Micronesians Face $25 Charge to Enter Australia's 3,000-Visa Residence Draw

Foreign nationals seeking Australian permanent residence through the Pacific Engagement Visa must now pay a registration fee to enter the ballot. The fee is set at $25, according to Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Key facts

• Registration fee: $25 to enter the ballot
• Visa: Pacific Engagement Visa, subclass 192, granting permanent residence
• Who can enter: Citizens of 12 eligible countries, including the Federated States of Micronesia and Timor-Leste
• Annual allocation: Up to 3,000 visas, covering principal applicants, partners and dependent children
• How: Online registration through the Department of Home Affairs' ImmiAccount platform during ballot open periods
• If not selected: A fresh registration is required for the next ballot

Who is affected?

The visa is open to citizens of 12 countries: the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. The programme is intended to strengthen ties between Australia and the wider Pacific region.

Workers already in Australia under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme can also register for the ballot, alongside applicants from their home countries.

How does the ballot work?

Applicants register online through the Department of Home Affairs' ImmiAccount platform while a ballot is open. Selection is entirely electronic and random, so every registered participant has an equal chance of being drawn.

Those selected are then invited to lodge a formal visa application and must show that they meet all relevant eligibility requirements before a visa can be granted. Registration alone does not guarantee a visa.

What happens if I am not selected?

Registrants who are not drawn in a given year must submit a new registration for the following ballot, provided they still meet the criteria at that time. Entries do not carry over between ballot rounds.

How many visas are available?

Up to 3,000 visas are made available each year. That total covers the principal applicants as well as their partners and dependent children, meaning one successful ballot entry can secure permanent residence for a family unit.

What this means for travellers

Nationals of the 12 eligible countries who want to take part should factor the $25 registration fee into their plans and register during a ballot open period through ImmiAccount. Anyone not selected must register again the following year, and selection in the ballot is only the first step — applicants must still meet all visa eligibility requirements.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says the programme aims to grow the Pacific and Timor-Leste diaspora in Australia while keeping connections with home countries, and to encourage exchange in culture, business and education. The source does not state when the registration fee takes effect or when the next ballot opens.