Australia Lists 3 Conditions Foreigners Must Meet for Permanent Residency through Retirement Pathway
- The Australian Government created a permanent residency pathway for eligible retirees holding specific retirement visas, announced on May 8, 2018
- Applicants must meet strict eligibility conditions tied to their visa history and physical presence in Australia at the time of application
- Eligible retirees can apply through either the Parent visa (subclass 103) or the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) to access the pathway
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The Australian Government's Department of Home Affairs has outlined the conditions that foreign retirees must satisfy to qualify for permanent residency through the country's retirement visa pathway, a route that has remained open to eligible applicants since its introduction on November 17, 2018.
The pathway was announced on May 8, 2018, as part of the 2018–19 Federal Budget and was designed to give long-term retirees who have built lives in Australia a route to permanent settlement.
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The government carved out dedicated places within the permanent migration programme to accommodate this group.
Australia: Who qualifies for the retirement pathway?
According to the Department of Home Affairs, an applicant must meet the following conditions to be considered eligible:
1. On May 8, 2018, they must have held a Retirement visa (subclass 410) or an Investment Retirement visa (subclass 405), or their last substantive visa at that date must have been one of these two visa types.
2. Between May 8, 2018, and the date of application, they must not have held any substantive visa other than the Retirement visa (subclass 410) or the Investment Retirement visa (subclass 405).
3. They must be physically present in Australia at the time they lodge their pathway application.
Australia: How to apply and what to expect
Eligible retirees can access the pathway by applying for either a Parent visa (subclass 103) or a Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143).
Most standard requirements for these parent visas still apply, though the government has removed the need for applicants to satisfy the sponsorship, balance of family test, or Assurance of Support requirements, which are normally part of the process.
If a retiree's existing visa is close to expiry and they lodge a pathway application, the Department will issue a Bridging visa to keep them lawfully in Australia while their application is being processed.
The Department has also clarified a specific situation for those who applied for a parent visa before the May 8, 2018, announcement.
Anyone who lodged a Parent visa (subclass 103) or Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) application before that date and now wishes to be assessed under the retirees' pathway must first withdraw their existing parent visa application and then submit a fresh pathway application.
Legit.ng reported that Australia listed 13 conditions for foreigners to qualify for its subclass 192 visa for permanent residence.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that Australia published the conditions for foreigners to get permanent residence through work sponsorship.
Age limit for Australia's PR visa
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia had shared the age limit for people seeking its subclass 192 visa for permanent residency.
According to guidance published by the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs, applicants must be aged between 18 and 46 inclusive at the time of applying.
Anyone outside that range is not eligible to apply for the visa.
Source: Legit.ng
