Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)

Why Skilled Independent Visa? 

The Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) is a point-based permanent residency visa for skilled workers who are not sponsored by an employer, state/territory government, or family. It targets overseas skilled individuals based on Australia’s skill needs.

As of the 2025-26 program year, invitations are issued quarterly via SkillSelect for predictable allocation, focusing on critical shortages in healthcare, engineering, education, and trades. The Skill stream has 132,200 places overall. 

Benefits Of Having A Skilled Independent Visa 

• Live, study, or work in Australia for an indefinite period 
• Access to Medicare and other public services 
• Eligibility for Australian citizenship after 4 years (including 12 months as PR) 
• Sponsor eligible relatives for PR 
• Multiple entry travel facility for 5 years (renewable) 
• No regional living or state commitments required 

Things To Do Before Applying For The Visa 

To apply, submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) via SkillSelect and achieve at least 65 points. Due to competition, aim for 75–85+ points. 

The points in EOI are awarded on different factors including 

• Age (max 30 points for 25–32 years) 
• English proficiency (up to 20 points for Superior) 
• Skilled employment (up to 20 points for 8+ years experience) 
• Educational qualifications (up to 20 points for PhD) 
• Australian study (5 points for 2 years full-time) 
• Professional Year in Australia (5 points) 
• Community language (5 points) 
• Partner skills (up to 10 points) 

**Note: Use the official Points Calculator on the Department of Home Affairs website. Update EOI regularly before quarterly rounds. 

General Eligibility Criteria 

To be eligible for this visa, you must 

• Be under 45 years at invitation 
• Nominate an occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) (priority: healthcare like Registered Nurses, trades like Electricians, STEM/engineering) 
• Have at least Competent English (IELTS 6.0 each band or equivalent), or equivalent in other tests like PTE (50 each) or TOEFL iBT (18/13/21/12) 
• Obtain a positive skills assessment from the relevant authority 
• Score at least 65 points on the points test (higher for invitation) 
• Meet health and character requirements 
• Have no outstanding debts to the Australian Government 
• For NZ stream: Hold Subclass 444 visa and meet residence criteria 

Health & Character Requirements 

You and all the family members are required to 

• Undergo medical examinations (valid 12 months; apply within this period)
• Provide police certificates from countries lived 12+ months in last 10 years (post-16) 

Evidence Of English Language Ability 

You must have achieved minimum scores in either of the following tests to show as an evidence of your competent English 

• At least 6.0 in each of four test components in IELTS 
• Or 50 in each component of PTE Academic 
• Or Equivalent Score in TOEFL iBT, OET, or CAE (higher scores for points: Proficient IELTS 7.0 = 10 points; Superior 8.0 = 20 points) 

You should be free from any outstanding debts to the Australian Government before the visa is granted. 

Eligible Family Members

When lodging a visa application, you can include following family members in your visa application

• Spouse or de facto partner 
• Dependent children or stepchildren (unmarried, under 23 or older if incapacitated) 

Not sure about your eligibility? Get in touch with our team of Registered Migration Agents and be sure of getting everything in place. 

DISCLAIMER: The information provided here is only for general understanding and does not constitute legal advice. We recommend to check for updated information with the Department of Home Affairs at https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skilled-independent-189