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How many people will be granted the right of permanent residence in Australia this year?
The planning level for the migration (non-humanitarian) programme for 2011/12 is set at 185,000 places, which is an increase of over 16,000 from the previous year: mainly additional places under the Skilled Migrant visa category..
How do I find out if I am eligible to apply?
Please click here for a summary of the current immigration regulations.
How long does it take to get a permanent residence visa to immigrate to Australia?
Every application is different and processing times largely depend on the type of visa being applied for. As a general rule however, it takes most applicants for permanent residence visas in Australia 9 to 18 months (including the time required to prepare the application before lodgement) to receive a decision on their visa application. Spousal cases and temporary work visas tend to be a little quicker at 3 to 6 months, while applicants requiring professional registration can take an additional 6 to 12 months to process.
For an indication of visa processing times please click here.
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Once approved, how long before I must move?
Normally, your arrival must be within one year from the date of your medical tests or police certificates, which occur during the processing of your Australian residence visa application. So, if you deduct part of the official processing time, you will generally be left with 6 to 12 months to land in Australia.The exception is for temporary visas, such as work visas, in which case you may only have a number of months to enter the country.
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Will the immigration authorities or Embassy help me to prepare my application and make sure that everything is correct before applying?
No. This type of service is no longer provided by Government. The authorities exist to enforce the immigration law, make decisions on residence applications and to issue residence visas. Although basic information and application forms are available, the authorities are unable to provide independent advice and personalized guidance on your specific case. Only an Australian Registered Migration Agent can provide this kind of service.
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Can the immigration authorities refuse my application?
Yes. A surprisingly large number of applicants are unaware how strictly the immigration regulations are enforced and are often unnecessarily refused or delayed due to technical errors on their application or by submitting the wrong supporting documentation. So the moral of the story is to seek the professional guidance and independent advice of a migration consultant before lodging an application for residence. Migration Agents exist to help you find the best way through the immigration maze and are highly effective in doing so.
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My Migration Agent has assessed me as being eligible for residence in Australia. If I apply without his or her help, can I be certain of success?
No. Although you may fundamentally qualify under the immigration policy, you are by no means guaranteed of success. Your application must be prepared in accordance with the prevailing immigration regulations and submitted together with the appropriate supporting documentation in order to be approved by the immigration authorities. The ways in which to do this are not always clearly set out by the immigration authorities and result in many applicants presenting their cases incorrectly, inevitably leading to refusal. So you are strongly advised to seek the advice of a Registered Migration Agent.
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What is a permanent resident?
Essentially, it is a right affixed into your passport granting you the permanent right to live and work in the Australia. You are eligible for state medical care immediately, but must be resident in Australia for two year's before qualifying for social welfare assistance (i.e. unemployment benefits). You are not permitted to vote as a permanent resident in Australia. After two years, you can apply for citizenship, entitling you to an Australian passport. Temporary residents (those on student and work visas) are generally not entitled to medical care or social welfare assistance at any time and are generally unable to remain for longer than 4 years. These applicants are recommended to take out private health insurance.
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Why do most people use an officially-recognised migration agent to double-check their visa application?
Mostly to protect themselves from the HIGHER FAILURE RATE: D.I.Y permanent residence visa applicants CAN fail to receive their residence visas due to application errors, misunderstandings or confusion that commonly arise during the immigration process. This compares to an average success rate of over 95% for those applicants that lodge their applications through an officially-recognised migration agent.
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When I migrate, will I lose my current passport?
No, not necessarily. Firstly, you will enter as a permanent resident which does not affect your current citizenship status. After four years you can apply for Australian citizenship (but this is not obligatory). The Australian Government allows dual-nationality (i.e. the holding of two passports), so you could retain your current passport and obtain an Australian passport as well. Having said this, you must check that your own country of citizenship allows dual-nationality, as this right must be reciprocal. If not, you will need to surrender your other passport in order to become a citizen.
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How long do I need to live in Australia before I can become a citizen?
All citizenship applicants must meet this residence requirement at the time they apply for Australian citizenship.
• You must have been living in Australia on a valid Australian visa for 4 years immediately before applying, including 1 year as a permanent resident, and
• You must not have been absent from Australia for more than 1 year during the 4 year period, including no more than 90 days in the year immediately before applying.
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(Information in this page has been verified by David Lloyd, Registered Migration Agent (MARA) No.9251054 as at 1st August 2011)
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