How to Get Australian PR — Explained Simply
New to Australian migration? This guide walks you through every stage of the permanent residence process — from your very first step to your visa grant.
What are the steps to getting Australian permanent residency?
The journey to Australian PR follows seven steps: 1) Choose your pathway (skilled, sponsored, partner, regional), 2) Skills assessment via the relevant assessing authority, 3) English test (IELTS, PTE, or equivalent), 4) Submit Expression of Interest in SkillSelect, 5) Receive invitation to apply, 6) Lodge visa application with evidence, 7) Visa grant. Typical end-to-end timeline is 12 to 36 months.
Your PR Journey — Stage by Stage
Every PR pathway is different, but most skilled and employer-sponsored routes follow these six stages. Partner visa pathways have a slightly different sequence.
Understand Your Eligibility
Determine your occupation code (ANZSCO), check which occupation lists it appears on, calculate your indicative points score, and assess whether employer sponsorship or a partner pathway may be a better fit.
⏱ Day 1 — do this firstGet Your Skills Assessed
Lodge a skills assessment with the relevant authority for your occupation. Include your qualifications and employment evidence. Allow 4–12 weeks. For some occupations (e.g. engineers via CDR), allow longer.
⏱ 4–12 weeksSit Your English Test
Book IELTS, PTE, or TOEFL — depending on which scores your assessing authority accepts. Higher English scores add significant bonus points. Results are valid for 3 years.
⏱ 2–4 weeks for resultsSubmit Your EOI in SkillSelect
Once you have a positive skills assessment, submit your Expression of Interest in SkillSelect with your full points profile. Update it immediately if your circumstances change — a higher score improves your invitation chances.
⏱ 1 month – 2 years for invitationReceive Your Invitation to Apply
The Department of Home Affairs sends invitations in monthly rounds. Once invited, you have exactly 60 days to lodge your full visa application — including health examinations, police clearances, and all supporting documents.
⏱ 60 days to lodge after invitationLodge Your Visa Application
Pay the government application charge (varies by visa type). Submit your application online via ImmiAccount with all required documents. A MARA-registered agent ensures nothing is missed.
⏱ 4–16 months processingVisa Granted — You Have PR
Once the Department is satisfied with your health, character, and visa requirements, your permanent residence visa is granted. You'll receive notification via ImmiAccount and email. Your PR is valid indefinitely — 5-year travel facility from grant date.
Welcome to permanent residencyThe PR journey, step by step
Most permanent residency applications follow a recognisable sequence. The order and the detail change by pathway, but the shape is consistent.
Assess your eligibility
Identify which pathway fits — skilled, employer-sponsored, partner or regional — and confirm the threshold issues: occupation, points, sponsor, relationship, age, English and health and character.
Skills assessment and English
Where required, obtain a positive skills assessment from the relevant authority for your occupation and sit an English test. Starting these early usually shortens the whole timeline.
Expression of Interest or sponsorship
Skilled applicants lodge an EOI in SkillSelect and wait to be invited. Sponsored applicants get the sponsorship and nomination in place. Partner applicants assemble relationship evidence.
Lodge a decision-ready application
Submit through ImmiAccount with complete evidence. A clean, well-documented application is consistently faster than one the Department has to query.
Health, character and decision
Complete health examinations and police certificates, respond promptly to any requests, and await the decision. Provisional-to-permanent routes then have a holding period before the permanent stage.
Documents you will likely need
Exact requirements vary by visa, but most permanent applications draw on the same core evidence. Getting these ready early removes most of the avoidable delay.
Identity and status
Passport, current visa details, and any previous Australian visa history.
Skills and qualifications
Degrees, transcripts, employment references and — where required — a positive skills assessment for your occupation.
English evidence
Results from an accepted English test at the level your visa requires.
Relationship or sponsorship
For partner visas, relationship evidence across finances, household, social and commitment. For sponsored visas, the employer's sponsorship and nomination.
Health and character
Health examinations and police certificates from every country where you have lived for the relevant period.
Financial and residence records
Tax records, payslips and proof of address — especially important for regional 491/494 to 191 transitions.
What it costs and how long it takes
Every permanent visa carries a Department of Home Affairs Visa Application Charge, and most pathways also involve costs for a skills assessment, an English test, health examinations and police certificates. These government and third-party charges are set by the relevant authorities and change periodically, so we confirm the current figures with you rather than quote a number that may date. Visa Advisor's professional fees are quoted separately and upfront before you engage us. The fastest way to get figures specific to your situation is the free eligibility check, or a paid consultation if you want a full written plan.
There is no single PR timeline — it depends entirely on the pathway and on how decision-ready your application is when you lodge. The parts you control most are the preparation steps: the earlier your skills assessment, English test and evidence are sorted, the sooner everything else can move.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions we hear most often. Every case is different — book a consultation for advice on yours.
Keep exploring
Related guides in our permanent residency cluster — follow the route that fits your situation.
Ready to Start Your PR Journey?Let's map your route — step by step.
Every client gets a personalised strategy, not a generic checklist.