Has anybody gained a permanent residency visa to Australia with a minor criminal record? How strict are they?

Question

Has anybody gained a permanent residency visa to Australia with a minor criminal record? How strict are they?

Answer 1

yes lots of people emigrate to oz with a criminal record, a lot of people have criminal records but it doesn't affect them, it's if youv'e served a prison sentence, and then it doesn't really matter if it was 6 months or so but once you go above that and depending on the crime you will get knocked back , obviously they don't want some one who is going to be a danger to Australian citizens, and they do quite right to do that

Answer 2

In order to get an Australian visa (residency or otherwise), a person must be of 'good character'.

A person will fail the character test if:

they have a substantial criminal record

they have, or have had, an association with an individual,   group or organisation suspected of having been, or being, involved in criminal conduct

having regard to the person's past and present criminal conduct, the person is found not to be of good character

having regard to the person's past and present general conduct, the person is found to be not of good character

there is a significant risk that the person will engage in criminal conduct in Australia, harass, molest, intimidate or stalk another person in Australia, vilify a segment of the Australian community, or incite discord in the Australian community or in a segment of that community, or represent a danger to the Australian community or a segment of that community.

A person is deemed to have a substantial criminal record if they have been:

sentenced to either death or life imprisonment

sentenced to a term of imprisonment for 12 months or more

sentenced to two or more terms of imprisonment (whether on one or more occasions), where the total of those terms is two years or more

acquitted of an offence on the grounds of either unsoundness of mind or insanity and, as a result, the person has been detained in a facility or institution.

This page has links to information on the character requirements:

http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/characte...

As you will see from the above, minor criminal convictions are excluded unless there are several terms of imprisonment which add to more than 2 years.

And, they are very strict. If a person is granted PR status and previously undisclosed criminal history comes to light, they may be deported.