Subclass 189 – Skilled Independent visa

The Subclass 189 visa is a points‑tested permanent residency visa for skilled workers who are not sponsored by an employer, family member or state/territory government.
With this visa you can live, work and study anywhere in Australia.
It is designed for individuals with skills and qualifications in occupations Australia needs, and who meet the points test and other eligibility criteria.

Applicants must:

• Have an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list (e.g., MLTSSL) for Subclass 189.
• Have a suitable skills assessment for the nominated occupation.
• Meet the points test (minimum pass mark is 65 points, though higher points improve chances).
• Be under age 45 at the time of invitation (in many cases).
• Have competent English language ability.
• Meet health and character requirements.
• Lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) via the SkillSelect system and be invited to apply.

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ou obtain permanent residency — so you can stay indefinitely in Australia. The travel facility lasts for 5 years, after which a Resident Return visa may be needed to maintain re-entry rights.

Unlike many employer‑sponsored visas, Subclass 189 does not require you to have a job offer or be sponsored by an employer or state/territory government.However, you do need a recognised occupation (on the skilled list) and meet the relevant criteria (skills assessment, points, etc.).

Processing times vary depending on factors such as occupation demand, completeness of application, and health/character checks:

• Approximately 75% of applications are processed within 6 months.
• Approximately 90% within 17 months.
  Processing time can also include the waiting period for an invitation after submitting the EOI.

The base application fee for the main applicant is around AUD 4,600–4,900.Additional fees apply for each family/secondary applicant included in the application.Ancillary costs such as skills assessments, English tests, medical examinations, police checks, and translations are not included in this fee.

The Subclass 189 visa offers a very strong pathway to permanent residency in Australia for skilled professionals. Because you are not tied to an employer or state nomination, it gives flexibility to live and work anywhere in Australia. The key steps are: ensure your occupation is eligible, you meet the skills & points test, you submit a valid EOI and wait for invitation, then lodge a complete application. Budget for several months of processing and associated costs beyond just the government fee.