Which pathway leads to permanent residence (PR) in Australia?

Starting point

Offshore, or onshore on a temporary visa. No employer, state/territory or family sponsor required.

Step 1 — Skills assessment + Expression of Interest

Do: Obtain a positive skills assessment for an occupation on the eligible skilled list, then lodge an EOI in SkillSelect. Gates: competent English; usually age under 45; meet the points-test pass mark.

Step 2 — Invitation to apply

↳ ranked by points score

Receive an invitation. Competitive — the effective cut-off exceeds the 65-point pass mark for most occupations.

Subclass 189 — Skilled Independent visa

↳ within 60 days of invitation

Lodge the visa; meet health and character. Grant confers permanent residence directly — no provisional stage.

Starting point

Offshore or onshore. No employer required — a state or territory government acts as nominator.

Step 1 — Skills assessment + EOI + state nomination request

Do: Positive skills assessment for an occupation on a state/territory list; lodge an EOI and apply to that jurisdiction for nomination, meeting its specific criteria.

Step 2 — State/territory nomination & invitation

↳ nomination adds 5 points

The jurisdiction nominates the applicant; an invitation to apply follows.

Subclass 190 — Skilled Nominated visa

Grant confers permanent residence. A moral commitment to live initially in the nominating state/territory applies.

Starting point

Offshore or onshore; willing to live, work and study in designated regional Australia.

Step 1 — Skills assessment + EOI + regional nomination or family sponsorship

Do: Positive skills assessment; EOI; obtain a regional state/territory nomination or sponsorship by an eligible relative in a designated area. Regional nomination adds 15 points.

Subclass 491 — Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa

↳ invitation to apply

Live, work and study only in a designated regional area (condition 8579). Valid 5 years.

Subclass 191 — Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa

↳ hold 3 years + 3 years of tax records

Granted after 3 years holding the 491 with compliant regional residence, evidenced by ATO notices of assessment for 3 income years (no minimum income threshold currently applies).

Starting point

Offshore or onshore; has, or can secure, an Australian employer willing to nominate.

Step 1 — Employer nomination

Do: An approved employer nominates the applicant for an eligible occupation under the Direct Entry stream.

Subclass 186 — Employer Nomination Scheme (Direct Entry)

Requires a skills assessment and ~3 years' relevant experience; usually under 45. Grant confers permanent residence directly — no prior Australian work required.

Starting point

Offshore or onshore; has an employer who is (or will become) an approved sponsor.

Subclass 482 — Skills in Demand visa

Employer sponsorship + nomination; Core Skills or Specialist Skills stream; 1 year's relevant experience; meet the income threshold. Valid up to 4 years.

Step — Employer nominates for permanent residence

↳ work for the sponsoring employer (~2 years)

The employer nominates the worker under the Temporary Residence Transition stream of subclass 186. Time held on the 482 counts toward the residence requirement.

Subclass 186 — Employer Nomination Scheme (Transition)

Grant confers permanent residence.

Starting point

Offshore or onshore; has, or can secure, an employer in designated regional Australia.

Step 1 — Regional employer nomination

Do: A regional employer nominates the applicant for an eligible occupation. Skills assessment and ~3 years' relevant experience required; usually under 45.

Subclass 494 — Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa

Work for the sponsoring employer and live in designated regional Australia as nominated. Valid 5 years.

Subclass 191 — Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa

↳ hold 3 years + 3 years of tax records

Granted after 3 years holding the 494 with compliant regional residence and 3 years of ATO tax records (no minimum income threshold currently applies).

Starting point

Offshore, no Australian visa.

Stage 1 — Subclass 500 Student visa

Complete an eligible Australian qualification. Gates: Confirmation of Enrolment, Genuine Student requirement, funds, English, OSHC.

Stage 2 — Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa

↳ on completion of study

Work in Australia, gain skilled experience, sit English and a skills assessment. Generally aged 35 or under at application. Valid ~18 months–3 years.

Stage 3 — Skills assessment + EOI + invitation

↳ Australian study & work add points

Lodge an EOI in SkillSelect; receive an invitation for a skilled visa.

Stage 4 — Skilled visa: 189 / 190 (direct PR) or 491 (provisional)

Subclass 189 or 190 confers PR on grant. Subclass 491 is provisional — PR follows via subclass 191 after a further 3 years (see R3).

Starting point

Offshore, or onshore holding a substantive visa. Suited to leaders in critical technologies, health, renewables, research, entrepreneurship and similar priority fields.

Step 1 — Nomination + register interest

Do: Secure a nomination from an eligible Australian individual or organisation with a national reputation in the field; register interest with the Department.

Step 2 — Invitation to apply

↳ by invitation

Receive an invitation to lodge the visa.

Subclass 858 — National Innovation visa

Grant confers permanent residence directly. No strict age limit, but under-18/over-55 applicants must show exceptional benefit to Australia.

Starting point

Offshore (route to subclass 309) or onshore on a substantive visa (route to subclass 820); in a married or genuine de facto relationship with an eligible Australian sponsor.

Step 1 — Sponsor approval + relationship evidence

Do: The Australian partner is approved as sponsor; assemble genuine-and-continuing relationship evidence (financial, social, household, commitment).

Provisional Partner visa — Subclass 309 (offshore) or 820 (onshore)

One application and one charge cover both stages. Full work rights from grant of the provisional visa.

Permanent Partner visa — Subclass 100 (offshore) or 801 (onshore)

↳ ~2 years after applying — relationship must be ongoing

The permanent stage is assessed and granted, conferring permanent residence.

Starting point

Offshore; engaged to an Australian citizen, PR or eligible NZ citizen; have met in person as adults; both aged 18+.

Stage 1 — Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa

Enter Australia to marry the intended partner. Full work rights. Valid ~15 months.

Stage 2 — Onshore Partner visa, Subclass 820

↳ marry within the visa period

After marrying, lodge the onshore Partner visa (a reduced charge applies).

Stage 3 — Permanent Partner visa, Subclass 801

↳ ~2 years after applying

The permanent stage is granted, conferring permanent residence.

Starting point

Offshore or onshore; the parent of a settled Australian sponsor.

Step 1 — Sponsorship + balance-of-family test

Gate: at least half the parent's children are settled in Australia (or more children in Australia than in any other single country); an eligible sponsor; assurance of support.

Subclass 143 (or 864 for aged parents) — Contributory Parent visa

↳ one-step, or via temporary 173 / 884 first

Lodge subclass 143/864 directly, or take the two-step route via a temporary subclass 173/884 first. The large second-instalment charge is paid before grant.

Starting point

Offshore (route to subclass 103) or onshore as an aged parent (route to subclass 804); parent of a settled Australian sponsor.

Step 1 — Sponsorship + balance-of-family test

Gate: balance-of-family test; an eligible sponsor; assurance of support.

Subclass 103 (offshore) or 804 (onshore, aged parent) — Parent visa

↳ very long capped queue

Granted at the front of the queue. An onshore subclass 804 applicant generally holds a Bridging visa A and may remain in Australia while waiting.

Starting point

Offshore or onshore; a dependent child, adopted child, or orphan relative of an eligible Australian sponsor.

Step 1 — Establish relationship, dependency & sponsorship

Do: Evidence the parent-child relationship (or adoption / orphan-relative circumstances) and dependency; address custody and the consent of any non-migrating parent.

Child (101/802), Adoption (102), Orphan Relative (117/837) or Dependent Child (445)

These are permanent visas. The Dependent Child visa (445) is temporary — it adds a child to a parent's in-progress Partner visa, with PR following via that permanent Partner visa.

Starting point

Offshore or onshore; falls within a defined category — a carer for an Australian relative with a certified medical condition; a 'remaining relative' with no near family outside Australia; or an aged, single, dependent relative.

Step 1 — Establish the qualifying relationship/circumstance + sponsorship

Do: Evidence the defined circumstance (e.g. an independent medical assessment for a carer); an eligible sponsor; assurance of support where required.

Carer (116/836), Remaining Relative (115/835) or Aged Dependent Relative (114/838)

↳ capped — long queue

Granted at the front of the capped queue. The lower subclass number is the offshore visa; the higher is the onshore equivalent.

Starting point

Outside the home country; subject to persecution (Refugee category) or substantial discrimination amounting to gross human rights violations (Special Humanitarian category).

Step 1 — Referral and/or Australian proposer

Do: Refugee applications are usually referred by UNHCR; the Global Special Humanitarian visa requires an eligible Australian proposer. Lodge within the Humanitarian Program.

Refugee visa (200/201/203/204) or Global Special Humanitarian visa (202)

↳ subject to annual program planning levels

Grant confers permanent residence directly.

Starting point

In Australia; engages Australia's protection obligations under the Refugees Convention or complementary protection. The route then depends on how the person arrived.

Route A — Subclass 866 Protection visa

↳ Route A — arrived lawfully

A person who arrived on a valid visa and engages protection obligations is granted a permanent Protection visa directly.

Route B, Stage 1 — Temporary Protection visa (785) or Safe Haven Enterprise visa (790)

↳ Route B — unauthorised arrival

Certain unauthorised arrivals are barred from the permanent Protection visa and instead receive temporary protection.

Route B, Stage 2 — Subclass 851 Resolution of Status visa

↳ under current government policy

Eligible TPV/SHEV holders apply for the Resolution of Status visa, which confers permanent residence.

Starting point

A citizen of an eligible Pacific Island country or Timor-Leste, aged 18–45.

Step 1 — Register in the annual PEV ballot

Pay the small registration fee and enter the ballot during the registration window.

Step 2 — Ballot selection + secure a job offer

↳ random selection — capped at 3,000 places/year

If selected, obtain a genuine job offer in Australia and lodge the visa with functional English.

Subclass 192 — Pacific Engagement Visa

Grant confers permanent residence directly. Family members can be included.

Starting point

A New Zealand citizen.

Stage 1 — Subclass 444 Special Category visa

Granted automatically on arrival in Australia — indefinite stay and work rights, but not permanent residence in itself.

Option A — Direct citizenship pathway

↳ two options

SCV holders who meet the residence requirement (broadly, 4 years in Australia as an SCV holder, within the eligible cohort) can apply directly for Australian citizenship — bypassing a separate PR visa.

Option B — Standard PR visa

Alternatively, apply for a skilled or family permanent visa (roadmaps R1–R14) like any other applicant.

Starting point

A person with a strong historic tie to Australia — lived here as a citizen or permanent resident for a defined period, or has relevant Australian defence service.

Step 1 — Establish the residence/service history + ongoing ties

Gate: commonly 9 of the first 18 years of life spent in Australia as a citizen/PR (or relevant defence service); maintained business, cultural, employment or personal ties.

Subclass 151 — Former Resident visa

Grant confers permanent residence directly.