Your Pathway to Permanent Residency in Australia

The Subclass 189 is a points-tested permanent skilled visa for invited workers whose occupation and skills are needed in Australia. It does not require state nomination or employer sponsorship, but you must first lodge an EOI and receive an invitation before applying.

You may be eligible if you are invited to apply, are under 45 at the time of invitation, have a suitable skills assessment, meet English and points-test requirements, and satisfy health and character requirements. Your occupation must also fit the relevant skilled occupation and nomination rules.

The primary applicant must meet at least Competent English unless an exemption applies. Higher English results can also increase your points, such as Proficient English or Superior English under the skilled points test.

No. The 189 is not a state-nominated visa. If you need state nomination, you would usually look at the 190 or 491 pathway instead.

The legal minimum is generally 65 points, but the practical invitation score can be much higher depending on your occupation, visa subclass, state criteria and invitation round. You should treat 65 as eligibility, not a guarantee of invitation.

Processing times change regularly and are affected by planning levels, priority settings, occupation demand and whether the application is decision-ready. Check the Home Affairs global processing times guide before publishing any fixed timeframe.

You can usually include eligible members of your family unit, such as your partner and dependent children, either at lodgement or in some cases before decision. Every included family member must meet health and character requirements.

Yes. A suitable skills assessment is normally required for the nominated occupation before you can be invited to apply. The assessing authority, evidence required and validity period depend on the occupation.

Yes, onshore applicants can apply if they hold a valid substantive visa and meet EOI invitation requirements. You will typically receive a Bridging Visa A (BVA) that allows you to stay in Australia while your 189 visa is being processed.

Yes. The Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa is a permanent visa. Once granted, it allows you to live, work and study in Australia indefinitely, subject to the normal travel facility and citizenship eligibility rules.

It can be competitive because the visa is independent and based purely on points and occupation ceilings. High-demand occupations often require very strong EOI scores. Many applicants explore state nomination (190/491) for a more achievable invitation pathway.

The 189 does not tie you to a particular state or territory after grant. However, you should still make honest and accurate declarations during the application process.

Yes. You can update your EOI before you are invited, for example after a new English test, skills assessment, work experience change or qualification update. Once invited, the claims used for the invitation must be supported in the visa application.

Yes. Your nominated occupation must be on the relevant skilled occupation list for this visa and must match your skills assessment. For state-nominated visas, you must also check the state or territory occupation list because those lists and criteria can change.

The points test awards points for factors such as age, English, skilled employment, qualifications, Australian study, partner skills and nomination/sponsorship where applicable. You generally need at least 65 points to be eligible, but a higher score may be needed to receive an invitation.

You start by lodging an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect and selecting the visa subclass you want to be considered for. You must enter accurate claims because the final visa application must support the points and eligibility claimed in the EOI.

Common documents include passport, English test results, skills assessment, qualification records, employment evidence, identity documents, relationship documents for family members, health checks, police clearances and nomination/sponsorship evidence where relevant.

You may be able to apply from inside or outside Australia if you hold an eligible visa and are not prevented from lodging. If you apply in Australia, your current visa status, bridging visa position and any bars such as section 48 must be checked.

The visa application charge can change and there may be extra costs for family applicants, skills assessment, English tests, police checks, health exams and professional fees. Check the Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator before quoting a fee.

For points-tested skilled visas, you must generally be under 45 when you are invited to apply. If you turn 45 after invitation, you may still be able to apply based on the invitation timing.

After lodgement, Home Affairs assesses the application and may request further information, health checks, police clearances or clarification. You should monitor ImmiAccount, keep your details updated and avoid making unsupported claims.

The 189 is independent PR, the 190 is state-nominated PR, and the 491 is provisional regional with a later PR pathway through 191. The best option depends on your occupation, points, state criteria, regional willingness and invitation prospects.