Moving to Australia and Permanent Residence Requirements [2026] | Skilled Migration, Employer Sponsorship, Family and Every Route Compared

October 18, 2026

Taiga Sato

Australian permanent residence is not something you can obtain simply by paying. The investor visas (the Business Innovation and Investment Program) closed to new applications on July 31, 2024, and the retiree visas are not accepting new applications either. As of 2026, the realistic routes are four: (1) skilled migration, where you compete on points for skills and English; (2) employer sponsorship, where you are hired by an Australian employer and then switch to permanent residence; (3) family visas as the partner or parent of an Australian citizen or permanent resident; and (4) the National Innovation visa, which requires an internationally recognized record of achievement. Skilled migration requires you to be under 45 when you are invited, and the total permanent migration program for 2026-27 is 185,000 places. Based on information published by Australia's Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Taxation Office, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and others, this article covers the following:

Requirements, costs and timelines for every route to permanent residence, compared
The skilled migration points table, with example scores for applicants who have worked in Japan
Requirements for employer sponsorship (482 Skills in Demand → 186)
Partner and parent visas, and the National Innovation visa
Aiming for permanent residence from a Working Holiday or student visa
Obligations after permanent residence, citizenship and Japanese nationality, tax and the social security agreement

*Amounts and rules are as of September 30, 2026. This article is an English version of our Japanese guide, adapted for foreign residents of Japan and international investors.

*This article is a general explanation based on information published as of September 30, 2026 (Australia's Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Taxation Office, and Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Japan Pension Service, etc.). Visa requirements, costs and exchange rates change. Costs shown are the main applicant's base application charge; charges for accompanying family members and the costs of skills assessments, English tests, health examinations, etc. are separate. For your individual eligibility, please consult a professional such as a registered migration agent (MARA-registered).

Our articles on relocating to Australia

Occupation lists for Australian permanent residence (in Japanese): occupations with better chances, invitation scores and routes after TAFE
Why people regret moving to Australia: the downsides (in Japanese): rent, prices, healthcare and visa costs

Contents

Summary: four routes to permanent residence; investor and retiree visas are closed to new applicants
Skilled migration (189, 190, 491): how the points system works, with example scores
Employer sponsorship (482 Skills in Demand → 186): hired first, then permanent residence
Family visas: partner and parent visas
The National Innovation visa (858) and the closed investor programs
Aiming for permanent residence from a Working Holiday or student visa
After permanent residence: resident return visas, healthcare, citizenship and Japanese nationality, tax
Guideline living costs: rent, prices and health insurance
Frequently asked questions
Conclusion: age, English and occupation decide which routes are open to you

Summary: four routes to permanent residence; investor and retiree visas are closed to new applicants

Australian permanent residence is obtained by being granted a permanent visa. You can either apply for a permanent visa from the outset, or live and work in Australia on a temporary visa first and then switch to a permanent visa.

Main routes to Australian permanent residence (as of September 30, 2026; costs are the main applicant's base application charge)
Route	Main requirements	Cost	Path to permanent residence	Suits
Skilled Independent visa (189)	At least 65 points on the points test (actual invitations tend to require higher scores), under 45 when invited, English (Competent or above), skills assessment in a listed occupation	AUD 6,135	Permanent visa from the outset	Younger applicants who can score highly on work experience, education and English
Skilled Nominated visa (190)	Same as 189, plus nomination by a state or territory (+5 points)	AUD 6,140	Permanent visa from the outset	People in occupations in demand in a particular state
Skilled Work Regional visa (491) → (191)	State nomination or sponsorship by a family member living in a regional area (+15 points). Live and work in a designated area	AUD 6,140 (191: AUD 630)	Apply for 191 after at least three years on the 491 (5 years)	People willing to live in regional Australia
Employer sponsorship (482 Skills in Demand) → (186)	Employer nomination, at least one year of work experience, salary at or above the threshold (at least AUD 79,423 for Core Skills)	482: AUD 4,015; 186: AUD 6,140	Apply for 186 after generally at least two years working on the 482 (186: generally under 45)	People hired by an Australian company
Partner visa (820/801, 309/100)	Spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, etc.	AUD 11,710	Temporary visa, then permanent visa (generally two stages)	People whose partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident
Parent visa (Contributory, 143)	Child is an Australian citizen, permanent resident, etc., and the balance of family test is met	AUD 49,900 in total per person (paid in two instalments). An Assurance of Support and a bond are also required	Long waiting period before grant	Parents whose children live in Australia
National Innovation visa (858)	An internationally recognized record of exceptional achievement in research, business, technology, sport or the arts, and a nominator. By invitation	AUD 6,235	Permanent visa from the outset	Researchers, entrepreneurs and others with an international record

The planned permanent migration program for 2026-27 is 185,000 places: 132,240 in the skill stream (employer sponsored 58,040, state/territory nominated 35,500, skilled independent 21,090, regional 14,110, talent and innovation 3,500), 52,460 in the family stream (partner 41,500, parent 7,060, etc.), and 300 in special eligibility (such as permanent residents returning after a long time overseas). Home Affairs has indicated a policy of prioritizing applications from people already living in Australia (onshore).

There are 105,566 Japanese nationals living in Australia, the second-largest number in the world after the United States, of whom 65,085 are permanent residents (Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as of October 1, 2025). To compare the cost of permanent residence across countries, see Costs of permanent residence and long-stay visas around the world (in Japanese); for the differences between permanent residence, citizenship and tax residence, see Permanent residence, citizenship, visas and tax residence: the differences (in Japanese). Please also see Canadian permanent residence: requirements and costs and New Zealand permanent residence: requirements and costs, which are likewise centered on skilled migration.

Skilled migration (189, 190, 491): how the points system works, with example scores

The skilled migration process is: (1) pass a skills assessment in a listed occupation, (2) submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) online, (3) receive an invitation from Home Affairs or a state, and (4) apply for the visa within 60 days of the invitation. Submitting an EOI alone does not let you apply; whether you receive an invitation is the biggest hurdle. Which occupations are on which list and what scores have recently received invitations is explained in Occupation lists for Australian permanent residence (in Japanese). Things people often regret after moving, such as rent, prices and healthcare, are summarized in Why people regret moving to Australia: the downsides (in Japanese).

Basic requirements for skilled migration (Home Affairs: subclass 189)
Requirement	Details
Age	Under 45 when invited (you can still apply if you turn 45 after the invitation)
English	At least Competent English at the time of invitation, e.g. IELTS (General Training) of at least 6 in each of the four components. Holders of UK, US, Canadian, New Zealand or Irish passports do not need to provide evidence
Occupation	An occupation on the eligible occupation list, with a positive skills assessment from the assessing authority for that occupation
Points	At least 65 points. However, invitations are issued from the highest scores down, so in practice 65 points rarely leads to an invitation

Main items on the points table (Home Affairs: subclass 189 points table)
Item	Points
Age	18–24: 25 / 25–32: 30 / 33–39: 25 / 40–44: 15
English	Competent: 0 / Proficient: 10 / Superior: 20
Overseas work experience, including in Japan (last 10 years)	3–4 years: 5 / 5–7 years: 10 / 8+ years: 15
Australian work experience (last 10 years)	1–2 years: 5 / 3–4 years: 10 / 5–7 years: 15 / 8+ years: 20
Qualifications	Doctorate: 20 / Bachelor's or higher: 15 / Australian diploma or trade qualification, or a qualification recognized by the assessing authority: 10
Australian study, etc.	Australian study requirement: 5 / Master's by research or doctorate (STEM, etc.): 10 / Regional study: 5 / Professional Year: 5 / Accredited community language (NAATI): 5
Partner	Single, or partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident: 10 / Partner also meets the skills requirements: 10 / Partner has Competent English: 5
Nomination	State or territory nomination (190): 5 / Regional nomination or sponsorship (491): 15

Three points deserve attention when counting points. (1) Work experience points are capped at 20 for overseas and Australian experience combined. (2) Only the years after the skills assessing authority recognizes you as having reached the skill level of the occupation count as work experience, so not all of your experience (for example in Japan) will necessarily count (in some fields, such as IT, several years are deducted depending on your qualifications). (3) For English, each of the four components must meet the standard; the overall score alone is not enough.

Let us calculate an example for someone who has been working in Japan. A person who is 35, holds a bachelor's degree, has six years of work experience in Japan, Proficient English (equivalent to IELTS 7 in each component) and is single scores age 25 + qualifications 15 + overseas experience 10 + English 10 + single 10 = 70 points. With state nomination for a 190 visa, this becomes 75 points. When the same person turns 40, even though work experience rises to 11 years and the experience points rise to 15, the age points fall to 15, so the total drops to 65 points (70 for a 190). Whether you can act before your age points fall has a large effect on the success of skilled migration.

Another example. A person who is 34, holds a bachelor's degree, has nine years of work experience in Japan, Competent English (equivalent to IELTS 6 in each component) and is married (spouse has not taken an English test) scores age 25 + qualifications 15 + overseas experience 15 (if the whole period is recognized in the assessment) + English 0 + partner 0 = 55 points, short of 65. From here, the realistic strategy is to build up: +10 by raising English to Proficient, +5 if the spouse proves Competent English, and +5 through state nomination (190). A spouse and children can be included as family members in the same application and receive the permanent visa together (an application charge applies for each accompanying family member).

For occupations that require professional registration to work in Australia, such as nurses, doctors and teachers, registration with the relevant registration body is required in addition to the skills assessment, and it generally requires a higher English score than the visa. If you already have professional qualifications and work experience, check first whether you have enough points to apply directly for a 189 or 190 before going via a Working Holiday.

For state and territory nomination (190 and 491), each state sets its own eligible occupations, residence and work requirements and intake periods, and intake stops when places are filled. The points requirement is effectively lower than for the 189, but in exchange you are expected to live and work in the nominating state. The 491 is a temporary visa that lets you live in a regional area for five years; if you have held a 491 for at least three years and have had at least three years of taxable income at or above the threshold during that time, among other requirements, you can apply for the 191 (a permanent visa).

Employer sponsorship (482 Skills in Demand → 186): hired first, then permanent residence

Employer sponsorship is the route where you are employed by an Australian company on a temporary visa and then switch to a permanent visa through that company's nomination. On December 7, 2024, the Skills in Demand visa (482) replaced the former Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa. Unlike skilled migration, there is no points test; everything depends on whether you can find an employer.

Main requirements for Skills in Demand (482) and Employer Nomination (186) (Home Affairs, from July 1, 2026)
Item	482 (temporary visa)	186 (permanent visa)
Streams	Specialist Skills / Core Skills / Labour Agreement	Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) / Direct Entry, etc.
Work experience	At least one year in the nominated occupation or a related field (last five years)	TRT: at least two years working for an approved sponsor on a 482 or similar (last three years) / Direct Entry: generally at least three years of experience and a skills assessment
Salary threshold	Core Skills: at least AUD 79,423; Specialist Skills: at least AUD 146,576 (for nominations from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027)	At least AUD 79,423, etc.
Length of stay	Up to four years	Permanent
Cost (main applicant)	AUD 4,015	AUD 6,140

A realistic sequence is to be hired by the local subsidiary of a Japanese company or by a local company that needs professionals, work on a 482 for at least two years, and then move to a 186. If someone working on a 482 leaves their sponsoring employer, they must find a new sponsor, apply for another visa or leave Australia within a set period (up to 180 days at a time). The 482 and 186 also have English requirements (Competent English for the 186) as well as health and character checks. How to obtain a Japanese criminal record certificate is explained in Apostilles for criminal record certificates (police clearance) (in Japanese). For employer sponsorship in regional areas, there is also a route from the 494 visa (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional, five years) to the 191.

Family visas: partner and parent visas

Partner visas are for the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, etc. There are the 820/801 applied for onshore and the 309/100 applied for offshore, and both are basically two-stage: a temporary visa followed by a permanent visa. The cost for the main applicant is AUD 11,710, and the planned places for 2026-27 are 41,500. You must show that the relationship is genuine and continuing, with evidence such as living together and shared finances.

Parent visas are for parents whose child is an Australian citizen, permanent resident, etc. Requirements include that at least half of the parent's children live permanently in Australia, or that more children live in Australia than in any other country (the balance of family test). The Contributory Parent visa (143) is expensive, at AUD 49,900 in total per person, and also requires an Assurance of Support and a bond. It is processed faster than the non-contributory Parent visa (103), but waiting several years for a grant is still common. The retiree visas (405 and 410), which retirees could apply for on their own, are not accepting new applications.

The National Innovation visa (858) and the closed investor programs

The National Innovation visa (858) is a permanent visa introduced on December 6, 2024, replacing the former Global Talent visa. It is for people with an internationally recognized record of exceptional achievement in fields such as research, business, technology, sport or the arts, who can be nominated by an Australian citizen, permanent resident or organization with a national reputation in the same field. It works by submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) and receiving an invitation; the cost is AUD 6,235, and there are 3,500 places in 2026-27.

On the other hand, the Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP, including the 188 visa) closed to new applications on July 31, 2024. The Significant Investor Visa (SIV) has also closed to new applications. As of 2026, there is no route to Australian permanent residence based on an investment amount. Countries where you can obtain permanent residence or long-term status through investment are compared in What is a golden visa? How it works and a country comparison (in Japanese).

Aiming for permanent residence from a Working Holiday or student visa

Working Holiday and student visas (Home Affairs; Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Visa	Requirements (for Japanese nationals)	Cost	Relationship to permanent residence
Working Holiday (417)	Aged 18–30 at the time of application. Up to 12 months. A second and third visa are possible if you do specified work	First: AUD 840; second and third: AUD 1,000	Does not lead to permanent residence by itself. An entry point for building local work experience and connections that lead to employer sponsorship
Student (500)	Confirmation of enrolment, English ability, funds, etc.	AUD 2,500	Australian study, regional study, a master's by research, etc. add skilled migration points (5–10)

The typical path for younger people is to live in Australia on a Working Holiday or as a student, build work experience and connections during that time and move to employer sponsorship (482), or accumulate skilled migration points with an Australian degree. However, work on a student visa is subject to hour limits, and tuition and living costs are a heavy burden, so if you are studying with permanent residence in mind, first check which occupations and routes will be available after graduation.

After permanent residence: resident return visas, healthcare, citizenship and Japanese nationality, tax

Main rules after obtaining permanent residence
Item	Details
Right to re-enter	The "travel facility" on a permanent visa lasts five years from grant. To leave and return after five years, you need a Resident Return Visa (RRV, 155). If you have been in Australia as a permanent resident or citizen for at least two of the last five years, you receive a five-year travel facility. The cost is AUD 1,475 (raised roughly threefold from AUD 490 in July 2026)
Healthcare	Permanent residents can enrol in the public health insurance scheme (Medicare)
Citizenship	You must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for the four years immediately before applying, including the last 12 months as a permanent resident. Total absences during the four years must not exceed 12 months, and not more than 90 days in the last 12 months. There is a citizenship test
For Japanese nationals: Japanese nationality	If you voluntarily acquire Australian citizenship, you lose Japanese nationality (Nationality Act, Article 11(1)). A notification of loss of nationality must be filed within three months, with a Japanese embassy or consulate if you are abroad. Australia permits dual citizenship, but Japan does not
Income tax	Australian tax residents are taxed on worldwide income. Rates for 2026-27: 0% up to AUD 18,200, then 15%, 30% and 37%, and 45% above AUD 190,000. A 2% Medicare levy applies separately
Agreements with Japan	The Japan–Australia tax treaty (in force 2008) and the Japan–Australia social security agreement (in force 2009, with totalization of pension coverage periods)

For Japanese nationals: obtaining permanent residence does not affect your Japanese nationality. Japanese nationality is lost when you acquire Australian citizenship (nationality). If your goal is to live in Australia, one option is to remain a permanent resident and keep Japanese nationality. Resident registration and tax procedures around leaving Japan are explained in Taxes and resident registration procedures when moving abroad (in Japanese), and pension procedures in Can you move abroad on a pension? (in Japanese).

Guideline living costs: rent, prices and health insurance

Alongside the permanent residence requirements, local living costs are what shape a relocation plan. Rent in particular varies greatly between cities and vacancies are scarce, so you need to choose your city by considering work and rent together. According to SQM Research, advertised rents (houses and units combined) for the 30 days to September 4, 2026 were as follows.

City	Advertised rent (weekly)	Monthly equivalent	Vacancy rate (August 2026)
Sydney	AUD 909.53	About AUD 3,941	1.7%
Melbourne	AUD 695.18	About AUD 3,012	1.8%
Brisbane	AUD 756.15	About AUD 3,277	0.9%
Perth	AUD 801.73	About AUD 3,474	0.6%
Adelaide	AUD 644.04	About AUD 2,791	0.6%

Besides rent, you should budget for the following.

Prices and exchange rates: Consumer prices rose 4.0% year on year in August 2026, and electricity prices rose 13.2%. The Australian dollar is about 1.4 times stronger against the yen than five years ago, so if you live on yen-denominated assets you are heavily exposed to exchange rate movements
Health insurance: Japan does not have a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia, so Japanese nationals cannot join the public health insurance scheme (Medicare) until they obtain permanent residence and generally need private health insurance
Income: The minimum wage from July 2026 is AUD 26.44 an hour, so people working locally can offset high prices to some extent through wages

How rents are rising in each city, along with tax, restrictions on buying property and other points that people often find burdensome after moving, are explained in detail in Why people regret moving to Australia: the downsides (in Japanese).

Frequently asked questions

Can I buy Australian permanent residence?

No. The investor permanent visas (the Business Innovation and Investment Program) closed to new applications on July 31, 2024. As of 2026, the routes to permanent residence are skilled migration, employer sponsorship, family visas and the National Innovation visa.

Can I get Australian permanent residence if I am 45 or older?

Skilled migration (189, 190, 491) requires you to be under 45 when invited, so in principle it is not available to people aged 45 and over. The employer-sponsored 186 also has an age requirement (generally under 45, with exceptions). For people aged 45 and over, the realistic options are the partner visa, the parent visa if your children live in Australia, and the National Innovation visa if you have an international record of achievement.

How much English do I need?

Skilled migration requires at least Competent English (e.g. IELTS General Training of at least 6 in each of the four components). Points increase as you move up to Proficient (10 points) and Superior (20 points), so in practice your English score has a big influence on whether you are invited.

How much does Australian permanent residence cost?

The main applicant's base application charge is AUD 6,135 for skilled migration (189), AUD 6,140 for the 190 and 186, and AUD 11,710 for the partner visa. On top of this come application charges for accompanying family members and the costs of skills assessments, English tests, health examinations, translations, etc. Application charges for many visas were raised by about 25% on July 1, 2026.

How many years does it take to get permanent residence?

It depends on the route. For the skilled 189 and 190, you apply after being invited, and if granted it is a permanent visa from the outset. Processing times are published in Home Affairs' processing time guide and vary over time. With the Skilled Work Regional visa (491), you apply for the permanent visa (191) after living and working in a designated area for at least three years and meeting the income requirement. With employer sponsorship, you apply for the 186 after generally working full-time on a 482 visa for at least two years. For the partner visa, you apply for the temporary and permanent visas at the same time, and assessment of the permanent visa starts two years after the application. Whichever route you take, you also need to allow time to prepare for English tests and skills assessments before applying.

If I cannot get permanent residence through investment, is there another way to stay in Australia long term?

Without permanent residence or a long-term visa, you would have to rely on repeated short stays such as tourist visits (Japanese nationals can stay up to three months per visit on an ETA), and you cannot live there. If you have an international business track record, check whether you qualify for the National Innovation visa (858); if you want a residence status through investment, the realistic option is to consider countries with golden visas (in Japanese). If you hold securities and similar assets worth JPY 100 million or more and are leaving Japan, also check the exit tax and other procedures (in Japanese) in advance.

For Japanese nationals: what happens to my Japanese nationality if I get permanent residence?

You do not lose Japanese nationality by obtaining permanent residence. You lose Japanese nationality when you voluntarily acquire Australian citizenship (nationality).

Conclusion: age, English and occupation decide which routes are open to you

For Australian permanent residence, the routes available are largely decided by your own circumstances: skilled migration if you are under 45 and can build points through English and work experience, employer sponsorship if you are hired by a local company, and family visas if your partner or children are in Australia. Routes based on investment or retirement are closed as of 2026, and starting to prepare your English and skills assessment before your age points fall is the single most effective step. If you are thinking in terms of your children's schooling and a visa for the parents, see Best countries for education-driven relocation (in Japanese); for how easy permanent residence is compared with other countries, see Countries where it is easy to get permanent residence (in Japanese).

Our office offers consultations on overseas relocation, permanent residence and citizenship. For Australia, we can help you work out which routes suit you and your family and prepare the documents that must be obtained in Japan (we do not act as your representative for Australian visa applications, as that is the work of registered migration agents in Australia). We handle English translations of documents such as family register certificates and criminal record certificates required for applications, apostille, notarization and other certification procedures (in Japanese), and obtaining family register certificates from overseas (in Japanese). We can assist in English and Japanese.

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Phone: +81-3-6303-1664 (weekdays 9:00–20:00 Japan time)
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Our services and how consultations work (in Japanese)

References (primary sources)

The requirements and costs in this article are based on information published as of September 30, 2026 (the living costs section and the question on how many years it takes are as of October 9, 2026; rents are SQM Research figures for the 30 days to September 4, 2026).

Author and Reviewer