Have any Kiwis here actually gone through the process of applying for and being granted Permanent Residency? What's involved? Was it a smooth process? Any bad experiences, etc?

We are about to go through it, It has been a bit of a pain, We have had to get skilles assessed etc. We are now applying for a skilled migration vis sponsership as my aunty and uncle live in brisbane. We had hoped to get residence throuhg my husbands IT work but they assesed him at skills needs but not short listed in which his skills are short listed? cost $2500 for residence visa application, $300 medical check, and $3300 if we go through a immigration bearu. Takes upto one year.

We are going through this process also, our application was submitted a little over six months ago. There is a fairly narrow range of skilled jobs that Australia wants that can be your ticket, but expect a paperwork nightmare and to have spent just over $4000 for a family of four by the time you have had your qualification assessed, applied and completed visa medicals. We hope to have PR in about a year (from date of application) but no guarantees - they seem to be speeding the process up a little at the moment as there are a new raft of changes about to occur with the GSM scheme in July 2011.