- Australia’s Department of Home Affairs outlines key differences between permanent residency and full citizenship status
- Permanent residents in Australia enjoy a broad range of rights, including Medicare access, property loans, and the ability to work in New Zealand
- Despite those benefits, permanent residents are barred from several privileges that remain exclusive to Australian citizens
Many people who move to Australia assume that holding a permanent resident visa puts them on nearly equal footing with citizens, but the country’s Department of Home Affairs makes clear that the two statuses are not the same.
Australia’s official immigration authority outlines exactly what permanent residents are entitled to, and, crucially, where those entitlements stop.
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Australia: What Permanent Residents Can Do
Permanent residents in Australia are granted a wide set of rights. They may live in the country indefinitely, work and study without restriction, and enrol in Medicare, the national health insurance scheme.
They can also apply for bank loans to purchase property, sponsor certain relatives for permanent residency, and travel freely in and out of the country for as long as their travel facility remains valid.
Additional benefits include free English language tuition through the Adult Migrant English Programme, the right to work in New Zealand, and potential eligibility to join the Australian Defence Force.
5 Things Only Citizens Can Do
Despite those considerable privileges, there are five specific areas where permanent residents face a clear ceiling.
1. Only citizens are entitled to hold an Australian passport. Permanent residents must continue travelling on the passport of their country of origin.
2. The right to vote in Australian Government elections does not automatically come with permanent residency. The only exception applies to individuals who enrolled as British subjects before 26 January 1984.
3. Permanent residents cannot access government student loans, meaning higher education costs must be funded through other means.
4. Ongoing employment within the Australian Government is not available to permanent residents, limiting career options in the public sector.
5. Permanent residents do not have an automatic right of re-entry into Australia from overseas. Unlike citizens, they must ensure their travel facility remains valid before returning, or risk being unable to board a flight back.
For those who have settled in Australia and wish to close the gap between their current status and full citizenship, the permanent residency visa does serve as a pathway.
Eligible permanent residents may apply for Australian citizenship, which would unlock all five of the privileges currently out of reach.
Legit.ng has also published residency years for foreigners who want to become Qatari citizens.
Citizenship: Australia mentions residency years for foreigners
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia’s Department of Home Affairs has outlined the residence requirement foreigners must meet before applying for citizenship.
Applicants must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for a number of years before the date they apply for citizenship.
The rules also specify how much time applicants are allowed to have spent outside Australia during that period.
Source: Legit.ng