Subclass 192 visa: Pacific Engagement

Streams

192 Pacific Engagement stream

The Pacific Engagement stream lets citizens of participating Pacific island countries and Timor-Leste live and work in Australia permanently. Applicants must be selected in the Pacific Engagement visa (PEV) ballot.

192 Treaty stream (Tuvalu)

The Treaty stream (Tuvalu) lets Tuvaluans live and work in Australia permanently. Applicants must be selected in the separate Treaty stream ballot. Home Affairs says free support is available for Falepili Mobility Pathway participants in Tuvalu and Australia.

192 visa requirements

Home Affairs lists these on the Eligibility tab of its Pacific Engagement stream page:

• Ballot selection. Randomly selected in the PEV ballot, with a Notification of Selection letter.
• Citizenship. A citizen of, and valid passport from, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu or Vanuatu, applying as a citizen of the country declared in the ballot.
• Birthplace. Born in, or have a parent born in, one of the participating countries, Nauru, Australia or New Zealand (Home Affairs includes Australia and New Zealand for people born there to access medical care).
• Not a New Zealand citizen.
• Age. 18 to 45 (inclusive) on the date the ballot registration period opens for the applicant's country.
• Location. In or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance.
• Job offer. The applicant, or their partner included in the application, has an offer of employment in Australia.
• Financial support. Adequate means to support the applicant and included family members in Australia.
• English. The applicant or their partner shows English proficiency, for example through secondary schooling in a Pacific island country, 12 months of work or study in Australia, or a test such as IELTS with at least 5.0 in listening and speaking.
• Past visa conditions. Substantial compliance with conditions of any Australian visa held.
• Immigration history. A past visa cancellation or refusal may affect eligibility.
• Health. The applicant and family members applying must meet the health requirement.
• Character. The applicant and family members 16 and over must meet the character requirement.
• Debts. Any debt to the Australian Government, including family members', paid back or under an arrangement.
• Australian values. Applicants 18 and over meet the Australian values requirement.
• Children. Home Affairs will not grant the visa if it is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18.

Treaty stream (Tuvalu) differences

The Treaty stream page requires selection in the Treaty stream ballot, Tuvaluan citizenship not obtained through investment, birth in Tuvalu (or a parent or grandparent born there), and age of at least 18 when the ballot registration period opens. It does not list the job offer, financial or English requirements. Health, character, debt, values and immigration history requirements apply.

What the visa lets you do

According to Home Affairs' 192 page, the visa lets holders:

• stay in Australia permanently
• live, work and study anywhere in Australia
• sponsor eligible relatives to come to Australia
• access Medicare
• apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible
• travel to and from Australia as many times as they want for 5 years from grant (Pacific Engagement stream).

After the 5-year travel facility, a Resident Return visa is needed to re-enter as a permanent resident. Newly arrived residents may need to wait for some government payments.

Family members and cost

All members of the family unit who want to come to Australia must be included in the application. They can't be added after it is submitted. Family members who apply must meet the health and character requirements.

Home Affairs' Visa Pricing table lists:

Health checks, police certificates and biometrics cost extra.

Step by step

This follows the Step by step tab of Home Affairs' Pacific Engagement stream page.

Before you apply

1. Register in the ballot and be selected.
2. Make sure the main applicant has a valid passport.
3. Home Affairs points to the free Pacific Engagement visa Support Service, which connects applicants with employers and helps them prepare for life in Australia.

Apply

1. Gather evidence of the job offer, financial means (Home Affairs may ask about the first 12 months), relationships, dependants and English proficiency.
2. Apply online through the link in the Notification of Selection letter or in ImmiAccount.

After you apply

1. Applicants in Australia stay lawful by holding a visa while the application is processed.
2. A child born after lodgement must be reported as soon as possible.
3. Home Affairs tells the applicant its decision in writing. The applicant can be in or outside Australia at that time.

Applying in or outside Australia

Home Affairs says applicants in both streams can be in or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when they apply and when it decides the application (192 page).

192 visa processing time

Home Affairs publishes current processing times in its visa processing times guide.

Compare: 192 streams and 403 PALM