Australian permanent resident

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Australian permanent residents are residents of Australia who hold a permanent visa but are not citizens of Australia. A holder of a permanent visa may remain in Australia indefinitely. A 5-year initial travel facility, which corresponds to the underlying migration program, is granted alongside the permanent visa. Until the travel facility expires, the visa holder may leave and re-enter Australia freely. After that period the visa holder needs to re-apply for the travel facility. However, holders of a permanent visa who are already in Australia with an expired travel facility may remain in Australia indefinitely.

Contents

Permanent residents enjoy many of the rights and privileges of citizens, including access to free or subsidised legal, education and health services. They do not have the right to vote in federal or state/territory elections, unless they were registered to vote prior to 1984, but may vote in some local government elections. Permanent residents are not entitled to an Australian passport.

Most permanent residents are eligible to become citizens after a waiting period. [1] When the waiting period is complete, the process of sitting the citizenship test and attending the ceremony may add up to two years to gaining citizenship. [2]

Migration programs

There are a number of programs under which a person may enter and obtain permanent residency in Australia, including:

Citizens of New Zealand

Citizens of New Zealand are allowed to enter Australia to live and work indefinitely under the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement, without applying for a visa but instead are automatically granted a Special Category Visa (SCV) on arrival. Though able to reside with no time limit, SCV holders are not considered as having permanent resident status, and the SCV is a temporary visa. Between 2001 and 2023, SCV holders who wanted to become Australian citizens first needed to apply for and obtain a permanent visa under one of the migration programs. On 1 July 2023, new legislation was introduced to consider SCV holders permanent residents for the purposes of Australian citizenship, allowing them to apply directly for citizenship. [5]

Benefits and limitations

Benefits of permanent resident status include:

Permanent residents do not have the right to vote in federal, state or territory elections, unless they were “British subjects” and registered to vote prior to 1984, but may vote in some local government elections. Permanent residents are not entitled to an Australian passport.

See also

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References

  1. "Department of Home Affairs" . Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  2. "Citizenship processing times".
  3. "Fact Sheet 21 - Managing the Migration Program". The Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  4. "Fact Sheet 20 - Migration Program Planning Levels". The Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  5. "Immigration and citizenship Website". Immigration and citizenship Website. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  6. Public Service Act 1999, section 22, clause 6.
  7. "Benefits of Permanent Residency in Australia". FREE UK Press Release Distribution. Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  8. "Hecs-Help". 15 March 2018.
  9. Australian Citizenship Act 2007 (Cth) s 12 Citizenship by birth.
  10. "Newly Arrived Resident's Waiting Period". The Department of Human Services, Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  11. "Australian citizens and permanent residents - New Zealand Immigration Service". Archived from the original on 21 May 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2014.