189 Visa – Skilled Independent Visa

Skilled Independent Visa / Australia 189 Visa Eligibility

To be eligible for Australia 189 Visa, you must meet these requirements:

• Have a relevant occupation on the 189 visa occupation list (MLTSSL),
• Have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation,
• Lodge an EOI and be invited to apply,
• Meet the points test pass mark of 65 points,
• Be aged between 18 and 44 inclusive,
• Show that you are competent in English,
• Be invited to apply,
• Meet health and character requirements.

Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) streams

There are two streams in 189 visa Australia, they are point-tested stream and New Zealand Stream.

Point-tested stream

When you are applying 189 visa Australia through poin-tested stream, you must have an occupation listed on the relevant skilled occupation list, you must have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation, and you must be invited to apply for subclass 189 visa.

New Zealand stream

This subclass 189 visa stream is for eligible New Zealand citizens who have demonstrated commitment and contribution to Australia, live and work in Australia permanently.

189 Visa Point-tested stream basic eligibility and benefits

To be able to obtain Skilled Independent visa through point-tested stream, there is basic eligibilities to apply for 189 visa Australia that you need to meet:

• You don’t need a sponsor or nominator;
• You must be invited to apply or through an Expression of Interest (EOI);
• You must be under 45 years’ old.

Benefits of getting 189 visa through point-tested stream.

• This is a permanent visa, so you can stay in Australia indefinitely.
• The visa has a travel component that expires 5 years after the date of the visa grant.
• After five years, you will need to apply a Resident Return (RRV) visa (subclass 155 or 157) to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.

More benefits from point-tested stream:

• You can work and study in Australia;
• You can enrol in Australia’s public health care scheme, Medicare;
• Sponsor your relatives to come to Australia;
• If eligible, you can become an Australian citizen.

New Zealand stream basic eligibilities and benefits

To be able to obtain Australia 189 visa through New Zealand stream, these are the basic eligibilities that you need to meet:

• You must hold a New Zealand Special Category (subclass 444) visa;
• You must have started living here on or before 19 February 2016;
• You must have lived in Australia for at least the last 5 years.

Benefits of getting obtain skilled independent visa through New Zealand stream.

Beside of being a permanent residence and opportunities to became Australian citizen, obtaining 189 visa through New Zealand stream offers you more benefits such as:

• You can work and study in Australia;
• You can enrol in Australia’s public health care scheme, Medicare;
• Sponsor your relatives to come to Australia;
• If eligible, you can become an Australian citizen.

How long is a visa 189 Australia valid for?

Before applying for Australia visa 189, you may be curious of how long this visa is valid for. Visa 189 Australia is a permanent visa, which means there is no expiration date for this visa. Hence, if you held this visa, you are able to work and live permanently in Australia.

Is 70 or 75 points enough for visa 189 Australia?

As mentioned above, you need to meet the points test pass mark of 65 points to apply for Australia visa 189. However, how much is actually the points that you need? Will 70 or 75 points, which surely are higher than 65, enough for visa 189 Australia?

70 or 75 points might be enough for you to apply for visa 189 Australia. However, it is much better if you could get a higher point. In order to apply for Australia visa 189, the higher points you get, the higher chance to get invited by the Australian Government. Hence, if you have got 70 or 75 points, we would recommend you to keep going and try to get a higher point, so your chance to be invited for visa 189 Australia will be higher.

Is Australia 189 visa open in Australia?

Australia 189 visa is opened for applicants both in Australia and outside Australia. You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for this visa and when the Department decide on your visa application.

If you apply for Australia 189 visa while in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa or a Bridging Visa A (subclass 010), Bridging Visa B (subclass 020), or Bridging Visa C (subclass 030).

What differentiate visa 189 and visa 190?

As we know, General Skilled Migration program has three different visa subclasses, namely Australia 189 visa, Australia 190 visa and Australia 491 visa. You may notice that both Australia 189 visa and Australia 190 visa are permanent visa and both of them are skilled point-tested visa. So, what differentiate these visa subclasses?

First, we can see the difference of these visa subclasses by its name. Visa 189 Australia or Skilled Independent visa allows the applicants to choose where to live or work independently. It means you can live and work in any area of Australia permanently. Meanwhile, if you apply for Visa 190 Australia or Skilled Nominated Visa, you will be invited by a certain state or region of Australia. It means, you can only live and work in the state or region that invites you.

In line with the explanation above, if you apply for a visa 189 Australia, you will be invited by the Australian Federal Government. However, if you apply for visa 190 Australia, a certain Australian state or region government will invite you to work in their state or region.

Furthermore, in applying for a visa 190 Australia, you would need to meet the requirement of the state that you aim, for example, if you apply for a visa 190 Australia and aiming to work in the state of Western Australia, you need to meet the Western Australia state’s requirements as well.

In this case, visa 189 Australia seems simpler than visa 190 Australia as you do not need to meet additional requirement from Australian state or region. Additionally, if you hold a visa 189 Australia, you can live and work anywhere in Australia.

So, is visa 189 Australia better than visa 190 Australia?

You are the one who is eligible to answer this question. You are the only person that eligible to decide whether visa 189 Australia is better than visa 190 Australia, or vice versa, because you need to see and think your first main purpose before applying for the visa.

If you have a certain state or region in mind to work and live permanently, applying for visa 190 Australia might be the best answer. However, if you do not mind to live and work in any state or region, applying for an Australia 189 visa might be the best answer.

The cost of Australia 189 visa

As per July 2021, the cost for the main applicant of Australia 189 visa is AUD $4,115. If you have a dependent applicant age 18 years old or older and has less than functional English, you will need to pay for additional charge of AUD $4,890.

The additional charge for the dependent applicant is payable when the Department ask you to.

Please be noted that the visa fee might increase in July every year.

Skilled Independent Visa – Subclass 189 Visa Frequently Asked Questions

ONE derland Consulting managing director and also registered migration agent, Indah Melindasari, B.Com (MARN 0961 448) is here to answer your 189 visa Australia questions!

1. How to check my occupation? Does my occupation have to be listed?
   • You may refer to the Skilled Occupation List from the Department of Home Affairs website, and your nominated occupation has to be on the list.
2. How many points do I need to have?
   • You need to reach 65 points, at the minimum.
   • The higher points you get, the better chances you will have against other migrants.
3. How to calculate my points?
   • Points may come from: Your age, English language requirements, work experience (inside and outside Australia), recognised qualification, partner skills, State or Territory nomination and regional study.
   • We have a system made for you to see the bigger picture of your points. Please click here.
4. What is a positive skills assessment? How to get that?
   • All occupations on the MLTSSL have a relevant skills assessing authority, which have their own assessment procedures, timeframes and charges.
   • Skills assessment is used to examine skills you have in order to meet the standards to work in your chosen profession.
5. Can I include my family in Subclass 189 visa application?
   • You can include your partner and/or dependent children in your Subclass 189 visa application, either when you lodge the visa application or add them afterwards, but before the Department finalises your application.
6. How much does Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) visa cost?
   • Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) costs AUD4,045 for the main applicant, and there will be an additional charge if you include your partner and/or dependent children.
   • If your family members who have turned 18 at the time of application and who are assessed as not having functional English, you might have to pay the second instalment which is AUD $4,885.
   • The cost is as per October 2020 and will increase every July each year.
7. Where can I apply for 189 visa Australia?
   • You can apply for Australia 189 visa while you are onshore or offshore. For onshore applications, you must be on a substantive or relevant bridging visa when you apply.
8. How long is the processing time for 189 visa?
   • Visa 189 Australia generally takes from 6 to 12 months to be processed, assuming that you meet all the requirements and provide all additional request in time.
9. How long can I stay using 189 visa?
   • Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) is a permanent visa, which allows you and your family to stay in Australia indefinitely.
   • Visa 189 Australia expires five years after the Department grant it, and you may renew the visa before it expired.

Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189 Visa) Five Steps Process

Check your occupation, points and eligibility visa 189 Australia

Before starting to apply for a Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) Australia, you have to understand the process, check your occupation, must be aged under 45 or turn 45 after being invited to apply, able to score 65 points or more.

After all the requirements are meet and upon receiving the invitation, then you are eligible to apply for subclass 189 visa Australia.

Submit an Expression of Interest

Once you are eligible to apply for an Australian working visa and receive positive skills assessment outcome, thereon, You are required to submit an Expression Of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect.

Waiting for the invitation

After you submit the EOI, you need to wait until you are invited. Each year the Department issues a different number of invitations.

It is based on the number of applications they receive and process. During this time, your EOI is valid for 2 years.

You can access your EOI and update any information at any time, such as if you have gained a new work experience, a higher qualification, improved your English language ability or your family make up has changed.

If you receive an invitation to lodge a visa application, it will be too late to update your EOI.

Gather all the required documents

If you are qualified, meet the requirements, and score the highest among all migrants in the same subclass, the Department will invite you to apply for the visa.

This time, you have to gather documents to apply for the visa.

You have 60 days to lodge an Australia 189 visa application after receiving an invitation for 189 visa from DIBP. Please keep in mind you are eligible to apply only if you receive an invitation.

Apply for the visa within 60 days of invitation

The Department gives you a timeframe to apply for the visa within 60 days. Once your documents are ready, you may lodge the visa.

Quick Links Related to Australia 189 Visa

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Western Australia Skilled Migration Occupation List

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Tasmanian Skilled Occupation List

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