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Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189 Visa)

Learn about the Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189 visa) and discover how to migrate to Australia permanently with expert guidance and a smooth, stress-free process.

Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)

Benefits of the Australian Skilled Independent Visa

The Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) visa is a visa that lets you live, study and work in Australia permanently. There is no need for sponsorship from any employer, but you do need to nominate an occupation from the relevant skilled occupation list.  

Be able to live, work and study in Australia permanently

Apply for citizenship after holding this visa for 5 years

Get access to Australia’s public health care scheme – Medicare

Be able to sponsor eligible relatives to visit Australia

Be able to include your family members (e.g., spouse, child, etc.) and maintain familial bonds

Travel in and out of the country as many times as you want while your visa is valid for up to 5 years

Benefit of the Visa

Be able to live, work and study in Australia permanently

The Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) visa is a visa that lets you live, study and work in Australia permanently. There is no need for sponsorship from any employer, but you do need to nominate an occupation from the relevant skilled occupation list.  

Apply for citizenship after holding this visa for 5 years

Get access to Australia’s public health care scheme – Medicare

Be able to sponsor eligible relatives to visit Australia

Be able to include your family members (e.g., spouse, child, etc.) and maintain familial bonds

Travel in and out of the country as many times as you want while your visa is valid for up to 5 years

Requirements for the Australian Skilled Independent Visa

You must be under 45 years of age when you are invited to apply for the visa. This means that you can still apply for the visa if you turn 45 after you are invited. 

Please note: If you turn 45 after you submit your EOI, you will not be invited to apply.

You must have a positive Skills Assessment for the selected occupation from the relevant skills assessing body

You will need to provide evidence that you have Competent English language skills for living in Australia. This can include test result of an English language proficiency test that you recently undertook. Acceptable tests include IELTS, PTE, etc.

You must score a minimum of 65 points on your EOI before being invited to apply for the visa. The number of points you get is based on various factors such as your age, academic qualifications, employment history, English language skills, marital status, etc. You must be able to submit documents to support any claim that you make on your EOI. Relevant information and documents include:

  • Skills Assessment: Please note that this is a minimum requirement for being invited after submitting an EOI
  • Education Documents: This may include academic transcripts, certificates, completion letters, etc.
  • Employment Documents: This may include employment references, curriculum vitae, resume, etc.  Your work experience can count towards your overall points in your EOI.
  • English language skill: Although a minimum of Competent English language skills is required for the visa, having Proficient or Superior English skills can grant you extra points for your EOI (10 additional points for Proficient, 20 additional points for Superior)

Other documents: You can get additional points in your EOI by:
(a) passing a NAATI (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters) Credentialed Community Language (CCL) test
(b) completing a Professional Year in Australia

You must show you are of good character. This can be in the form of a police certificate from every country
where you have spent at least 12 months total. Additionally, you may need to undergo a health examination to meet the health requirement 

Partner or Dependent Visa Documents for Australian Skilled Independent Visa

Partner Document

You will need to provide your partner’s identity Documents (e.g., valid passport, national ID, identity photograph, etc.), police certificate, marriage certificate (if you two are married).

If your relationship with your partner is de facto, then you can either:

To prove that you two are in a genuine and continuing relationship, you must provide documents such as joint bank account statements, billing accounts in joint names, joint leases or mortgages, documents indicating that your partner has lived at the same address as you

Dependant Documents

If you have a child under 18 that is dependent on you and is applying with you, then you must provide copies of their passport, birth certificate, etc.

General Documents

Identity Documents

You will need to provide a copy of your valid passport along with a recent identity photograph. Also provide a national identity card if you have one, or any other such documents.

Relationship Documents

If you were married, widowed, divorced, or permanently separated, please submit supporting documentation, such as marriage or divorce certificates, death certificates, separation documents, or statutory declarations.

Police Certificate

If you have spent a total of 12 months or more in Australia, then you must provide an Australian police certificate. If not, then you must provide an overseas police certificate from your home country and any other country where you have spent a total of 12 months or more.

English Language Skill

You will need to provide evidence of Competent English Language skills for the visa.

Documents Required to support Claims in EOI

Skills Assessment

You will need to provide your positive skills assessment report. Please note that this is a minimum requirement for being invited after submitting an EOI.

Employment Documents

If you have skilled work experience overseas or in Australia in the occupation, then you must provide documents that support this claim. Please note that the more experience you have, the more points you can claim.

Education Documents

You must provide documents that show you if you have studied overseas or in Australia. Please note that having studied from an Australian institution grants you points for your EOI. If this was in a regional area in Australia, then you get additional points contributing to your total points in your EOI.

Other documents:

English Language Skill

Please note that your English language skills are considered while calculating your points. You can haveCompetent, Proficient, or Superior English. For Proficient and Superior, you get additional 10 and 20 points, respectively.

This visa allows invited workers, eligible nationals of New Zealand, and holders of Hong Kong or British national passports who possess the necessary skills to settle and pursue employment permanently anywhere in Australia. 

To check your eligibility