Is it realistic to get PR in Australia from India?
It is realistic for some profiles and not for others, and the difference is knowable in advance. Under 40, with an occupation on the skilled list, a positive skills assessment and IELTS 7.0 or better in each band, most applicants can build a competitive score. Over 45, or in an occupation off the list, the points route is closed regardless of experience.
The honest version
Australia is not hard because the rules are hidden. It is hard because the rules are strict and the numbers are public. That makes it possible to know your chances before you spend anything, which is the whole reason we run the assessment.
Profiles that usually work
- age 25 to 32 (30 points), a bachelor's degree (15), eight years of experience (15), Superior English (20): 80 points before any nomination, competitive in most occupations
- a nurse, teacher, engineer or trades occupation on the list, where states invite steadily and the 491 regional route accepts lower scores
- a couple where the partner also has a skills assessment and competent English, which adds 10 points
Profiles that usually do not
- age 45 or over: the points test gives no age points and the 189 and 190 are not available
- an occupation that is not on any current list, however senior the role
- English below 6.0 in a band, which stops the skills assessment for several authorities before the visa is even considered
- a degree the assessing authority does not recognise as relevant to the occupation
The part people underestimate
The skills assessment. Engineers Australia wants a competency demonstration report; ACS wants a detailed employment history with dated references; VETASSESS wants evidence that your duties match the occupation description, not just the title. Most refusals we see at this stage are documentation, not merit.
What to do
Take the free assessment. It runs the real points test, tells you which of the three visas fits, and says plainly if none does. Then commit to the skills assessment only if the score is worth it.
Sources
Checked against these on by Hari Prasad, Head of Sales — Australia Migration. Immigration rules change without notice — if you are reading this much later, check them again.