One of the things that international students always ask when they apply to study in Australia is if they will be eligible for a PR after studies. The Permanent Residency allows people to be a legal residents of Australia, so it is definitely a great opportunity.

But simply studying in an Australian institution doesn’t guarantee a PR. The Permanent Residency largely depends on migration rules in Australia, and the rules keep changing over time. The PR process is a thorough process which involves a point system and many other processes. Hence, we cannot simply assure you that you can get a PR after studying and working in Australia. However, there are several steps you can take before, during and after your studies that might increase your approval rate for the Permanent Residency.

Firstly, if it is possible, choose courses that are on Medium and Long Term Skills List. These will definitely help your chances since the jobs on these lists are labor needs for the country. However, we recommend you don’t blindly choose your courses just for the sake of getting a PR. Meeting the demand is important but having interest in that skill set is also equally important. And also, the occupation lists keep getting updated every year.

Similarly, State nominations can be very beneficial for international students. State nomination enables the state government to nominate highly skilled migrants for a visa to meet skills needs. In order to apply for state nomination you will need to meet all Department of Home Affairs visa requirements, the state’s state nomination requirements, and your occupation must be listed on State’s Skilled Occupation List at the least.

 

 

Employer Sponsorship is also a way for students to get a migration visa. Employer-sponsored visas enable Australian businesses to sponsor specific skilled workers to meet their needs. It also allows foreign skilled labor to explore employment opportunities with Australian employers in the event that their skills are required. Some visa options in this category is:

  • Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)
  • Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187)
  • Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (Subclass 482)
  • Skilled Employer Sponsored Visa (Subclass 494)

Including the points listed above, there are several other things that you should be aware of, which may directly or indirectly affect your Permanent Residency journey.

  • Apply for a Post-Study Work Visa after completion of your studies.
  • During your post-study period, make sure to get work experience related to your studies.
  • Have good English Proficiency Test Results (IELTS,TOEFL). Good scores in English tests help in your PR chances.
  • Stay updated with the Skilled Occupation Lists and learn about Skill Selecting criteria for Australia.
  • Professional Year Programs (PYP) also help in getting PR points. Professional Year Programs are job-readiness programs that bridge the gap between full-time study and professional employment in Australia.
  • Having prior work experience helps in the point system too.

A Post-Study work visa can be helpful for obtaining better opportunities for a employer sponsorship, state nomination and also helps in obtaining points by giving you time for Professional Year Programs, English Tests and more. The visa has two streams, and it requires students to have studied atleast two years of academic studies in Australia.

So remember that there are several factors that affect your PR chance in Australia. If you want to assess yourself for the points system, we have a point calculator in our website. For further information, feel free to contact us.