Getting Permanent Residency

Once you have secured an Australian working visa, you will most probably be thinking of ultimiately settling in the country. This one would of course be a good idea, since Australia does have so many opportunities that are awaiting immigrants here. However, before you can permanently settle in here, you still have to wotk on a few things.

One of the things that you need to get fixed is your residency status. Take note that this one is the next important step before you can apply for citizenship. The permanent residency visa also gives you several benefits, such as being able to move in and out of Australia as many times as you want and being able to buy property. However, do take note that in order for you to be able to fully enjoy all the benefits, you will have to apply for citizenship after gaining your permanent residency status.

One of the major requirements that you have to fulfill when applying for permanent residency is having continuously stayed in the country for a set period of time. For working visa holders, this period is usually five to seven years, although this varies depending on the visa subtype that the worker has. Here, those who were able to secure five year contracts will automatically be eligible to apply for permanent residency. On the other hand, those who have contracts lower than five years will be required to secure additional contracts without breaks in between to complete the needed minimum years.

There are actually several ways that you can lower the number of years that is required of you to stay in Australia. For those that have exceptionasl skills that are well within the country's needs, the residency period is often shortened to around three to four years. On the other hand, employers can also sponsor their workers to shorten the time period.

Once you have completed the required time of stay, then you can file for residency. This one is usually filed in the immigration office near you. In some cases, the Australian governement also allows mail in applications, but you are still required to appear for the interviews. The time at which you will be granted your permanent residency status varies, but is, on average, granted within one to two months. Note that people coming from those countries identified by the Australian government as high risk ones will often have to wait for up to nine months before it can be released.

For those asking, permanent residency applicants are still able out of the country while their visa is being processed. However, you are required to secure an Australian returning resident visa first before leaving. Also, you are allowed only to stay up two six months out of the country before returning.