Applying for the Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)
What is the Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)?
The Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) is a working visa for Australian permanent residency, which gives you the privilege of living and working in Australia permanently. Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) is intended for skilled workers who meet the points test requirement and are not being sponsored by an employer, family member or nominated by a state or territory government. If you are applying for this visa to work in Australia, you are required to pass the points test before you can be invited to apply for this visa. The point test is used to choose the right candidates who possess the skills and attributes needed.
How do I score points for the Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)?
You can receive points for a number of reasons, including:
- The skills and qualifications you have acquired overseas
- Your age
- Your English language ability
- Your Australian work experience and/or Australian qualifications
- Your partner skills (if in a relationship)
Currently the minimum requirement to apply for the Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) is set at 65. You will need to keep improving your points to increase your chance of being invited to apply for this visa. Check how many points you currently have by clicking here!
What are the other requirements for the Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)?
To apply for the Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189), you must:
- Have a relevant occupation,
- Submit an expression of interest (EOI) in Skill Select,
- Have a positive skills assessment for the occupation,
- Meet the points test pass mark of 65 points,
- Be under 45 years of age at time of invitation,
- Have at least a Competent English,
- Be invited by the Australian government to apply.
What is a skill assessment for the Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) and why do I need it?
The Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189) can be applied for once you have received an invitation after you express your interest on SkillSelect. When lodging an Expression of Interest (EOI), you must nominate an occupation that is currently on the relevant skilled occupation lists (SOL). On your EOI, you will need to then provide proof that your skills and qualifications have been assessed as suitable for the nominated occupation you chose by the relevant assessing authority. A skills assessment is valid until the expiry date stated on the assessment or when three years from the date of issue has gone by, whichever happens first.
What is the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) and why do I need to nominate an occupation from this list for the Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189)?
The Skilled Occupation List (SOL), is a list of skilled occupations and is used as part of the points system for Immigration to Australia. In order for you to qualify for skilled migration to Australia, you must nominate an occupation from this list. However, if you are applying for skilled migration by a nomination through a State or Territory Government, you also have the option of nominating an occupation from the respective state’s skilled occupation list, which proclaims all of the occupations that are in demand be the state. All occupations on the current Skilled Occupation List (SOL) have the ANZSCO (Australia and New Zealand Skilled Classification of Occupations) code, which was previously called the ASCO (Australian Skilled Classification of Occupations).
What is the SkillSelect and Expression of Interest for the Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)?
The Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) does not require you to have a sponsor from Australian employer. However, you will need to be invited by the Australian government to apply for the visa. To receive an invitation you must first fill in an online application form known as Expression of Interest (EOI) on the government website called SkillSelect. SkillSelect is an online service that assists Australia in managing the skilled migration programme. It can help to ensure that the programme is based on Australia’s current economic needs. It goes hand in hand with the government, helping to manage who can apply for skilled migration, when and how many applicants can apply. Since this has taken place, the time to process a visa application has been significantly reduced.
How do you lodge an Expression of Interest on SkillSelect for the 189 Visa?
You will need to set up an account and login to SkillSelect in order to submit the Expression of Interest (EOI). By submitting an EOI, skilled workers and business people can show that they are interested in migrating to Australia and then can be considered for a skilled visa. Creating an account on SkillSelect and submitting an EOI is free. An EOI is NOT a visa application. You may be asked to provide a range of information in your EOI, such as:
- Your basic personal information,
- Your nominated occupation,
- Your current work experience,
- Your qualifications,
- Your current level of English,
- Your details of a skills assessment, which will need to be related to your nominated occupation,
- Your business and/or investment experience
Confusing? Put your concern aside! ONE derland Consulting can help your Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189) application. Click here and you will be connected right to us!
What if I am not in Australia when I apply for the Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)?
You can be either offshore or onshore when you apply for the visa and when Australian Immigrations decide your application. If you apply in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa or a subclass 010 Bridging A visa, a subclass 020 Bridging B visa or a subclass 030 Bridging C visa, otherwise your application will not be processed.
If you are seeking a professional advise to apply for the Skilled Independent visa, book a consultation with us here.
How long is the Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) processing time? What can make my application take longer to be processed?
If you receive an invitation, you will have 60 days to apply for the visa. For the Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189), the processing time generally takes about 9 – 19 months, while the actual processing times may vary due to individual circumstances as Australian Immigration assess applications on a case-by-case basis.
Due to COVID-19, your visa application processing times might be affected and may take longer to be finalised by the Department of Home Affairs. Moreover, applications volume, seasonal peaks, complex cases and incomplete applications, are mostly issues that induced visa processing times.
What is the best first step to take when applying for the Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)?
The most important first step to take is to make sure the information you’ve got is verified and sound. There is lot of information available on internet, but please be reminded that misinformation could lead to your Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) application being refused by Immigration.
The best way to make sure that the information you’ve got is sound and verified is by getting the information from a trusted source. Department of Home Affairs suggest Skilled Independent Visa applicant to seek help from a registered migration agent for their visa application.
We understand that applying for a visa to Australia is certainly very complex. Our visa specialists at ONE derland Consulting will help you assess your visa options. We have a 98% success rate and one of the most recommended migration agents in Australia. Read our 4.9* score customer reviews.
We specialise in complex visa cases. As a registered Australian migration agent with the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA), we are regulated in our professional practice and bound by the profession’s Code of Conduct issued by the Migration Agents Registration Authority.
Take the first leap and get in touch with us. Our migration agents are professional, honest and our team members are able to speak various languages such as Mandarin/ Chinese, Bahasa Indonesia, Arabic, Japanese, Polish, German and Russian. Contact us through email at [email protected] or via phone on 1300 827 159. Alternatively, you may book your consultation online and it is 100% refundable if you become our client.
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