Fluid36

Its easy enough to apply for PR but I don't see any benefit really, apart from my wife not paying overseas student fees to do her pHd.

Buzzy--Bee

Not for most people it isn't, but then it's easy to say that if you haven't been through the process.

Ability to come and go as you please whether they change the rules in the future or not would be the biggest one. For instance, you might go back to NZ for an extended visit and while you're away the immigration rules relating to New Zealanders in Australia get changed and you have to apply like other nations. Remember, every time a Kiwi on a TR444 leaves Australia their visa is cancelled, even if they just leave for a weekend.

Other tangible benefits would be the right to vote for/against the government that taxes you, jobs in government being open to you, and less tangibly, just feeling more settled and belonging.

BB

bcworld

Not as a PR.

Buzzy--Bee

Yes, to be clearer, without PR you cannot ever earn this right, so PR leads to citizenship and thence this right.

BB

DeepSix

thats interesting. I have just been enquiring to do a MSc and as a NZ citizen i am classed as a domestic student.. even get commonwealth support.

so it appears you dont need PR to get that particular benefit

EinsteinJ

The benefits will come in effects when you LOVE Australia and have kids in the future...that what my calculation to get the PR ....less drama in the future, unless NZ will be taken as the 7th state of Australia

Fluid36

The rules won't change, no chance there buddy.

As far as PR, any educated and experienced professional can easily get it.

Fluid36

My wife is not a kiwi, she's British.

Buzzy--Bee

They did in Feb 2001, and nobody can say whether they will again, either to the detriment or benefit of New Zealanders.

Really? I know some "educated and experienced professional" people on these forums who would love some of the knowledge you have about how they could get PR easily because it's not happening for them right now.

I'm "educated and experienced" and it took me 4 years.

BB

Fluid36

Where I work we outsource some IT work to Indian consultancy firms such as Satyam, a lot of the Indians who come here on a a 457 visa when working for these overseas IT companies apply for PR and get it, they use the offshore placement as a backdoor to PR in Aus and it has been very straight forward for them, no probs at all.

Maybe it is due to the fact their position is on the skills shortage list?

I went through the ILR process in the UK and that seemed more difficult.

Why would it take 4 years, is this due to the fact your points accrued are borderline / not enough etc?

Pollyana

Someone can be "educated and experienced" in a number of fields which don't appear on the SOL, which means they can't get PR. Not always as easy as it may seem.

MandyB

Thanks everyone. We will almost definitely be applying for PR if we decide to stay in Australia. Can't wait to be settled SOMEWHERE!!!! Hubby is bricklayer by trade so there shouldn't be any problems

newkiwi

is this for a first home "in australia" or first home anywhere, ie if i sell a house in NZ and buy our fist house in Aus, do we qualify?

Buzzy--Bee

Never having owned a house in Australia means you will receive the FHOG as a New Zealand citizen.

BB