Retirement visa pathway
The Australian Government has created a pathway to permanent residency for eligible retirees.
The Pathway was announced by Government on 8 May 2018 as part of the 2018-19 Budget and was introduced on 17 November 2018.
This pathway provides options to long-term residents who have contributed to, and are well established in, the community.
The government has built the pathway by setting aside a portion of places from the permanent migration scheme for parents.
Eligibility
You may be eligible to apply for a pathway to permanent residence if, on 8 May 2018:
- you held a Retirement visa (subclass 410)or Investment Retirement (subclass 405) visaor
- your last substantive visa was a Retirement visa (subclass 410)or Investment Retirement (subclass 405)visa
You must also:
- not have held any substantive visa apart from Retirement visa (subclass 410)or Investment Retirement (subclass 405)between 8 May 2018 and the day you apply for the permanent residence pathway,and
- be in Australia when you apply for the permanent residence pathway
Pathway options
Eligible retirees may access the pathway by applying for a:
You will be subject to most of the existing requirements for a parent visa.
However, you will not need to meet the sponsorship, balance offamily test or Assurance of Support requirements.
If your Retirement visa (subclass 410)orInvestment Retirement (subclass 405)is about to expire and you lodge a pathway application, we will grant you aBridging visawhich will allow you to stay in Australia lawfully while we process your pathway application.
If you lodged a Parent visa (subclass 103)orContributory Parent visa (subclass 143)application before 8 May 2018 and wish to be assessed on the retirees' pathway, you will need to withdraw your existing parent visa application and lodge a new pathway application.
Parent visa (subclass 103)
No places will be available for retirees under the Parent visa (subclass 103)for at leastthe first four years of the program.
Processing times for Parent (subclass 103) visas are significantly longer than those for Contributory Parent (subclass 143)visas.
Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143)
Priority is given to retirees who apply under the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143)category.
After you apply
Health cover
If you have lodged a pathway application and you are waiting on our decision, you arenoteligible for Medicare.
You must maintain adequate health insurance while we assess your pathway application or you will breach your visa conditions.
Other government benefits
Your visa status will remain temporary until we have decided on your pathway application.
Check with government websites to see how this may impact your:
- tax
- eligibility to purchase property
- health services and benefits
- social services
- access to subsidised pharmaceuticals
If your application is refused
We will notify you if we refuse your application and give you information about your rights to apply for review of the decision.
Refusal of your pathway application will not affect your eligibility to apply for a subsequent Retirement visa (subclass 410)or Investment Retirement (subclass 405).
Although we are closing the Retirement visa (subclass 410) and the Investment Retirement (subclass 405) to new applicants, existing visa holders can continue to apply for subsequent Retirement visas (subclass 410) and Investment Retirement visas (subclass 405).
Apply for the pathway
Apply for theParent visa (subclass 103)
