The Australian Government has announced the new Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV) that will allow up to 3,000 people from the Pacific region to migrate to Australia as permanent residents each year.
Under this scheme model, the Government is showing its commitment to strengthening Australia’s ties with the Pacific family, enhancing people-to-people links, and encouraging greater cultural, business, and educational exchange.
The program, which will commence in July 2023, has a two-step application process, under which applicants must first register in a ballot and pay a fee of $25 and in the second stage, applicants will be selected by the ballot and then they will be able to apply for permanent residence in Australia.
What is the PEV ballot?
The ballot is an electronic random selection process that will be managed by the Department of Home Affairs. Successful entrants and their immediate family members will be able to apply for a PEV.
The ballot aims to provide eligible individuals from participating Pacific countries fair and transparent access to the program by randomly selecting ballot participants.
How to apply?
Applicants will register themselves, their partners, and dependent children on the ballot, and if successful, they will then apply for the visa.
The entrance to the ballot will cost $25, and registrations will be valid for a year. This means that, if the registered applicant is not selected in that time, a new registration will need to be submitted to enter the next ballot.
What are the eligibility requirements?
Requirements for being granted a visa include:
- Being aged 18 to 45 to enter the ballot
- Holding a passport from a participating country
- Having been born in, or having a parent who was born in, a participating country
- Being selected through the ballot process
- Having a formal offer for a full-time job in Australia
- Meeting basic English language, character and health requirements
Which countries will be involved?
Eligible countries include:
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Fiji
- Kiribati
- Nauru
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Republic of the Marshall Islands
- Samoa
- Solomon Islands
- Timor-Leste
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
Priority is being given to countries with limited permanent migration opportunities to Australia, or citizenship rights with New Zealand, France, and the United States.
The Australian Government continues to consult Pacific countries and Timor-Leste on their interest in participating in the program.
For further information, please email aisupport@absoluteimmigration.com to arrange an online consultation.
