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Are you an international student in Australia looking to secure Permanent Residency (PR)?

This post guides you through the process using the Skilled Independent Visa and the SkillSelect Programme run by the Department of ºÚÁϱ¬ÁÏ Affairs. Learn about the minimum requirements and ways to boost your points for Australian PR.

General Skilled Migration (GSM) Requirements

To qualify for Australian PR, you must complete a two-year on-campus course by completing the Australian study requirement. Distance and online education are not counted.

Your age should be between 18 and 49 years, and you need a minimum IELTS score of six (or equivalent in TOEFL or PTE). Choose an occupation from Australia's Skilled Occupation List (SOL) or the Consolidated Sponsored Occupations List (CSOL) if selected by a territory or state government. Ensure a positive Skill Assessment for your field of work.

While studying in Australia doesn't guarantee PR, there are additional ways to enhance your chances. Check our list for more details.

Tip 1: Get A Higher Qualification

Develop your skills and knowledge by getting a higher qualification, such as a Master's or a doctoral degree. 

Although a diploma can fetch you ten points on the , a Master's or a doctoral degree can earn you up to fifteen and twenty points, respectively.

Tip 2: Reside In Australia

After completing your education in Australia, apply for the Visa Subclass 485, also known as the Temporary Graduate Visa. 

There are two streams under this Visa, the post-study work stream and the graduate work stream. 

The post-study work stream allows you to work in Australia for 2 to 4 years. In contrast, the graduate work stream enables you to do a job for a maximum of 18 months.

You can polish your English language and get valuable work experience during this time. 

Work experience will help you get extra points on the GSM point grid.

Tip 3: Polish Your English Language Skills

Polishing your English language skills will help you gain points and slightly improve your chances of getting PR. 

If you get a competent score of 6 on , you will not earn any points for your language ability.

But with a proficient score of 7 or equivalent in IELTS, you will receive 10 points, and a superior score of 8 will get you 20 points. 

Tip 4: Pursue Your Education In A Regional Area

Students who completed the  of 2 years in a regional area are qualified to obtain an additional 5 points. 

Tip 5: Get Valuable Work Experience

Getting skilled employment in Australia or overseas can help you obtain more points. 

To claim points for your valuable work experience, you must have worked at least twenty hours each week in your nominated profession. This also applies to closely related work. 

Besides your studies, consider getting some valuable work experience or applying for the Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate Visa. It gives you that you get the opportunity to gain meaningful employment experience. You can earn up to five extra points for as little as one year of work experience in Australia.

Tip 6: Consider Your Age

Your age significantly affects your points. For instance, those between the ages of 25 and 32 get the highest score of up to 30 points. Whereas people aged between 45 - 49 will be eligible for no points. 

Tip 7: Complete A Professional Year Programme (PYP)

PYP is a professional development program that combines education and work experience. 

Those who complete this programme receive not only Australian work experience but also get an additional five points. 

PYP runs for twelve months and is currently obtainable for subjects like engineering, computer science, and accounting. 

To earn additional points, it is necessary that the course undertaken is in your nominated occupation or closely associated area. 

Tip 8: Keep Yourself Updated

Immigration rules constantly change in Australia. Here are a few resources you can check to keep yourself updated with the recent changes:

•  The number of points required and invitations issued for each SkillSelect round may vary immensely. This means that the waiting period and points you need may differ from the year before.

•  State sponsorship opportunities may emerge at any moment and always fill up fast. 

•   Important changes were made to the skilled migration occupation list this year. These adjustments will likely occur more often in the future. So you must keep a check on it. 

•  Employer-sponsored visas also receive significant changes every year. Therefore, it is crucial to keep an eye on it. Under this visa category, you must work in Australia for three years to further apply for permanent residency.

Keeping yourself updated with immigration changes is vital to give yourself the best possible chance of applying for Australian permanent residency.

Tip 9: What Are The Benefits of Having Australian PR?

Once you attain the Australian permanent residency visa, you can work, live, and study in Australia for five years without any restrictions. With a strong economy, laid-back lifestyle, and high standard of living, many immigrants around the globe wish to move to Australia. 

Here are some more advantages of obtaining an Australian PR visa:

• A PR visa holder can pursue higher education in Australia. You can apply for educational loans if you require funds because of additional expenses.

• PR visa holders can sponsor the PR application for their relatives only if the applicant fulfils specific support and residence assurance prerequisites.

• The PR visa allows applicants to stay in Australia for an unlimited period. Once you have the PR, you can travel to and from the country anytime without any restrictions.

• The children of PR visa holders receive Australian citizenship if born in Australia.

• The Australian government has a special agreement with the government of New Zealand that allows Australian PR holders to apply for an NZ visa and travel to New Zealand.

• PR visa holders need to hold on to their PR status for a minimum of two years to avail the benefits of social security. Some benefits covered by Australia's Social Security Departments include childcare benefits, sickness allowance, unemployment benefits, age pension, family tax benefits, and more.

• Australian visa holders can apply for government positions or other professions like migration agents.

• Last but not least, the family members of a PR holder will get permission to move in with them.

11. Conclusion

International students must remember that the above information is the most critical factor in applying for a Permanent Residency in Australia. 

The process of getting PR in Australia is tricky but attainable.

Useful Link to Explore:

• English Language Requirements for Australia
• Top 10 Reasons to do an Internship in Australia
• A Complete Guide to Study in Australia
• Australian Qualification Framework (AQF)
• Student Visa - A Complete Guide
• Migrating to Australia