Overview

Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) is a permanent points-tested visa, for skilled workers who:

• have a job on the Skilled occupation list and a suitable skills assessment

• are not nominated or sponsored by any organisation or any relative

• are invited to apply for this visa

• are under 45 years old

You can lodge an application for this visa in or outside of Australia and need to wait around 3 to 15 months for the visa result. The application cost is AUD 4,045.

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With a subclass 189 visa, you can:

• live in Australia indefinitely

• study and work with the full work rights in Australia

• enrol in Medicare, Australia’s public health care scheme

• become an Australian citizen if eligible

• sponsor eligible family members to come to Australia

• freely travel in and out of Australia for the first 5 years of the visa

Note: After the first 5 years from the date the visa is granted, you will need a Resident Return visa (RRV – subclass 155 or 157) or become an Australian citizen to re-enter Australia again as a permanent resident.

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To be eligible for a 189 visa, you must:

• be under 45 when lodging the application

• have an occupation on the Skilled occupation list

• pass a skills assessment to show your skills relevant to that occupation

• get at least 65 points from submitting an expression of interest (EOI)

• get an invitation (through SkillSelect) to apply for this visa

• have competent English skills (for example at least 6.0 IELTS or 50 PTE score)

• meet the health and character requirements

• not be in debt to the Australian government

• not have a visa cancelled or application refused before

• sign the Australian values statement

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*Eligibility for New Zealand citizens:

• possess a subclass 444 visa

• must have resided in Australia for at least 5 years continuously (since or before 19 February 2016)

• usually have a taxable income at or above a specific threshold for each of the four completed income years before lodging an application

• meet the health and character requirements

• not be in debt to the Australian government

• not have a visa cancelled or application refused before

• sign the Australian values statement

Processing time for New Zealand applications is usually between 14 to 22 months.