Benefits of the Visa:

• Remain in Australia indefinitely.
• Work and study in Australia.
• Access Australia’s public health care system, Medicare.
• Sponsor eligible relatives to come to Australia.
• Travel to and from Australia for up to 5 years.
• Apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible.

Note: Newly arrived residents may face waiting periods for certain Australian Government payments and benefits.

The visa fee for the main applicant is AUD4,640.00.

Additional charges apply for family members included in the application.

A second installment of AUD4,890 is required for family members aged 18 or older who:

• Apply for the visa with you, and have less than Functional English.
• Main applicants must demonstrate Competent English, or Functional English if exempt. Failure to do so may require a second installment of AUD9,800.
• Additional costs may include health checks, police certificates, and biometrics.

Travel:

• Travel to and from Australia for up to 5 years from the date of visa grant.
• After this period, a Resident Return (RRV) visa is required to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.
• Leaving Australia after the travel facility expires, without obtaining another valid permanent visa (e.g., Resident Return visa), may impact your ability to return as a permanent resident.

Stay:

• This is a permanent visa, allowing indefinite stay in Australia.
• Permanent residency for citizenship purposes commences on the day the visa is granted if you are in Australia, or on the day you enter Australia on this visa if you are outside the country.

Including Family:

• You can include family members in your application when you apply.
• Family members can also be added to your application after submission but before the visa decision.
• Eligible family members include your partner, dependent child or stepchild, your partner’s dependent child or stepchild, and the dependent child or stepchild of you or your partner’s dependent child or stepchild.
• It’s also possible to include someone holding a subclass 457 visa or subclass 482 visa if it was granted based on their family membership.
• All family members must meet health and character requirements, whether applying with you or separately.

Minimum processing time: 11 months (25% of applications).

Maximum processing time: 24 months (90% of applications).

Processing times may vary due to factors like application completeness and information verification.

Obligations:

• You and your family members must adhere to all Australian laws.
• Employment with your nominating employer in regional Australia for at least 2 years is expected. Failure to do so may result in visa cancellation.
• Employment must commence within 6 months of either entry to Australia (if visa granted outside Australia) or the visa grant date (if granted in Australia).

Skills and Qualifications:

• Possess the required skills and qualifications for the nominated occupation.
• A skills assessment may be requested to verify these skills.
• Licensing, Registration, or Membership:
• Obtain any mandatory licenses, registrations, or memberships in the state or territory where you intend to work.

Nomination by Employer:

• Be nominated by the employer who sponsored your temporary work visa (subclass 457 or subclass 482).
• For subclass 457 visa holders on 18 April 2017, the employer must have sponsored you for at least 2 or 3 years depending on circumstances.

Age Requirement:

• Generally, applicants must be under 45 years old at the time of application.
• Exemptions apply for specific categories, such as academics, scientists, researchers, medical practitioners, or those under transitional arrangements.

Visa History:

• Hold or have most recently held a subclass 457 or subclass 482 (TSS) visa.
• For those without a substantive visa when nominated, they must hold a relevant bridging visa.
• Specific criteria apply to transitional workers.

Visa Cancellation or Refusal:

• Immigration history, including visa cancellations or refusals, will be considered during the application process, potentially affecting eligibility.