Skilled Independent visa subclass 189
Points tested stream
Skilled Independent visa subclass 189 is a permanent visa that allows you to stay in Australia indefinitely. With this visa you do not need to be sponsored by a State/Territory Government of relative. You can apply for this visa when you are in or outside of Australia. If you apply in Australia, you must hold a substantive or a Bridging visa A, B or C visa. You can include your family at the time of lodgement of your visa application or add them after you lodge your application but before the visa application is decided.
If you are a holder of a New Zealand Special Category (subclass 444) visa, please refer to Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) New Zealand stream.
Points tested stream
Skilled Independent visa subclass 189 is a permanent visa that allows you to stay in Australia indefinitely. With this visa you do not need to be sponsored by a State/Territory Government of relative. You can apply for this visa when you are in or outside of Australia. If you apply in Australia, you must hold a substantive or a Bridging visa A, B or C visa. You can include your family at the time of lodgement of your visa application or add them after you lodge your application but before the visa application is decided.
If you are a holder of a New Zealand Special Category (subclass 444) visa, please refer to Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) New Zealand stream.
- Your occupation must be on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations for the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) Point-Tested stream.
- You must first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect which will notify the Department of Home Affairs of your interest to apply for this visa. You must then be invited by the Department of Home Affairs before you are eligible to apply for the visa. You will be ranked against other intending applicants and may be invited to apply for the visa.
- At the time of invitation, you must declare that you have a suitable skills assessment issued by the relevant skills assessing authorities. Your skills assessment must have been obtained within 3 years of the date of your invitation. You will need to provide evidence of your skills assessment with your application.
- You must be aged under 45 at the time of invitation by the Department of Home Affairs.
- As a points-tested visa you will be given an indicative point score with your EOI in SkillSelect. You will need to obtain a minimum score of 65 points to be invited to apply for this visa. Depending on the claims you have made in your EOI, if you are invited, your invitation will state the score you must score for your application to be accepted. This may be higher than 65 points. You will be required to provide evidence to support your claims.
- The Applicant parent and any family members applying for the visa must meet immigration health and character requirements.
- For this visa you must show evidence of at least competent English. See below the minimum required English language test score:
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS): At least 6 for each of the 4 components.
- Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT): At least 12 for listening, 13 for reading, 21 for writing and 18 for speaking.
- Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic): At least 50 for each of the 4 components.
- Occupational English Test (OET): At least B for each of the 4 components
- Cambridge C1 Advanced test: At least 169 in each of the 4 components
New Zealand stream
Skilled Independent visa subclass 189 New Zealand stream is a permanent visa that allows you to stay in Australia indefinitely. When applying for this visa you must be in Australia and you must be holding a Subclass 444 visa. You can include family members in your application when you lodge the application or add them after lodgement before the visa decision.
- You must be a holder of a New Zealand Special Category (subclass 444) visa. If you are included family members who are in Australia they must be holders of a substantive visa, or a Bridging A, B or C at the time of application. Family members outside of Australia are not required to hold a visa.
- You must have lived in Australia continuously for at least 5 years before the date of your application. The continuous period of usual residence in Australia must have started on or before 19 February 2016.
- The Applicant parent and any family members applying for the visa must meet immigration health and character requirements.
- You will need to satisfy the income requirement. Your taxable income for 4 completed financial years before you apply, must be at, or above, the minimum income threshold listed in the relevant regulatory instrument for that income year. You will need to provide financial evidence to meet this requirement.