Australian permanent residency
What Australian permanent residency means for you
Australian permanent residency lets you live in Australia indefinitely without becoming a citizen. According to the Department of Home Affairs, a permanent resident can:
- live, work and study anywhere in Australia
- enrol in Medicare, Australia's public health care scheme
- sponsor eligible relatives to come to Australia
- travel to and from Australia while the travel facility on the visa is valid, usually five years from the grant
- apply for Australian citizenship once eligible
Your travel facility usually lasts five years from the visa grant. Its expiry does not stop you continuing to live in Australia as a permanent resident. A Resident Return visa becomes relevant when you want to return from overseas after the travel facility has expired. Your partner and dependent children can usually be included in your application, provided each family member meets the visa's health and character requirements.
Source: Department of Home Affairs, 2026-27 Permanent Migration Program planning levels
Your options
Australia PR pathways we can help you assess
Most skilled applicants from India use one of three points-tested visas. Our assessment shows which one fits your profile.
Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)
A permanent visa for skilled workers who are not sponsored by an employer, state or relative. Selection depends on your points score and the places available for your occupation.
Explore Subclass 189 →Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190)
A permanent visa for skilled workers nominated by a state or territory government. The nomination adds 5 points, and each state sets its own criteria.
Explore Subclass 190 →Skilled Work Regional Visa (Subclass 491)
A five-year provisional visa for living and working in designated regional Australia. It is not immediate permanent residence, but holders who meet the conditions may later apply for the subclass 191 permanent visa.
Explore Subclass 491 →Australia State Nomination and Australia Regional Nomination
Australia state nomination supports eligible skilled applicants through subclass 190 or the state-nominated subclass 491 route. The 190 nomination adds 5 points and supports a permanent visa application. Australia regional nomination refers here to state or territory nomination for subclass 491, adding 15 points towards a provisional regional visa with a conditional pathway to permanent residence. Our 190 and 491 pages explain each in detail.
Other Pathways
Employer-sponsored and family visas also lead to permanent residence. We tell you if one of these suits your profile better.
How Invitations Work
For points-tested visas, you first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect, the Department's online system. An EOI is not a visa application, and there is no fee to submit one. Candidates are ranked against each other, and invitations depend on your points score and the places available for your occupation. Subclass 190 and state-nominated 491 invitations also require a state or territory to nominate you.
Eligibility
Australia PR eligibility and requirements
Requirements depend on your visa. For the three points-tested skilled visas, the core criteria are:
- Occupation
- Your occupation must appear on the skilled occupation list that applies to your visa.
- Skills assessment
- You need a suitable skills assessment from the assessing authority for your occupation, obtained within the three years before your invitation.
- Age
- You must be under 45 when you are invited to apply.
- English
- You need at least competent English, shown through an accepted test such as IELTS or PTE Academic, or a valid passport from an exempt country.
- Points
- You need at least 65 points on the points test. Meeting 65 points is the minimum eligibility threshold; it does not guarantee nomination or an invitation. You must be invited before you can lodge a points-tested visa application, and your invitation may state a higher score, depending on the claims in your EOI.
- Health and character
- You and each included family member must meet the health and character requirements.
Employer-sponsored and family visas use different criteria, which we assess separately.
Where your points come from
Combined employment points are capped at 20. Other factors, such as Australian study or a Professional Year, can add further points.
Not sure where you stand? Our assessment gives you an estimated points score before you book a test.
The process
Australia PR process from India
- Profile assessment. We review your occupation, experience, education, English results and family situation.
- Pathway selection. We compare the 189, 190 and 491 visas, and any other suitable route, against your profile.
- Skills assessment and English test. You apply to the relevant assessing authority and take an accepted English test.
- Expression of Interest. Your EOI is submitted in SkillSelect, along with any state registration your chosen state requires.
- Invitation. You may receive an invitation to apply, or a nomination followed by an invitation. An EOI remains valid for up to two years.
- Visa application. You have 60 days from the invitation to lodge your application with supporting evidence.
- Health and character checks. You complete medical examinations and provide police certificates when requested.
- Decision. The Department assesses your application and decides on the visa grant.
Australia PR documents you'll usually need
- Passports for you and each family member included
- Skills assessment outcome letter
- English test results
- Degree certificates and transcripts
- Reference letters showing duties, hours, salary and dates
- Police certificates and medical results, when requested
Costs and timelines
Australia PR cost before you commit
Home Affairs currently lists these main applicant charges.
Family and second instalment charges
Each family member included in the application adds a further charge. For subclasses 189 and 190, Home Affairs currently lists a second instalment of AUD 4,885 for each family member aged 18 or over with less than functional English, requested only before visa grant. Subclass 491 also has a second instalment, so check its visa page for the current amount. Use the Visa Pricing Estimator for your family's total.
Third-party and KINBRIDGE fees
You pay skills assessment, English test, medical and police certificate fees directly to the providers. Some states also charge a nomination fee. Our professional fees come to you in writing after your assessment.
Why KINBRIDGE
What your KINBRIDGE PR assessment includes
Each point in your EOI must be proven later, so the groundwork matters.
Points Estimate
You receive an estimated points score, factor by factor, based on the evidence you can provide.
Occupation and Assessing Authority
We confirm which occupation fits your duties and which assessing authority handles it.
Visa Comparison
You see how the 189, 190 and 491 visas compare for your profile, including their requirements, costs and conditions.
Document Checklist
You receive a checklist matched to your occupation and chosen visa, so you collect the right evidence first.
EOI Accuracy Check
Every claim in your EOI is checked against your documents, because claims you cannot prove can lead to refusal.
English Test Preparation
Higher English scores add points. Our IELTS and PTE training keeps your preparation with the team guiding your application.
FAQs
Your Australia PR questions, answered
Can I apply for Australia PR from India?
Yes. The 189, 190 and 491 visas accept applicants living outside Australia. You need an eligible occupation, a suitable skills assessment, competent English and at least 65 points. Meeting 65 points is the minimum eligibility threshold; it does not guarantee nomination or an invitation, and you need an invitation before you can apply.
Is the 491 visa permanent residence?
No. Subclass 491 is a five-year provisional visa. Holders who meet its conditions, including living and working in a designated regional area, may later apply for the permanent subclass 191 visa.
Does KINBRIDGE guarantee Australia PR?
No, and no one honestly can. Only the Department of Home Affairs, and state governments for nominations, make these decisions. KINBRIDGE is an independent consultancy, not a government body.