New permanent visa - Pacific Engagement (Subclass 192) visa

UPDATE 1: Pacific Island and Timor-Leste nationals will now be able to register for Australia’s new Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV) program from 3 June 2024 to around 1 August 2024. For more information, check out our new blog post about the pre-registration and visa requirements for the Subclass 192 Visa.

UPDATE 2 (February 2025): The ballot registration period for the Pacific Engagement Visa is still closed for all participating countries.

In response to calls from Pacific leaders for deeper connections and easier movement around the region, the Australian Government has committed to a new permanent resident visa programme for nationals from participating Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste, and the Pacific Engagement (Subclass 192) visa will be introduced sometime in 2024, providing up to 3,000 permanent places annually for applicants and their immediate family members.

Eligible countries could include Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Priority will be given to countries with limited permanent migration opportunities to Australia, and countries without citizenship rights with New Zealand, France and the United States.

A ballot system (an electronic random selection process) will be utilised for the new Subclass 192 visa, ensuring that all Pacific Island and Timor-Leste nationals of all skill levels, gender and backgrounds have equal opportunity to apply for a permanent visa for Australia. The ballot system will also be available to existing Pacific Australia Labour Mobilit Scheme (PALM) workers in Australia.

The charge for entering the ballot is expected to be $25.00.

To be eligible for the Subclass 192 visa, primary applicants will need to:

• be aged between 18 to 45 to enter the ballot

• be selected through the ballot process

• secure a formal ongoing job offer in Australia (or their partner/spouse must have a job offer)

• meet English language, character and health checks

• hold a passport for a participating country

• have been born in or have a parent who was born in an eligible country.

Primary applicants will be able to include a partner and legally dependent children in their application.

Should you wish to discuss your eligibility for the Pacific Engagement (Subclass 192) visa, please contact info@inclusivemigration.com.au.