The Australia Subclass 189 visa or the Skilled Independent visa invites eligible and suitable workers with skills required by the country. There are three streams of the subclass 189 visa:
- Skilled Independent -New Zealand (now permanently closed)
- Skilled Independent (subclass 189) – Points tested
- Subclass 189 – Hong Kong stream
You must be younger than 45 years old to be eligible for this PR visa. The Skilled Independent visa does not require any sponsorship or nomination.
Overview
Eligibility Requirements for the Australia Subclass 189 Visa – Points Tested Stream
Before applying to the Points Tested Stream of the Australia Subclass 189 visa, make sure that you meet all the eligibility requirements listed below.
| Eligibility Factors | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Age | You must be younger than 45 years at the time of getting an invitation to apply |
| Have an active EOI | Before applying for the Australia subclass 189 visa, you must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect |
| Score 65 EOI points | While creating an EOI for the Skilled Independent Visa, you will get points for your language proficiency, work experience, etc. You must get at least 65 out of 145 points to be eligible for the subclass 189 visa. |
| Language Proficiency | You must demonstrate competent English skills in one of the language proficiency tests. The Australian Department of Home Affairs accepts IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE, and CAE tests. The language test results are valid for 3 years. |
| Eligible Occupation | Your work experience and qualifications must be relevant to one of the 215 eligible skilled occupations for the subclass 189 visa. |
| Get an Invitation to Apply | You can only apply for this PR visa if you get an invitation to apply from the Australian DoHA. Your Expression of Interest notifies the Australian DoHA that you want to apply for the subclass 189 visa. Your EOI will be ranked against the other applicants. If your EOI is suitable, the DoHA will invite you to apply. |
| Positive Skills Assessment | You must provide a positive skills assessment result within 60 days of getting an invitation to apply. The Skills Assessment is provided by the assessing authority of your occupation. For example, if your occupation is an economist, the Skills Assessment will be given by the VETASSESS. |
| Health requirements | You must meet the health requirements for Australia and take the medical exam if applicable. |
| Character Requirements | To be eligible for the Australia subclass 189 visa, you must have no criminal record. You might be asked to submit a Police Clearance Certificate to demonstrate your record. |
| Debt Free | You must have no outstanding debt towards the Australian government |
EOI Score for the Australia Subclass 189 Visa – Points Tested Stream
The EOI scoring factors and points for the Subclass 189 visa are similar to the Subclass 190 visa. The points table is given below.
| Age | |
| Scoring Factors | Points |
| 18-25 years | 25 |
| 25-33 years | 30 |
| 33-40 years | 25 |
| 40-45 years | 15 |
| English Language Proficiency | |
| Scoring Factors | Points |
| Competent English | 0 |
| Proficient English | 10 |
| Superior English | 20 |
| Skilled Work Experience (Outside Australia) | |
| Scoring Factors | Points |
| Less than 3 years | 0 |
| 3-5 years | 5 |
| 5-8 years | 10 |
| At least 8 years | 15 |
| Skilled Work Experience (Inside Australia) | |
| Scoring Factors | Points |
| Less than 1 year | 0 |
| 1-3 years | 5 |
| 3-5 years | 10 |
| 5-8 years | 15 |
| At least 8 years | 20 |
| Academic Qualifications | |
| Scoring Factors | Points |
| PhD or Doctoral degree | 20 |
| Bachelor degree | 15 |
| Diploma or trade certification from an Australian institute | 10 |
| A recognized award for a nominated occupation as a suitable occupation | 10 |
| Australian Education and Work Experience | |
| A Master’s or Doctoral degree from an Australian institution | 10 |
| Meeting Australian study requirements | 5 |
| A Degree, diploma, or trade certification from an institute in regional Australia | 5 |
| Completing a Professional year in Australia | 5 |
| Qualified in a community language | |
| Have a recognized qualification in an Australian community language | 5 |
| Points for Partner | |
| If the partner is: – Competent in English – Is younger than 45 years – Has the same skilled occupation as you – Has a positive skills assessment | 10 |
| The partner has scored enough points to get competent English | 05 |
| You are single or your partner is an Australian PR or a citizen | 10 |
| Maximum Points | 145 |
Documents Checklist for the Australia Subclass 189 Visa
Before initiating your 189 visa application, ensure that you have all the documents listed below.
- A valid passport that includes your personal details
- Birth certificate
- Marriage certificate – if applicable
- Language test results – valid for 3 years
- Skills Assessment result from the relevant authority
- Copies of academic degrees, diplomas and certificates
- Bridging A or Bridging B visa – if applicable
- Police Clearance Certificate
- Medical Exam result
All documents must be in color and in English. If they are in any other language, they must be translated by an authorized translator.
Please note: This is not a complete document checklist for the Subclass 189 visa. A complete list of documents varies according to the profiles of applicants. You can contact Talent Connected Worldwide to get your case assessed by one of our experts and get a complete list of documents for the Skilled Independent Visa.
Step-by-Step Application Process for the Australia Subclass 189 Visa
Applying to the Subclass 189 visa involves two phases:
Phase 1 – Creating and submitting the Expression of Interest (EOI)
Phase 2 – Getting the invitation to apply and then applying for the subclass 189 visa
Phase 1- Creating and Submitting an EOI
If you are eligible, the very first step is to create an EOI in SkillSelect. This involves:
- Creating an account with SkillSelect
- Creating an Expression of Interest for the subclass 189 visa. You will need to provide information about your age, language proficiency, work experience, occupation, etc.
- The SkillSelect system will award you a score out of 145 points. You must get at least 65 points to be eligible.
Phase 2 – Getting the Invitation to Apply and Applying for the Australia Skilled Independent Visa
The Australian DoHA announces invitation rounds regularly depending on the demand for skilled workers. Submitting an EOI does not guarantee an invitation to apply for the subclass 189 visa.
If you are invited to apply for the Skilled Independent Visa, you must apply within 60 days of being invited.
The visa application will involve the following steps.
- Gather all mandatory documents.
- Log into the SkillSelect account and select the ‘Apply for Visa’ option.
- This will lead to the ImmiAccount where you will apply for the visa
- Initiate your application and upload all the required documents
- Pay the application fee of $4765 (AUD)
- Take your medical exams and give biometrics if applicable
- If your application is approved, you will get your visa grant number and its starting date.
Processing time & Fees for the Australia Subclass 189 Visa
The processing time for the Subclass 189 visa is around 18-19 months. You can reduce the processing time by submitting a complete application with all the required documents.
The non-refundable application fee for the PR visa is $4765 (AUD).
EOI Invitations in 2024 for the Australia Subclass 189 Visa
All the rounds of invitations for the Australia Subclass 189 visa in 2024 are given in the table below. Till now the Australian DoHA has invited 21,429 candidates to apply for the Skilled Independent visa.
| Month | Number of EOIs Invited for Subclass 189 Visa |
|---|---|
| January | 4895 |
| February | 231 |
| March | 176 |
| April | 146 |
| May | 192 |
| June | 4363 |
| July | 3367 |
| August | 86 |
| September | 7973 |
| Total EOI Invites | 21429 |
The Australia Subclass 189 visa is one of the most popular PR visas among immigrants. If you aim to become an Australian Permanent Resident, it can be a great option.
Contact Talent Connected Worldwide to learn about your options.
