1. Subclass 189 Skilled Independent Visa

What You Can Do with a Skilled Independent Visa

With a valid Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189), you may live in Australia permanently, work and study anywhere in Australia, enrol in Australia’s public healthcare system (Medicare), sponsor eligible family members for permanent residence, travel to and from Australia for five years, and apply for Australian citizenship if eligible. This visa provides full permanent residency rights from the date it is granted.

• Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect

• Be invited by the Australian Government to apply

• Meet the minimum points requirement

• Have a suitable skills assessment for their nominated occupation

• Occupation Requirement: Applicants must nominate an occupation that appears on the relevant Skilled Occupation List for the visa (Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List).

• Skills Assessment: Applicants must obtain a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for their nominated occupation. The skills assessment must generally be obtained within three years before receiving the invitation to apply.

• Invitation to Apply: Applicants must first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect. If the applicant meets the required criteria and achieves a competitive points score, the Department of Home Affairs may issue an invitation to apply for the visa. After receiving the invitation, applicants usually have 60 days to lodge their visa application.

• Points Test: The Skilled Independent visa is a points-tested visa. Applicants must score at least 65 points based on factors such as age, English language ability, skilled work experience, educational qualifications, Australian study, partner qualifications, or other additional factors. In practice, invitations are often issued to applicants with higher points depending on the occupation and migration program settings.

• Age Requirement: Applicants must be under 45 years of age at the time they receive the invitation to apply for the visa.

• English Language Requirement: Applicants must demonstrate competent English or higher. Accepted tests may include IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, and Cambridge English. The required scores depend on the level of English claimed in the points test.

• Health and Character Requirements: Applicants and any included family members must meet Australia’s health and character requirements, which may include medical examinations, police clearance certificates, or background checks conducted by relevant authorities.

• Family Members: Applicants can include eligible family members such as partners and dependent children in the visa application. All family members must meet health and character requirements. Family members included in the application will receive permanent residency if the visa is granted.