移民

189 Skilled Independent visa

Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)  

Points-tested stream 

This visa lets invited workers with skills we need live and work permanently anywhere in Australia. 

Applicant must have: 

• have an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list 
• have a suitable skill assessment for the occupation 
• be invited to apply for this visa 
• satisfy the points test 

Eligibility 

1. Be invited to apply:  

You can only apply for this visa if we invite you to. See before you apply. 

Submit an expression of interest (EOI) to let us know you would like to apply for the visa. 

After you have submitted an EOI, you will be ranked against other intending applicants and might be invited to apply for the visa. 

Invitations are issued regularly through SkillSelect. 

2. Have a suitable skills assessment 

For your application to be valid, you must declare that you have a suitable skills assessment at the time of invitation. 

You will need to provide a copy of this skills assessment with your application. 

For medical and legal practitioners, we also accept the following as proof of a skills assessment: 

• full or unconditional or general medical registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency 
• conditional specialist registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. This only allows you to practise in your speciality. You need no further training or supervision 
• admission to practice law in the relevant state or territory 

Your skills assessment must have been obtained in the 3 years before the date of your invitation. If the assessment was for a shorter period, that period must not have passed. 

If your skills were assessed on the basis of a qualification you got in Australia when you held a student visa, the qualification must be from studying a course registered on CRICOS. 

3. Be this age: 

You must be aged under 45 when we invite you to apply for the visa. 

You can still apply for the visa if you turn 45 after we invite you to apply. 

If you turn 45 after you submit your EOI but before we invite you to apply, you will not be invited to apply. 

4. Be able to score 65 points or more:  

This is a points-tested visa. 

When you submit your EOI in SkillSelect you will be given an indicative points score based on the claims you have made. If you do not obtain a score of 65 points you will not be invited to apply for this visa. 

If we do invite you to apply for the visa, your invitation will state the number of points that you must score when we assess your application for grant of the visa (this score may be higher than 65 points, depending on your claims in the EOI).   

When you lodge your application you must provide evidence supporting your claims. 

To calculate how many points you may score use the points calculator. 

5. Have this level of English language 

At the time of invitation, you must have at least competent English. 

Meet the skills requirement: 

Your occupation must be on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations for the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) Point-Tested stream. 

Meet other requirements: 

• Meet our health requirement 
• Meet our character requirement 
• Sign the Australian values statement 
• Have no debt to the Australian Government 
• Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused 

Application Cost 

 This visa costs AUD 4,045 for the main applicant 

The second instalment charges are:  

family members: AUD 4885