Australian immigration law: visas, PR and reviews
How the Australian visa system works — subclasses, permanent residency pathways, reviews and cancellations — in plain English.
The big picture
Australia's visa system is managed by the Department of Home Affairs. Every visa has a subclass number and a set of criteria you must meet. The same person may be eligible for several paths, so the first job is usually to work out which subclass fits your situation.
Common pathways
- Skilled visas (e.g. subclass 189/190/491) for people with occupations on the skilled list and enough points.
- Employer sponsorship (subclass 482, and the permanent 186) where an Australian business supports you.
- Family visas for partners, children and some relatives.
- Student and graduate visas that can lead to skilled pathways.
- Protection and humanitarian visas for people who meet those criteria.
Permanent residency
"PR" usually means a permanent visa that lets you live, work and study in Australia indefinitely, with travel rights for a set period (then you may apply for a Resident Return visa). PR can lead to citizenship after meeting residency and character requirements.
When things go wrong
If a visa is refused or cancelled, you may have review rights — often at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) — but deadlines are short (commonly 21 or 28 days). A Section 48 bar can limit what you can apply for next if you are unlawfully present.
Practical next step
Use the assistant to map the usual options for your facts, then confirm the current criteria on the Department of Home Affairs site or with a registered migration agent before you apply.