AUSTRALIA-PERMANENT RESIDENCY

A person allowed to reside indefinitely within the country despite not having citizenship, according to their status, is known as a permanent resident. People who are granted permanent residency in a country are usually issued some sort of documentary evidence as legal proof of their status.

Those residents holding a permanent residency visa are allowed to remain in Australia indefinitely. The visa holder may leave and re-enter Australia freely as long as the visa expires, and even after the visa expires initially, the holder is entitled to stay indefinitely without breaching immigration regulations. Normally these visas last up to five years from the day it is granted. Except in cases of criminal misconduct, and failure to comply with residence or other obligations imposed on them, Permanent Residency visas may be revoked by the Minister for Immigration.

Incase the holder of permanent residency visa wishes to travel to and from Australia, after the initial visa has expired, then he/she must obtain a Resident Return Visa. Permanent Resident status may be lost by staying outside Australia for too long. Most permanent residents are eligible to become citizens and may enjoy many of the rights and privileges, including access to free or subsidized legal and health services and education, and also some states allow them, especially those from Commonwealth of Nation, to vote in State and local government elections, they do not have the right to vote in Federal elections.

The two programs that grant permanent residency are: “Migration Program”, mainly for skilled migrants, and “Humanitarian Program” mainly for refugees seeking permanent residency.

There are certain benefits for holders of permanent residency visa, which includes:

1. The right to apply for Australian citizenship after fulfilling normal residence requirements.
2. Unrestricted right to live, work and study in Australia.
3. The right to sponsor relatives for permanent residence, subject to fulfilling resident criteria and assurance of support requirements.
4. Children born inside Australia will be citizens by birth.

Permanent residency may be conditional on a certain type of employment or maintenance of a business, and permanent residents may be required to fulfill specific residence obligations to retain their status