Last updated on March 25th, 2018
I started the immigration process for my Australian PR visa (subclass 189) in 2014. When I registered with an immigration agent, I got a big word file listing down broad milestones in the visa process. Given the complexity of the immigration process, that document did an excellent job of conveying the major steps to obtain Australian PR visa.
Steps To Get Australian PR
Above picture gives a breakdown of the major steps in the PR process and percent of time spent by me at each stage. Some stages need more time for preparation such as skills assessment while some others have waiting time such as visa application after getting invite and a few others include time for other activities – for example, PCC stage includes waiting time to get visa. Your timeline may look different than mine, but will give you general idea regarding which step takes more time.
This page is like that word document I got from my agent. It will provide you the pointers to the posts that I wrote describing each step in detail. You don’t have to necessarily follow the order. Take what you feel important, skip what you feel unnecessary. Let’s start!
The Idea
Everything starts with a thought – a though that can change your idea. My journey of Australian PR also started with an idea to move out of India. At that time, I didn’t zero in on Australia, but destiny had already made her plan.
10 Reasons Why I Chose Australia
Australia is such a lovely place that ideally you don’t need to give reasons to move here. It has the most livable city, high quality of life, social welfare benefits, cultural diversity and so on. If you are still unsure whether Australia is the right choice, this post is for you.
Types of Visa
Once you are ready to move to Australia, you need to choose the most appropriate visa. For getting PR, skilled visa is the most popular choice. This post mostly talks about the technicalities of different skilled and temporary work visas.
Migration Agent – Yes or No?
Major question for anyone who wants to migrate is – whether I should go with agent or file on my own? Will there be a stage at which I will feel lost without agent’s help? How much does it cost to hire an agent and how helpful he/she will be? This post tries to answer some of these questions. It also contains tips on how to find a good migration agent.
The Points System
Whether you are eligible to file Australian PR? You can find it out yourselves by understanding skilled visa points system. You need to score minimum eligibility points in 6 broad areas to qualify for skilled PR visa. This post gives you concise details about the various factors that you need to consider and some tips to score more points if you fall short by an inch!
Skills Assessment – Part 1 & Part 2
This two-part series gives you an idea about what the skills assessment is and how I did it through ACS. It also tries to answer the chicken or egg problem – skills assessment or English test first? The first part contains a list of standard documents required and tips on how to get them notarized. Second post details my experience of obtaining various documents, especially roles and responsibility letters. It also gives some handy tips on how to organize these scanned documents.
IELTS Marathon – Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3
English language assessment is a crucial and often frustrating process for many aspirants. In this three part series, I jotted down my experience of preparing for IELTS and undergoing the exam. The second part of the series is loaded with tips for each module and will be very useful for you if you are preparing for it. Third part describes the marathon that I faced and how I managed to succeed in the first attempt.
It’s EOI Time
Once you are certified eligible on two fronts – skills assessment and English – you can file an EOI i.e. expression of interest. Filing an EOI is an easy task as everything is online. However, at the same time, I got my passport renewed and the experience was thrilling, as you would imagine.
Getting Invitation To Apply
Yaye! The good news was here. I got the invitation to lodge the visa. In the meantime, I also discovered that my birth certificate was in dreadful state and I need to get a fresh one.
Visa Application And Paying Visa Fees
Lodging visa is a straight forward albeit tedious process but making payment, well that’s where everybody gets stumped. Travel card is the sure-fire way to make the visa payment and I got one relatively easily.
Getting Partner’s English Proof
Once you prove that you are skilled enough to land in Australia, you need to also prove that your partner can communicate well in English. My wife got the letter from university stating that her medium of instruction during degree course was English.
Medical Examination
I generated HAP ID and got all three of us medically examined. The process was chaotic, lengthy and exhausting. I think I would have needed medical assistance post medical examination. Just kidding!
Getting PCC and PR Visa
Last leg of the journey was to get Indian Police Clearance Certificate. It was surprisingly quick and hassle free. I also prepared form 80 and 1221 but never had to submit them because I got direct grant.
In short, this is a long journey and it can take a heavy toll on some people. You may get nervous because of all the uncertainty, I know I did. Some of the above posts might or might not apply to you as the immigration process is constantly revised to add or update few things. The most important thing however, is to have a strong will and patience to fight all the obstacles. Stay strong and you will definitely succeed. See you soon down under!
