Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)

The Skilled Independent Visa falls under the points-tested stream and lets invited individuals work, study and live anywhere in Australia. This visa allows skilled workers to reside permanently in Australia with an occupation included in the Skilled Occupation List (SOL). Once an EOI has been lodged, you must wait for an invitation from the Department to proceed with your visa appeal. Applicants can be inside or outside the Australian territory while making the application. Additionally, no further sponsorship by any Australian employer, family member, or nomination by the State or Territory Government is required to apply for permanent residence under a Skilled Independent Visa.

Eligibility conditions for 189 Visa

• Points test and invitation
  You must lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) and be invited to apply for this visa. After the receipt of an invitation, you are required to obtain at least the minimum score requirement in the points test to apply. As of now, the minimum requirement is 65 points but there are also some occupations that require more than 65 points to be considered.
• Occupation and skills
  You must possess skills in an occupation on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations under SOL. An honest skill assessment should be performed through the authorized assessing authority to verify that you have the skills and qualifications to work in your chosen occupation. Factors like age, language proficiency, previous overseas work experience, international qualifications, and spouse skill qualifications are to be assessed during this process.
•  English language proficiency
  In case you do not hold a USA, UK, NZ, Canadian, or Irish passport, you must have at least competent English language ability at the time of your invitation. You will need a score of at least 6 in each component of the IELTS, or equivalent score in any accepted English test. You can provide evidence of at least competent English; however, additional points will be awarded for proficient and superior English scores.
• Age requirements
  You must be below 45 years of age when you are invited to apply. If you are including family members in the appeal, there are age requirements for those members as well that need to be in check. Your spouse must be at least 18 years of age at the time of application. Your child must either be under 18 years or under 23 years and dependent on you or over 23 years and unable to earn a living due to physical limitations. A dependent child of a child who comes under the mentioned conditions is also considered eligible.
• Health and character
  All necessary health and character requirements as per the relevant assessment must be fulfilled for eligibility to apply. Certain health requirements must be fulfilled by the applying party through a medical examination by paying a certain amount of fee. All applicants over the age of 16 must provide police clearances.

Processing time and cost for 189 Visa

Average processing time

The regular time period set forth for candidates for eligible application for the 189 Visa is within 60 calendar days after the invitation is received. The Department of Immigration is supposed to commence the processing of your application once you have lodged it with all requirements met. As of now, the average processing time for applications globally comes to 90% in 8 months.

The time to successfully process an application may vary depending on each case. External agencies and governmental bodies may take some time to conduct checks and verify the data presented in your application. To avoid any delays that may arise from your side, you must ensure that a complete and fully-checked application is filed on your behalf and any additional requests by the department must be handled promptly.

Average estimated cost

The fees associated with applying for 189 Visa fees are prescribed by the Department of Home Affairs and are updated from time to time which can be easily checked in the department’s online portal as well. The relevant fees are payable on the lodgment of your 189 Visa application.

The primary application fee of an individual applying for a 189 Visa is AU$ 4,460 at present. However, this fee only includes the initial primary fee for a single individual applying for a Skilled Independent Visa.

Additional fees are applicable for individuals who are looking to include their spouse or children in their application. The amount of additional fees varies according to the age and relationship of the included individual with the applicant. This is constantly being updated by the Department of Home Affairs and can easily be checked from their online portal as well.

Privileges linked with the 189 Visa

•  Entitlement to stay in Australia indefinitely.
•  Work and study rights in Australia.
• The opportunity to enroll in the Australian health insurance scheme.
• Right to apply for Australian citizenship once you become eligible.
• Sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence.
•  Travel to and from Australia for up to five years.

Steps to apply for the Skilled Migration Visa (Subclass 189)

We have a very straightforward and principled process of visa appeal which ensures you the best results. Our agents and lawyers are always with you throughout the process of your application and they will make sure that your personal application is up-to-date with all the constantly changing policies and figures. You can go through these steps in order to apply for your desired visa type:

1. Schedule a free consultation with our team through our portal where we shall go over your case briefly to provide you with the necessary recommendations.
2. Perform an assessment of your English language proficiency. To be invited to apply a minimum score of 65 is to be obtained in the Points Test. You can also take an International English Language Testing Systems (IELTS) test in Australia, or in your country of origin.
3. Conduct a skills assessment within your nominated occupation. This is to be performed by the relevant Australian Assessing Authority for your nominated eligible skilled occupation.
4.  After your assessment tests, we work towards assembling and organizing all the necessary paperwork. Any additional checks for the application process will also be performed.
5. We will then proceed towards preparing your Expression of Interest (EOI) for you with the inclusion of all details and submit it via SkillSelect. The waiting period for your invitation from the department begins now.
6. Once you receive your invitation to apply for a 189 visa from the department, we proceed with preparing your application. Although there is a 60-day lodging period to apply, we believe that timely appeal is very important for an applicant. We conduct swift assessments and documentation with your coordination and lodge your application in an acceptable time period.
   (By this time if you are an onshore applicant, you will be granted a bridging visa until your current visa expires. This will entitle you to work rights until the outcome of your 189 visa is decided.)
7. The final step includes waiting for the outcome of your application. We will notify you of the result promptly. You will become a permanent resident of Australia and receive the relevant rights if your application is granted.