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Permanent residency in Australia.

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  • 04-04-2013 6:49am
    #1
    richiee
    Registered Users Posts: 111 ✭✭


    I'm here in Australia for a year now on a sponsored 457 visa. The company I work for are saying that they will help to get PR in the next few months or year. I've heard so many differing versions of what is the best way to go about getting PR. My company say it will cost $7500-$8000 as they to through an agency. They will pay for about half of this. Can anyone answer my following questions.

    1. Can I go for PR independently without having to use my company and perhaps being bound to them for a time. If so what will it cost me?

    2. If I get PR and decide to go home, how long does the PR last for while I'm out of the country?

    3. Can I apply for PR now that I'm here 1 year or do I have to be here longer?

    Thanks in advance.
    Tagged:


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    #2
    lavelle72
    Registered Users Posts: 47 ✭lavelle72


    From my understanding.... (please correct me if I'm wrong)
    richiee wrote: »
    1. Can I go for PR independently without having to use my company and perhaps being bound to them for a time. If so what will it cost me?

    Depends on your field/occupation. What you do would need to be on the SOL (skilled occupation list) - these are the specialist roles that cannot be filled by locals. You would need to be accredited / certified by your relevant assessing body, and also meet the points requirement - see here: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/_pdf/sol-schedule1.pdf

    I think you would be looking at a 189 visa - http://www.immi.gov.au/skills/skillselect/index/visas/subclass-189/


    2. If I get PR and decide to go home, how long does the PR last for while I'm out of the country?

    I believe it's valid for 5 years, but I think you need to spend a certain amount of that time in Australia. Not 100% on this...


    3. Can I apply for PR now that I'm here 1 year or do I have to be here longer?

    If you qualify on the SOL / independent route you could technically apply now if you had enough points, but you get more points for being here 2 years on a 457 / sponsored visa.

    For company sponsored PR, you must have worked with the company for a minimum of 2 years.


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    #3
    eoindoyle_syd
    Registered Users Posts: 36 ✭eoindoyle_syd


    richiee wrote: »

    1. Can I go for PR independently without having to use my company and perhaps being bound to them for a time. If so what will it cost me?

    2. If I get PR and decide to go home, how long does the PR last for while I'm out of the country?

    3. Can I apply for PR now that I'm here 1 year or do I have to be here longer?

    1) You can go independently but its much faster to go through your company. It can be processed in maybe 4-6mths with an agent whereas independent PR is much longer. The visa would probably 186 Employer Sponsored.

    2) You cant be out of the country for more than 5 years I believe. If so you need to apply for a resident return visa I think.

    3) You can apply for employer sponsorship (Visa 186) now with a skills assessment or after 2 years on a 457 with the same employer (without an assessment). You still need to meet criteria for 186 visa.

    http://www.immi.gov.au/skills/skillselect/index/visas/subclass-186/


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    #4
    richiee
    Registered Users Posts: 111 ✭✭richiee


    So basically I can get PR alone without getting it through my employer? How do I go about doing this? And what would it cost? I find the Australian imigration website very confusing.


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    #5
    mandrake04
    Registered Users Posts: 4,435 ✭✭✭mandrake04


    richiee wrote: »
    So basically I can get PR alone without getting it through my employer?

    Yes if you meet the criteria.

    http://www.immi.gov.au/skills/skillselect/

    Cost is $3060 for the visa plus all the associated costs, Skills assessment, Medicals, X-Rays, Police certs.


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    #6
    eoindoyle_syd
    Registered Users Posts: 36 ✭eoindoyle_syd


    richiee wrote: »
    So basically I can get PR alone without getting it through my employer? How do I go about doing this? And what would it cost? I find the Australian imigration website very confusing.

    Just try this visa wizard and it should help.
    http://www.immi.gov.au/visawizard/

    If you get PR through your employer you will have no obligations to them.
    ie. it will give you the same PR as going independent. It is the preferred route by most (if its an option that is).


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    #7
    sponge_bob
    Registered Users Posts: 665 ✭✭✭sponge_bob


    richiee wrote: »

    1. Can I go for PR independently without having to use my company and perhaps being bound to them for a time. If so what will it cost me?

    2. If I get PR and decide to go home, how long does the PR last for while I'm out of the country?

    3. Can I apply for PR now that I'm here 1 year or do I have to be here longer?

    Thanks in advance.

    My understanding of this and I am open to correction on this is.

    1) once you have PR you are no longer bound to the company and are free to switch employer whenever you want. If you are employer sponsored for PR you may have to do without certain benefits, such as unemployment benefit for a number of yrs, 2 in my case but I was sponsored by a relative, if I leave the country and leave unpaid fines or taxes behind me I think they can request my relative pay these outstanding bills, but after 2 yrs of my PR being activated these restrictions/ requirements are removed.

    2) There is not time limit on PR, once activated it lasts indefinitely once you stay within the country. If you leave the country after a set number of years usually 5 from the day it is granted you will have to apply for a Residents Return Visa (RRV), again my understanding of this is that this is a simple process. Once you get your visa you can come and go as many times as you like for the first 5 yrs but after this time limit "expires" you must apply for a RRV.

    3) As has already been said, you can apply for PR at any time once you meet certain criteria. However if you apply now after 1yr you will have to get your skills assessed after 2 yrs you no longer need a skill assessment.


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    #8
    Pisco Sour
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,029 ✭✭✭Pisco Sour


    sponge_bob wrote: »

    3) As has already been said, you can apply for PR at any time once you meet certain criteria. However if you apply now after 1yr you will have to get your skills assessed after 2 yrs you no longer need a skill assessment.

    To remove the need for skills assessment do you need to spend 2 years with the one employer on the 457 or does it just have to be 2 years on a 457 regardless of the amount of employers you have had during that time?


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    #9
    lavelle72
    Registered Users Posts: 47 ✭lavelle72


    Pisco Sour wrote: »
    To remove the need for skills assessment do you need to spend 2 years with the one employer on the 457 or does it just have to be 2 years on a 457 regardless of the amount of employers you have had during that time?

    I think it's 2 years with your current employer.


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