The Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visa is a pathway for immigration to Australia for skilled workers who do not have sponsorship from an employer, family member, or a State or Territory government. It is an Australian PR visa that allows skilled workers to live, work, and study in the country, provided they meet the eligibility criteria under the skills assessment framework.
The Subclass 189 Visa permits the holders to travel from and to Australia multiple times for five years from the Visa approval. You can also sponsor your relatives to Australia through this Visa. As it is a Permanent Residency Visa, it also allows you to stay indefinitely in Australia. You are also allowed to include your family members in your Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visa application. The Visa permits you to enroll yourself in any chosen Healthcare Scheme in Australia.
To apply for Australia Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visa you must score at least 65 points on the Australia 65 Points Calculator. You must also submit an EOI - Expression of Interest and receive an ITA - Invitation to Apply from Skill Select. Once you receive the ITA, you get 60 days to submit your Visa application. You are required to submit all the necessary documents to support claims made in your profile while submitting the EOI.
Once you receive the Australia Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visa you and your accompanying family members can reside, study and work in Australia as PR or Permanent Residents.
You can either be overseas or in Australia when you submit your application for a Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visa. You must have a Bridging C, B, or A Visa or Substantive Visa to file your application from within Australia. After you apply from within Australia, you will be offered the Bridging Visa that allows you to stay in Australia while your visa application gets processed.
The Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visa offers all the benefits of Australia PR Visa to you including your accompanying family members:
The Subclass 189 Visa is available only for individuals who can fill a position on the SOL.
To apply for the Subclass 189 Visa, you must fulfill several requirements and the most essential of these are:
You must complete an assessment for skills and score the required points to qualify for the Subclass 189 Visa. The score must be as per the specification on your letter of invitation (stage 5).
In the next stage, you are required to submit an EOI through Skill Select. The Australian Skill Select program will have several queries regarding your skills, background, and applicable employment history. Your EOI will be visible to authorities in Australia and to employers as well who might be seeking candidates for hiring having skill-sets similar to that of yours. You will be invited to apply for Subclass 189 Visa if your EOI fulfills the Visa requirements and you obtain a sponsor or nomination.
The Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visa requires you to receive a nomination from a Territory or State Government or Sponsorship from a family member or employer in Australia. After you obtain the appropriate sponsor, you will receive the ITA for the Visa from them.
You can find an employer through the Skill Select program if you do not have a qualified relative or employer for the sponsorship. This program connects qualified skilled workers with employers seeking skilled overseas workers. You can also receive the nomination from a Territory or State Government through Skill Select.
After you get a sponsor, you must ask them to nominate you for the Subclass 189 Visa. Often, you can apply for this Visa at the same time your sponsor files their nomination application. Employers can submit the nomination application online through Australian Department of Home Affairs (DHA).
Once you identify an employer and receive the nomination, you can apply online for the Subclass 189 Visa with the DHA.
The DHA can take several months to declare its verdict on your Subclass 189 Visa application.
You will receive your Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visa once the DHA approves your application. You can then begin to work in Australia.
The Subclass 189 Visa point's allocation is based on the profile you have submitted in the EOI. Extensive details about your skills, occupation, qualifications and other particular details are captured by the EOI. Skill Select will rank you based on the points you score using this submission against contending immigrants in the program. The minimum score required to qualify for the application is 65 points.
Your profile in Skill Select will be allocated points as per the information that you have submitted in the EOI for the following criteria:
Only those applicants who are above 18 years and below 45 years at the time of receiving the ITA qualify for the Subclass 189 Visa.
| Points | Age |
| 25 | 18-25 years |
| 30 | 25-33 years |
| 25 | 33-40 years |
| 15 | 40-45 years |
You must demonstrate adequate skills in the English language through your score in tests such as IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, or OET.
| Points | English Proficiency |
| 0 | Competent |
| 10 | Proficient |
| 20 | Superior |
| Points | Qualification |
| 20 | Doctorate |
| 15 | Bachelor or Master's Degree |
| 10 | Diploma |
| 10 | Qualification or Award for Skilled Occupation |
| 0 | No Recognized Qualifications |
You will also be allocated points for your experience if it applies to the SOL.
Overseas Skilled Employment
| Points | Experience |
| 0 | Less than 3 Years |
| 5 | 3 to 4 Years |
| 10 | 5 to 7 Years |
| 15 | Minimum 8 Years |
OR
Australian Skilled Employment
| Points | Experience |
| 0 | Less than 1 Years |
| 5 | 1 to 2 Years |
| 10 | 3 to 4 Years |
| 15 | 5 to 7 Years |
| 20 | Minimum 8 Years |
Partner Skills
The Government of Australia can consider the skills of your partner or spouse for allocation of 5 extra points to you if your partner or spouse:
The Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visa has extensive and specific eligibility criteria that you need to fulfill to apply for and receive this Visa:
Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visa - English Requirements
You are required to have specific mandatory skills in the English language for the Subclass 189 Visa which can be demonstrated through results from any of the below tests:
| Required Score | Test |
| Minimum 6 for each of the 4 components | IELTS - International English Language Testing System |
| Minimum 13 for reading, 12 for listening, 18 for speaking, and 21 for writing | TOEFL iBT - Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based Test |
| Minimum 50 points for each of the 4 components | PTE Academic - Pearson Test of English Academic |
| Minimum B for each of the 4 components | OET - Occupational English Test |
| Minimum 169 in each of the 4 components | Cambridge C1 Advanced test |
Documents Checklist for Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visa
Documents play a very important in the approval of your application for a Subclass 189 Visa. Given below is the checklist of documents required for submitting the Visa application:
Subclass 189 Visa is a type of Australia PR Visa and several things as taken into consideration while deciding the Visa approval for each application. The general processing times for this Visa are as follows:
| Percentage Of Applications | Processing Time |
| 50% of applications | Processed in 4 months |
| 90% of applications | Processed in 5 months |
We at Nationwide Visas have assisted hundreds of individuals to successfully immigrate to Australia with their families through a Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visa. Our qualified and experienced Immigration Experts are equipped with the proficiency to accurately assess your case and advise the most suitable course of action for best serving your needs.
Nationwide has accumulated a treasure of goodwill and exhaustive experience over the last 17+ years in this dynamic immigration industry and has constantly facilitated a wide range of aspiring immigrants to achieve their overseas goals.
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