Permanent Visa Entitlements

So what does a Permanent Residence Visa actually entail?

To recap, the website for the 175 visa or the current 189 visa type states:

This is a permanent residence visa. It allows you and any family members who have also been granted this visa to:

• stay in Australia indefinitely
• work and study in Australia
• enrol in Medicare, Australia's scheme for health-related care and expenses
• apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
• sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
• travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted (after that time, you will need a resident return visa or another visa to return to Australia).

Further information about living and settling in Australia is provided in the Beginning a Life in Australia booklet and the Form 994i Settlement information for migrants to Australia.

The Form 994i Settlement information for migrants to Australia is a six page summary cheat-sheet of basic information introducing you to life in Australia, such as an innoculation regarding the hardships in finding housing, the high costs of living and difficulty finding a job as well as information and links to social security, taxation, grants and citizenship.

The Beginning a Life in Australia booklet provides a checklist of things to do once you migrate to Australia and more detailed information about a number of topics.

In addition to the benefits listed above, there are also a number of other advantages that require a deeper understanding of the visa entitlements.

Travel to Australia

You may be eligible for concession fares provided by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Information can be found on their website and the process is initiated by sending them an email to their email address.  IOM will send back an email asking you to provide details of travelling dates, number of passengers and destination. They then forward the to the regional IOM for a quote, carrier, and baggage allowance.

However, the folks at IOM Islamabad provided me a quotation that did not seem concessional in any manner, and infact seemed a little higher than normal fares listed on various websites. I am waiting for further email correspondence and advice.

Social Security and Family Benefits

The Australian Government delivers services to assist people to become self-sufficient and support those in need through an agency called Centrelink, though this is available only after two years of residency without finding a job.

On the other hand, there is no waiting period for family payments which help you with the expenses of raising children and looking after health issues.

Payments like Family Tax Benefit and Parenting Payment can help you with the cost of raising children. You may be eligible if you are a carer of a child, whether it is your birth, foster, adopted child, or your grandchild.

If eligible, both parents can claim Family Tax Benefit Part A for children who are studying, up to the end of the calendar year in which they turn 19. This usually ranges from $50 to a couple hundred dollars each fortnight per child depending on the results of your income test, which roughly require your annual income to be less than $80k per year to qualify for the base payment.

There are also a number of benefits for child care to help cover day care expenses, as well as a number of other support services for families caring for children or dependents in various circumstances.

Migrants also have immediate access to health care under Medicare Australia. 

Medicare usually covers:

• free or subsidised treatment by health professionals such as doctors, specialists, optometrists and in specific circumstances dentists and other allied health practitioners free treatment and accommodation as a public (Medicare) patient in a public hospital

• 75 per cent of the Medicare Schedule fee for services and procedures if you are a private patient in a public or private hospital (does not include hospital accommodation and items such as theatre fees and medicines)

• some health care services in certain countries

Additionally, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme(PBS) and the PBS Safety Net can reduce the cost of medicine. Once you reach the PBS Safety Net, your PBS medicine will be cheaper or free for the rest of the year.

To register with Medicare, you should go to a Medicare office and take your passport and other travel documents. If all registration requirements are met, you will be given a temporary Medicare card number to use. Your Medicare card will be posted to you approximately three weeks later. Emergency medical treatment is available on a 24 hour basis at the 'Casualty' or 'Emergency' departments of public hospitals. The Medicare Enrollment Form will also need documentary evidence listed that demonstrates your decision to reside within Australia for a long term.

Medicare does not pay towards ambulance costs, most dental services, physiotherapy, spectacles, podiatry, chiropractic services, or private hospital accommodation. 

Parenting payment is paid to the principal carer of a child after residing in Australia for more than two years and is much more substantative at around the $500 mark per fortnight. Payments like Rent Assistance and the Telephone Allowance can also help you manage household expenses if you are on income support. Combined income must be less than $124 per fortnight to get the maximum payment. For part payment, combined income must be less than $1,720 per fortnight.

Working in Australia and Job Search Assistance

The DAIC advises that generally, migrants who have had more time to settle in Australia and those who enter Australia under the Skill Stream have lower unemployment rates than those entering under other categories.

For many jobs in Australia, applicants must be able to be registered or licensed with an Australian state or territory authority, and/or be eligible for membership of a professional or industry organisation. However, there is no such restriction on permanent resident visa holders. Even if you have been nominated under a particular skill for the purpose of granting the visa, you can reside anywhere in Australia and work in any employment.

Furthermore, migrants who are permanent residents and meet other eligibility criteria may be eligible to apply for the full range of services through Job Services Australia.

Employment services, job search and skills recognition information is available on the following websites:

• Australian JobSearch, for information on jobs, employment prospects, skills shortages and careers
• Australian Workplace, for information on the Australian workplace
• Trades Recognition Australia, for recognition of trade qualifications
• Australian Skills Recognition Information, for recognition of overseas qualifications and skills 

A dedicated post to discuss the Aussie job market will be coming soon.

To help businesses and individuals understand their tax entitlements and obligations, the Tax Office offers a range of  help and assistance products. This includes English and other language publications, seminars, online information and face-to-face visits.

Australian workers pay tax to the government on their income. To receive an income in Australia, you
need a tax file number (TFN), which affords tax payers a number of advantages. It’s not compulsory to have a TFN, but if you don’t have one you may have more tax withheld than you need to, or you may not be able to receive certain government benefits.

If you are a permanent migrant or temporary visitor to Australia, you can apply for a TFN online at any time after entering Australia from the following link.

Australian residents are taxed on their worldwide income and must declare all foreign income in their income tax return.

Grants for Buying a House or Flat

If you are buying a home for the first time in Australia you may be eligible for an Australian Government 'First Home Owner Grant'. Under the scheme, a one-off grant is payable to first home owners that satisfy all the eligibility criteria. 

In Victoria, for contracts entered into on or after 1 July 2013 to build or purchase a new home, a payment of up to $10,000 is available for eligible first home buyers as mentioned here. 

The First Home Owner Grant for New Homes scheme in NSW only assists eligible first home owners to purchase a new home or build their home by offering a $15,000 grant. The Scheme applies to new homes only (i.e. brand new residence that has not been previously occupied) and will reduce to $10,000 on 1 January 2016.

Cheaper Higher Education and Free Schooling

This article also talks about above benefits and mentions

Education:

1. Same ‘domestic’ tertiary education rates as Citizens
2. Free primary and secondary education in government schools

In addition, there are a number of scholarship programs for Australin residents, such as the Australian Post-Graduate Award (APA) as well as University based scholarships. These usually award a stipend (living allowance) of nearabout $25k per annum for a full-time research program and $12.5k for a part-time.

Other more competitive programs, such as the Endeavour Awards program, require a host organization or other criteria, but can award substantially larger stipends, sometimes going past the $100k mark.

A dedicated post to discuss the various programs will be coming soon.