Australia has introduced a new permanent resident visa programme, which enables the immigration of citizens from the Pacific Islands and Timor-Leste.
According to the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, a lottery system will randomly select eligible applicants, enabling them the chance to apply for the visa, VisaGuide.World reports.
The Pacific Engagement Visa will increase permanent migration from the Pacific and Timor-Leste, growing the diaspora in Australia, strengthening people-to-people links, and encouraging greater cultural, business and educational exchange.
The programme has the capacity to grant permanent residence visas to up to 3,000 people from the designated countries, while applicants are able to participate annually in the process.
The ballot is set to open in 2024, and the programme is anticipated to include the partners and dependent children of the visa candidates.
People from countries like Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu are all eligible to apply.
The 3,000 visa slots will be distributed based on the diaspora in Australia, current migration opportunities, expected demand, population size, and the perspectives of participating countries.
Some of the criteria that applicants must meet in order to be eligible to apply for the visa are as follows:
- Be between 18 and 45 years old
- Be selected through the ballot
- Securing a job awaiting them in Australia
- Meet requirements related to English language proficiency, character and health
- Be a passport holder of one of the participating countries
- Present applicants’ or their parent’s birth certificates in the participating countries
Applicants must pay a $16 fee in order to enter the competition.
The ballot aims to provide eligible individuals from Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste fair and transparent access to the program by randomly selecting ballot participants. This includes providing access to the ballot for existing Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme (PALM) workers in Australia.
The Pacific Engagement Visa is different from the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) as it enables nationals of these countries to obtain permanent residence, while PALM limits them to only work in Australia if there are not enough local workers available.
Through the PALM scheme, Pacific and Timor-Leste workers can work for up to nine months in the country and take long-term job opportunities, between one and four years) n unskilled, low and semi-skilled positions, enabling them to develop skills and send income home to support their families and communities.
On the other hand, the Pacific Engagement Visa enables up to 3,000 visa holders or winners, including their partners and children, to move to Australia, provided they get selected through the electronic ballot process.
| Program Settings | Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme | Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | - Offer job opportunities to Pacific Islanders - Addressing labour shortage | Improving links between Australia and the Pacific |
| Participating Countries | Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu | Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu |
| Number of participants | Depends on the demand | 3,000 (inclusive of partners and children) |
| Application process | 1. Worker registers with a labour agency, showing interest to work in Australia. 2. Employer starts recruitment process. 3. Worker then applies for an employer sponsored visa. | 1. Eligible applicants register to an annual ballot. 2. The electronic system selects applicants. 3. Successful applicants and their families can apply for PEV. |
| Length of stay in Australia | Short-term: up to nine months Long-term: one to four years | Permanent stay in Australia |
| Visa type | Subclass 403 Temporary Work (International Relations) Visa | Permanent residency visa |
| Eligibility | - 21 years or more - Sponsored by a PALM scheme employer - English language for long-term workers, in addition to health and character requirements. | - Be between 18 and 45 years old - Be selected through the ballot - Securing a job awaiting them in Australia - Meet requirements related to English language proficiency, character and health - Be a passport holder of one of the participating countries - Present applicants’ or their parent’s birth certificates in the participating countries |
| Location | Employers in the agriculture sector based in Australia as well as employers in other sectors as long as they are based in regional or rural Australia. | No restrictions. |
| Skill level | Unskilled, low-skilled and semi-skilled | Any skill level |
| Family/dependants | Cannot bring partner or children to Australia. | Can bring partner and children. |
| Benefits | - Health insurance - Workers in the family accompaniement pilot will have access to the Family Tax Benefit, the Child Care Subsidy and Medicare | - Medicare, public schools, Child Care Subsidy and Family Tax Benefits. - No waiting periods for Austudy or Youth Allowance, and access to the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) and VET Student Loans. |