About this Visa
The purpose of this visa is to allow holders of certain provisional visas to apply for permanent residency.
To be granted this visa, you must have lived for at least two (2) years and worked full time for a total period of 12 months in a Specified Regional Area of Australia before lodging your visa application.
Who is this visa for?
This visa is for you if you hold one of these visas:
- Skilled – Independent Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 495)
- Skilled – Designated Area – Sponsored (Provisional) visa (subclass 496)
- Skilled – Regional Sponsored (Provisional) visa (subclass 475)
- Skilled – Regional Sponsored (Provisional) visa (subclass 487)
and you:
- have lived in a Specified Regional Area for at least two (2) years
- have worked full time in a Specified Regional Area for at least one (1) year
- have complied with the conditions on your visa.
How much does this visa cost?
You must pay the relevant visa application charge when you lodge your visa application.
See: Professionals and other Skilled Migrants
What does this visa let me do?
This visa allows you and any secondary applicants included in your visa application to live as permanent residents in Australia.
Australian permanent residents can:
- live and work in Australia on a permanent basis
- study in Australia at school or university
- receive subsidised healthcare through Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
- access certain social security payments (subject to waiting periods)
- be eligible for Australian citizenship (subject to the residency eligibility criteria)
- sponsor people for permanent residence.