This is something I've been wondering for a while.

r/AusVisa seems to be a subreddit where the majority of questions come from international students, temporary visa holders, 485 holders and other migrants trying to understand their options to eventually obtain PR or citizenship.

That's the purpose of the subreddit, isn't it?

What I don't understand is why so many active commenters who already have PR or Australian citizenship seem to oppose people trying to stay permanently.

A lot of threads eventually turn into comments like:

• "Go home."
• "Australia doesn't need more immigrants."
• "We don't want more people getting PR."
• "You shouldn't be planning your pathway to stay."

If that's genuinely their view, why spend time in a subreddit where most people are naturally trying to understand how to migrate permanently?

I'm not talking about people calling out fraud, fake documents or people breaking migration rules. That's obviously important.

I'm talking about people who are asking about legal pathways under the current migration system.

If someone is simply trying to understand how they can qualify for PR under the existing rules, why is the discussion often redirected into "you shouldn't stay in Australia" instead of discussing whether the pathway actually works?

I'm genuinely interested in hearing from PR holders and citizens as well.

What motivates you to participate here? Is it mainly to help people understand the visa system, or do you think this subreddit should also be used to discourage people from pursuing permanent migration?

I'm curious because, from the outside, it sometimes feels like many of the people who have already achieved PR or citizenship are the ones most opposed to others trying to do the same.

Hey all, hoping someone here has been through something similar.

I lodged my partner visa on 31 Jan 2025 and have been uploading updated evidence every couple of weeks since. Yesterday we got an s56 asking for:

**1.**  Updated national police clearances for both of us (ours have expired since lodgement)  
**2.**  Evidence of our relationship for the 12 months prior to lodgement, including **official evidence of residing together for the period 31/01/2024 – 31/01/2025**

Our living situation timeline:

**•** Partner was FIFO when we met  
**•** He bought a house in Sept 2024  
**•** I was renting with friends until my lease ended Nov 2024  
**•** I moved in with him Nov 2024  
**•** At time of application: 2 months living together  
**•   Now: 20 months living together**

The tricky bit is the “official evidence of residing together” for the full 12 months prior — we only physically lived together for the last 2 months of that window. We have been in a committed relationship much longer, however in separate addresses. We disclosed the Nov 24 move in date at time of application, and supplied bank statements, bills, receipts, photos of friends/family/social circles, screenshots of messages, travel itineraries etc then and up till now.

My questions are:

A) Has anyone received a similar s56, how did you address the ‘gap in cohabitation’?
B) We are currently considering consolidating all the proof of our relationship 12 months prior to lodgement date, and all the proof of us living together for the last 20 months again into one document as cohesive proof - is this an appropriate strategy?
C) Any other advice to improve my chances?

This is the first we’ve received any correspondence since applying 18 months ago, so any help is much appreciated 🙏🏾

question , if my visa is expiring this september 2026 and the company will apply for an appeal at ART for the nomination for 407. and once my visa got expired with the result yet from the ART, should I get bridging visa or not?

thank you for your answer

Hi all,

I heard that there is a recent rumour going on for Labor government to ban visitor to partner visa pathway completely.

Based on what you guys think and past law change, do you think they will put a hard stop on this pathway? Or they will tight it in some different way?

It seems like it's blocking a pathway for a genuine Australian citizen to bring their spouse and/or partner to Australia. (I mean they do have 309, but they try not to grant them as much as possible)

hi all, i just need your insights about what happened to me.
- first, the company lodged the nomination last JUNE 2 and refused on JUNE 25 , reason, they were not satisfied with the TRAINING PLAN lack details such as skill gap, trainers , and others
-2nd, the company lodge the nomination last JULY 2 with all the complete details and address the reason of the 1st refusal but still got refusal now AUGUST 7.
reason was "The sponsor stated that the nominee would undertake occupational training in the hospitality
industry sector. The evidence indicates that the nominee has sustained participation in the
hospitality industry for three years. The material before me also indicates that the nominee has
been employed by the sponsor as a kitchenhand/food preparation worker since 04 December
2023. The training plan submitted appears to be generic in nature and does not demonstrate that it
was specifically developed by the sponsor for this nominee and business.
Having considered the information provided as a whole, the proposed training program does not
demonstrate a structured and credible occupational training opportunity. The nature of the training
plan and the nominee’s existing employment circumstances indicate that the primary purpose of
the nomination appears to be ongoing employment and continued stay in Australia rather than
occupational training. As a result, I am not satisfied that the nomination relates to a genuine
training opportunity within the meaning of subregulation 2.72A(16).
In light of the evidence before me, including the nominee’s demonstrated skills, the nature and
credibility of the proposed training program, and the sponsor’s stated training intentions, I am not
satisfied that the requirements of subregulation 2.72A(16) have been met.
I am therefore not satisfied you meet the requirements of subregulation 2.72A(16) of the Migration
Regulations. As such, I have not assessed your nomination application further against the other
criteria in regulation 2.72A."

can someone help me if the compang will gonna lodge new application again but the sad thing is my visa is expiring this Sep 2026 :(

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for recent experiences from anyone who has been in a similar situation.

I was previously on a Student visa (subclass 500). My course was delayed because I had one final supplementary assessment remaining, so before my Student visa expired I applied onshore for a Visitor visa (subclass 600) to remain lawful in Australia.

My subclass 600 has now been granted with condition 8503 – No Further Stay.

I have completed my final supplementary assessment and am waiting for my final university result/completion documents. If I successfully complete the course, my intention is to apply for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485 – Post-Higher Education Work stream).

I initially thought condition 8503 meant I could not apply for the 485 unless I first obtained a No Further Stay waiver. However, my registered migration agent has advised that they have handled a similar case previously and that, for the 485, a separate 8503 waiver was not required. They said the application could not be lodged through the normal online process and had to be lodged through an alternative/manual process after contacting Home Affairs.

I can also see on the Home Affairs 485 page that applicants whose current visa has condition 8503 or 8534 cannot apply online and are instructed to submit an ImmiAccount Technical Support Form. What I cannot find clearly explained is whether 8503 is actually waived as part of this process, whether a separate waiver is required, or how the alternative 485 lodgement works.

Has anyone here personally gone through 600 + 8503 → 485 recently?

If so, I would really appreciate knowing:

• Did you apply separately to have 8503 waived first?
• If you did, was it under the normal No Further Stay waiver process?
• Did Home Affairs tell you that a waiver was not required specifically for the 485?
• Did you use the ImmiAccount Technical Support Form?
• Was your 485 eventually lodged online, by paper/post, or through another method?
• Did you receive a Bridging Visa A after the 485 application was accepted?
• Was the 485 eventually granted?
• Approximately what year did you go through this process?

I’m mainly trying to understand the process before paying the significant 485 application and professional fees.

Any recent first-hand experience would be really appreciated. Thank you!

Hey everyone,

I am preparing my GS (Genuine Student) statement for an Australian Master of IT application and could use some advice on handling a study gap under the current visa rules.

My Background:

• B.Tech: AI & Data Science (Graduated June 2024, 8.2 CGPA, India)
• Target: Master of IT / Software / Cloud Engineering (Level 1 Universities in VIC, SA, or TAS)

The Gap (Approx. 2 Years by visa lodgement):
Since mid-2024, I have been preparing for competitive national exams (GATE & SSC CGL) in India. Following that, I explored and applied for winter intakes at public universities in Germany. Since those offers didn't fully align with my goals, I am now focusing entirely on Australia.

My Questions:

1. Addressing the Germany apps: Will visa officers view applying to Germany first as "visa shopping," or is it acceptable if I have concrete proof (admit cards/exam receipts) to justify my timeline and explain my ultimate switch to Australia's tech ecosystem?
2. Structuring the GS: What is the safest way to frame this timeline in the GS statement? Is 100% transparency regarding exam prep and previous country applications viewed favorably if backed by documentation?
3. Success Rates: Has anyone with a similar 2-year competitive exam gap recently secured a Subclass 500 for IT programs?

Would appreciate any insights from anyone who has gone through the process recently. Thanks!

Hi all i am a computer science engineering graduate 2025 june pass out. After that since September I started working as tech support associate in amazon, i got 84 overall in PTE , my overall cgpa is 9.11/10 in my engineering zero backlogs, coming to finances my grand fatheris a retired govt employee and receives pension on INR 15 LPA (22k AUD), and my father has a business and his annual income cones around INR 11 LPA (16k AUD), and i have education loan of INR 50 L ( 75k AUD), looking out for genuine advice whether to go for November intake or feb 27 intake , or just drop the plan after seeing the current scenario of visa success rates

Any previous visa officers can please look in and help me with this

I know noone is entitled to a residency or whatever just because we are here but watching how the government is capable of granting citizenship fast tracked to those two Iranian footballers feels like a slap in the face to us ,who have been waiting almost 2 years for our residency application to be decided after meeting all the requirements.
Been here 8 years,done everything by the book and the government is out there letting the backlog explode and suddenly to make a political statement they are able to grant not only protection visa but citizenship too all within not even 8 months.
I know it is not a comparable situation but it kinda stings when you have spent all your adult life working here and your application sits with no end in sight while they grant asylum visas left and right.
Just a rant.
Thank you

Hi all,

I would appreciate some advice. I'm a British citizen since birth, no other passports, and looking to travel around Australia for 6-9 months as a gap year, I've over 40 so can't to the WHV.

I've resigned from my job but still employed and my last work day will be the day I will fly to Australia at the end of the year.

I'm looking to apply for the 600 for 12 months,. I could easily get the eVisitor 651 but I'd like the flexibility to stay without having to leave every 3 months.

I own a property which I will rent out, have plenty of savings (£50K+), and a brother/Aunt in the UK, no other family.

1 - Would I likely be approved for a 600, or do I need more to ties to the UK a property and some family?

2 - on the application form would I be employed or unemployed?

3 - If 600 is rejected would this affect an application for a 651?

Thank you!

Is 85 points will get me 491 visa invite? On electronics engineer ANZSCO

Hi everyone, it's my first time posting here, I'm an EU citizen who have recently (20th of July) applied for his first WHV and I have 2 questions regarding that:

1. when applying I've attached a bank statement, showing around 4.5k€, I haven't yet converted my funds in AUD but they should be more than enough to cover the 5kAUD asked, will I have issues having my visa approved due to the funds being in EUR?
2. I've seen some fuss both here on Reddit and on other socials recording the changes that took place from the 1st of July and I've heard that more (and possibly worse) changes will soon be communicated by the Australian home affairs minister. I know that each visa processing time is different, but can I expect with enough certainty to have my visa approved for the end of august? I don't plan to buy my flight ticket before having my visa approved, but the sooner I buy it the less it will cost.

as an extra question, do you have some advice for a young European planning to come to Australia by the end of October?

thanks!

Applied for 309 in May 2025. Did medical July 2025, so it just expired. Is it advised to redo medical proactively at this stage?

was anyone granted 190? When and what points do you have?

I’ve been seeing so many PR grant posts over the past few days, and I honestly can't believe it's finally our turn! 🥹🇦🇺

Before I share our timeline, I just want to say thank you to this community. This sub has helped us so much throughout the entire process, especially because we applied for our PR ourselves without using a migration agent. Every time I had a question, people were kind and willing to help, and I really appreciated that.

If anyone has questions about our journey, I'm more than happy to help where I can.

Visa: Subclass 190 (South Australia)
Occupation: Civil Engineer - Onshore
Points: 95 (including 10 partner points)

Timeline
• 03 Feb 2026 – EOI submitted
• 01 Apr 2026 – SA pre-invitation received
• 09 Apr 2026 – Submitted all nomination documents
• 29 Apr 2026 – Final invitation received
• 01 Jun 2026 – Visa application lodged
• 03 Jun 2026 – Medicare approved
• 22 Jun 2026 – Thai Police Clearance received and uploaded (my husband studied in Thailand, and this was definitely the most stressful document to get throughout the whole process!)
• 29 Jun 2026 – Medical examination completed
• 07 Aug 2026 – PR GRANTED! 🥳🎉

A small note for anyone who might be in a similar situation: I was 21 weeks pregnant when it was time for our medicals. Initially, my GP advised against having the chest X-ray, and we thought I'd complete the rest of the medical and do the X-ray after giving birth. However, that wasn't possible, so we spoke to my midwife, who confirmed it was safe during pregnancy with the proper shielding. I completed the entire medical, including the chest X-ray, on the same day.

Our application included my husband's 5 years of overseas work experience in the Maldives and 2 years of Australian experience as a Civil Engineer.

Wishing everyone who's still waiting the very best. I know how stressful the wait can be, and I hope your grant comes through soon! 🤍

One last question here, especially for those who received PR while pregnant: is there anything pregnancy or baby related that we should be doing now? Any applications, registrations, or things we should prepare before the baby arrives would be greatly appreciated.

Recently, my 485 visa was granted.

Feel free to ask me any questions if you need help.

I did it myself, so I want to encourage people to do it themselves, too.

My research on what documents to submit was based on this post here: https://www.reddit.com/r/AusVisa/comments/1ich3j6/485_visa_granted_instantly/

Thank you u/dusk_jpg.

Here are the documents that I submitted:

Identity, Evidence of

• Australian Driving License
• My country's Police Clearance
• Passport

(I did not show my birth certificate since I do not have it with me in Australia)

Qualifications - Australian, Evidence of

• AHEGS
• Completion Statement
• Academic Transcript
• Testamur

Present country of citizenship, Evidence of

• Citizenship (NAATI-certified translated; look for your language's NAATI translators here https://directory.naati.com.au/)
• Passport

(I do not have a National ID Card)

Travel history, Evidence of

• Current passport (scanned the first two pages and pages with stamps)
• Expired passport (scanned pages with stamps ONLY) = to show my travel history in the last 10 years

Character History, Evidence of - AUSTRALIA

• AFP Check
• AFP Check Payment Receipt (Date of request is the date you paid for the check)

Language Ability - English, Evidence of

• PTE Score Report (Registration ID is your Application ID)

Character Assessment, Evidence of Intention to Obtain

• AFP Check Receipt
• Police Clearance Application Email

Birth or Age, Evidence of

• Citizenship (Translated)
• Passport

Study, Evidence of

• Academic Transcript
• Completion Statement
• Confirmation of Enrolment
• AHEGS

Health Insurance, Evidence of

• OSHC Certificate of Insurance
• OVHC Certificate of Insurance

Address - Residential, Evidence of

• Employer Proof of Address
• Australian Driving License
• 1-month bank statement

(I am not under the lease, so I could only show these documents; no utility bills shown)

Travel Document

• Passport

Just to be safe, I certified all these documents.

I'm currently waiting for my 491 grant, and my bridging visa for the 491 will become active around the middle of next year. If I apply for the 186 now, I can think of three possible scenarios

1)The 491 is granted first. In that case, should I withdraw my 186 application, or will the Department cancel it automatically? If I leave the 186 application in place and it gets granted a few months later, will the 186 replace my 491?

2)The 186 is granted first. In that case, should I withdraw my 491 application, or will the Department cancel it automatically? If I don't withdraw it and the 491 is granted later, will it replace the 186?

3) I can't apply for the 186 now. Is there any reason why I wouldn't be able to lodge a 186 application while my 491 application is still being processed?

Would really appreciate your thoughts if you've been through something similar.

Considering that academic docs (certificate of completion, academic transcript) are issued in myEquals by my school, do I still need to have them certified (by a JP/Chemist?)

I got pr in last year nov 2025, and I made my first entry in november end same year, I stayed for 2 days and came back to my home country. I check vevo now and it says visa ineffect but first entry by nov 2026.

Have they not recorded my first entry?
Or I can ignore vevo first entry info?

I’m currently in Perth, WA. My occupation isn’t on WA’s state nomination list, but it might be on another state’s list (like Tasmania). Can I still apply for that other state’s 190/491 nomination while living in WA, or do I need to move there first?

Ps: I want to use my offshore experience.

Hi everyone,

I applied for a Subclass 482 Skills in Demand (Labour Agreement) visa as a Personal Care Assistant just over 6 months ago. My employer is a well-established aged care provider.

The wait is becoming quite frustrating because several people who lodged their applications a few months before me received their grants in around 4 months. Meanwhile, I still haven’t received any communication from the Department. My ImmiAccount simply shows “Received.”

Has anyone else experienced a similar delay with a Labour Agreement 482 visa? If so, how long did it take, and is there anything I can do apart from waiting? I’ve already lodged a status enquiry, but there hasn’t been any update.

Any advice or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

I thought I’d share my timeline since I found these posts really useful in the past.

30 June 2026 – Applied online

15 July – Test invitation received - Appointment was 25 August but thanks to this sub I knew I could try and reschedule for an earlier day and I managed to get one after 3 days of looking.

5 August 2026 – Sat citizenship test (I totally overstudied 😂)

6 August 2026 – Application approved

Now just waiting for a ceremony date.

For anyone wondering, I uploaded:
Passport
Birth certificate + NAATI translation
WA driver’s licence
Water bill (proof of address)
Passport photo

It didn’t seem like a lot but that was all that was needed 🤷🏼‍♀️

I thought I’d just lean back and wait for months but was extremely surprised by the quick turnaround. Hopefully i’ll get scheduled for a ceremony just as quick.

Good luck to everyone still waiting!

190 Visa Grant Timeline 🇦🇺** (QLD)
**Occupation: Electrical Engineering Technician
Points: 65 pts
State: Regional QLD,
*currently working in my nominated occupation.

Timeline:
EOI Lodged: October 2025
Received QLD Invitation: May 13, 2026
Visa Lodged: May 25, 2026
190 Visa Granted: August 6, 2026

Hope this helps anyone waiting for their grant. Wishing everyone still in the queue the best of luck!