area for at least two years (and worked for at least a year), may be eligible for permanent residency under the 887 visa. Lastly, 820 Partner visa holders will become eligible for permanent residency two years from when their original combined Partner visa application was made.

Please note, although the pathways we discuss here are not exhaustive (meaning there are other ways to qualify for permanent residency), in our experience, and even statistically speaking, the three pathways we mention are the most common. For example, in the 2014-2015 Migration Programme, a total of 190,000 visa positions have been made available (see below). Of those, approximately 49000, or 25%, have been allocated for Sponsored visas (457, 186 & 187), 72000 or 38% for Skilled visas (485, 489, 189, 190 & 887) and 48000 or 25% for Partner visas. This shows that of the total available places in the 2014-2015 programme year, 88% will be allocated to Sponsored, Skilled and Partner visas. 

If you need Migration Advice in Brisbane  about transitioning from a temporary visa permanent residency, then speak to a Migration Lawyer by giving us a call on 1300 MIGR8TE (644 788) or send your questions to enquiry@salvomigration.com.au