Permanent residents of Australia have most of the same rights as citizens, with a few exceptions:

Rights included:

• Right to live and work anywhere in Australia indefinitely
• Access to Medicare
• Access to most social security payments (after a two-year newly arrived resident waiting period for many payments)
• Right to sponsor eligible family members for visas
• Access to free state school education for children
• Right to purchase residential property (subject to general market rules, without needing FIRB approval for established dwellings)
• Right to study at domestic student fee rates at Australian universities
• Access to HECS-HELP student loans for university study
• Eligibility for the Child Care Subsidy and Family Tax Benefit

Rights not included (until citizenship):

• Right to vote in Australian federal and state elections
• Right to hold an Australian passport
• Right to apply for most Australian Public Service positions requiring security clearance
• Right to serve on a jury (varies by state)
• Access to some Centrelink payments reserved for citizens

A permanent visa grant is not unconditional. The travel component of a permanent visa which allows re-entry to Australia after overseas travel is typically valid for 5 years from the date of grant. After this period, holders who have not become citizens must apply for a Resident Return Visa (RRV) before travelling abroad.

Permanent residents can have their visa cancelled if convicted of criminal offences carrying sentences of imprisonment, if false information was provided during the visa application, or if they fail to meet character requirements.

The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Commonwealth) prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin in areas including employment, accommodation, education, and access to goods and services.

Each state also has its own equal opportunity or anti-discrimination legislation. The Australian Human Rights Commission handles complaints under federal anti-discrimination law. Indian migrants who experience racial discrimination at work or in accessing services have formal complaint channels.

Permanent residents can apply for Australian citizenship after meeting residency requirements:

• Have been a permanent resident for at least one year
• Have been physically present in Australia for at least four years immediately before applying (no more than 12 months absent in total, and no more than 90 days absent in the final year)
• Meet character requirements (no substantial criminal record)
• Pass the Australian citizenship test

The citizenship test is multiple-choice with 20 questions from a published question bank. It covers Australian values, history, government structure, and civic life. The test is based on "Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond," a publicly available booklet. The pass mark is 75% (15 of 20 correct). The test is administered in English only.

A citizenship ceremony where applicants make the Australian Citizenship Pledge before an authorised celebrant completes the process.

India does not allow dual citizenship. Indian nationals who acquire Australian citizenship must surrender their Indian passport to the nearest Indian consulate or high commission. An Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, available to former Indian citizens, provides a lifelong multiple-entry visa to India (through the OCI “U” visa sticker), so holders do not need to apply for separate visas each time. It also offers several economic and residency-related benefits similar to those available to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), but it is not citizenship and does not grant voting rights.

All residents (permanent and temporary) are required to:

• Pay taxes on Australian-source income
• Follow Australian law
• Maintain visa conditions (for temporary visa holders)
• Report changes in circumstances affecting visa conditions to the Department of Home Affairs
• Enrol children in school (compulsory from age 6 to 17 in all states)

Providing false information in a visa application, a character declaration, or a sponsorship document is a criminal offence under the Migration Act 1958 and can result in visa cancellation, deportation, and permanent or multi-year bars on future applications.