Australia is rolling out a brand-new opportunity called the Pacific Engagement Visa (Subclass 192). This special pathway is meant just for citizens of Pacific Island nations and Timor-Leste who want to settle in Australia as permanent residents. What’s different about this visa is that it uses a lottery-style ballot to pick applicants, and Australia plans to give away 3,000 permanent residency spots every year.
Two Separate Streams to Fit Different Groups
Starting May 1, 2025, the Pacific Engagement Visa will have two streams. The Pacific Engagement Stream is open to most Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens. The Treaty Stream is only for Tuvalu, as this part of the visa helps Australia meet a promise made in the Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union treaty. Each stream will have its own ballot to pick applicants, so every community gets a pathway designed just for them.
The Pacific Engagement ballot begins on July 28, 2025, and closes on August 25, 2025. The Treaty ballot for Tuvalu citizens already finished on July 18, 2025. These timelines give people enough time to apply for the stream that matches their needs.
The New Splash for Access—Australia’s Passport to Opportunity
Australia’s visa initiative for Pacific residents is a game-changer, using an online draw to level the playing field for everyone, young or old, no matter the skills or background. All it takes to start is a $25 Australian ballot registration fee—definitely coffee money to some. The random grab represents a smart solution to the hotspot queue for permanent residency, yet it remains crystal clear for witnesses and players alike.
To step up, you need to tick a few must-do boxes: between 18 and 45 years old when the next round’s doors swing open, clutching a passport from an invited list, and either born in or having parents from an entry-ready country. Kiwis seated in other seats and folks already in a different country’s queue can’t join the line here.
More Than the Gate—Community, Culture, and Can-Do
The Pacific Engagement visa is not just a boarding ticket to Australia. It’s packed with a mission to deepen the bonds that already shine between Australian and Pacific homes. The plan opens doors for culinary exchanges, business brainstorms, and classroom buddy-up sessions that spin Australia’s Pacific network even thicker.
Those whose names sparkle on the final list earn permanent residency—immediate sunshine. Work, study, or sunrise fishing can happen on a new shore while you unpack the folks or hobby your way to your own corner of Australia.
Holders of this visa enjoy a five-year travel allowance from when the visa is granted, so you can visit family back home without losing your Australian residency. You can also add your spouse and dependent kids to your application, making it a great choice for families aiming for permanent residency in Australia.
The application cost begins at AUD $325, so it’s an affordable way to secure a path to living in Australia forever. Instead of using a complicated points system, the visa’s process picks applicants at random, so more people from the Pacific Islands and Timor-Leste can apply. This approach makes it easier for those communities to settle in Australia and start a new chapter of their lives.