Pathways from temporary visas to permanent residency: a case study of migrants that arrived in 2006-07

Australia’s future population growth is expected to be largely driven by overseas migration. While some migrants apply directly for permanent residency while offshore, many migrants first enter the country on temporary visas.

Using the cohort of migrants that arrived in 2006–07, this quick guide provides a case study into the different pathways that temporary migrants take through Australia’s migration system to become permanent residents. It uses data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) Multi‑Agency Data Integration Project (MADIP) to explore the migration pathways of individuals who arrived on student, temporary skilled or working holiday maker visas in 2006–07 and how they moved through the system over the next decade.