192 Pacific Engagement Visa: Ballot, Job Offer & PR

Overview

The Subclass 192 Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV) is a permanent visa for nationals of participating Pacific countries and Timor-Leste who are selected in an annual random ballot and have a genuine offer of ongoing employment in Australia. There is no points test and no skills assessment — selection is by ballot, and the core requirements are a qualifying job offer, age and English. It grants permanent residence from arrival, family can be included, and it leads to Australian citizenship.

The Subclass 192 Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV) is a permanent visa for nationals of participating Pacific countries and Timor-Leste. It is unusual in Australian migration: there is no points test and no skills assessment — selection is by an annual random ballot — and it grants permanent residence from arrival, with a pathway to citizenship.

How selection works — the ballot

You register during an annual window and pay a small fee. Places are then drawn at random: being selected is a matter of chance, not points or merit. Registration alone does not let you apply — only selected registrants can go on to lodge, and they have a limited period to do so.

The job offer is the real hurdle

To lodge, you need a genuine offer of ongoing employment in Australia that meets the requirements. In practice, this — not the ballot itself — is where most selected applicants get stuck. Lining up a suitable employer and getting the paperwork right inside the deadline is the part worth getting help with.

Who can take part

The PEV is open to nationals of participating Pacific countries and Timor-Leste, aged 18 to 45, with functional English. The list of participating countries and the places allocated to each are set each program year and have been expanding, so check the current arrangements before you register.

Why it matters

For many Pacific families the PEV is the most accessible route to permanent residence in Australia — no points, no occupation list, and family included. If you are weighing it against a temporary labour-mobility placement (PALM) or employer sponsorship, the difference is stark: the 192 is permanent from day one.

Fees and processing times shown above are sourced from the Department of Home Affairs and displayed with the date verified.

Who is eligible for the Subclass 192 visa?

Be a national of a participating Pacific country or Timor-Leste (the participating-country list is set each year — check the current list)
Register for, and be randomly selected in, the annual Pacific Engagement Visa ballot
Be aged 18 to 45 at the time of application
Have a genuine offer of ongoing employment in Australia that meets the requirements
Meet functional English, health and character requirements

How much does the Subclass 192 visa cost?

The base application charge is A$345. An additional A$85 applies per applicant aged 18 or over. A separate ballot registration fee applies before you can apply. Checked against the official Home Affairs pricing table on 7 October 2026. See every Subclass 192 stream's charge and processing time, or compare every visa on our Australian visa fees table. Fees are indexed each year — see the official Visa Pricing Estimator for the current figure.

How long does the Subclass 192 visa take to process?

See the official global visa processing times .

How do you apply for the Subclass 192 visa?

Register in the annual ballot. Register during the ballot window and pay the small registration fee. Registration does not guarantee selection — places are allocated by random draw.
Be selected. If your registration is randomly selected, you (and included family) become eligible to apply within the set period after selection.
Secure a qualifying job offer. Obtain a genuine offer of ongoing employment in Australia that meets the visa's requirements.
Lodge and arrive as a permanent resident. Lodge the 192 with your job offer and supporting evidence; once granted you enter Australia as a permanent resident.

How it compares

Feature	192 Pacific Engagement	403 PALM (labour mobility)	482 employer-sponsored
Status	Permanent	Temporary	Temporary (PR via 186)
Selected how	Annual ballot	Employer / scheme	Employer sponsorship
Job offer needed	Yes	Yes	Yes (sponsor)
Points / skills test	No	No	Occupation list
Leads to	Citizenship	Return / other visas	PR via 186

Frequently asked questions

How does the Pacific Engagement Visa ballot work?

You register during an annual window and pay a small fee. Places are then allocated by a random draw — being selected is a matter of chance, not merit. Only if you are selected can you go on to apply, and you then have a set period to lodge with a qualifying job offer.

Do I need a job offer before or after I'm selected?

You need a genuine offer of ongoing employment in Australia to lodge the visa. Many applicants line up the job offer after being selected in the ballot, within the period allowed to apply. Securing a suitable offer is often the hardest part — a migration agent can't find you a job, but can check whether an offer you've found qualifies.

Which countries can take part?

The Pacific Engagement Visa is for nationals of participating Pacific countries and Timor-Leste. The list of participating countries and each country's places are set each program year, so check the current arrangements — the program has been expanding.

Is the 192 really permanent residence?

Yes. Unlike temporary labour-mobility arrangements, the Pacific Engagement Visa grants permanent residence from arrival, you can include family, and it leads to Australian citizenship.

I've been selected in the ballot — what should I do now?

Act promptly: you have a limited period to lodge, and you need a qualifying job offer and health, character and English evidence in place. This is the point where getting the application right matters most — a registered migration agent can check that your job offer qualifies and help you assemble the documents inside the deadline.

Pacific Engagement Visa (Subclass 192)