Skilled Independent visa
(subclass 189)

This visa lets invited workers with skills we need live and work permanently anywhere in Australia.
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Stay

Permanently

Cost

From AUD4,045

Processing times

75% of applications: 13 months

90% of applications: 13 months

With this visa, you can

  • work and study anywhere in Australia
  • sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
  • if eligible, become an Australian citizen
 

You must

  • have an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list
  • have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation
  • be invited to apply for this visa
  • satisfy the points test

Process

With this visa, you can

  • stay in Australia permanently
  • work and study in Australia
  • enrol in Australia’s public health care scheme, Medicare
  • sponsor your relatives to come to Australia
  • travel to and from Australia for 5 years
  • if eligible, become an Australian citizen

Newly arrived residents may have to wait before they can access certain Australian Government payments and benefits. 

How long you can stay

This is a permanent visa. It lets you stay in Australia indefinitely. The visa has a travel component that expires 5 years after the date of visa grant.

You become a permanent resident on the day we grant the visa.

For citizenship purposes, your permanent residence starts on the day:

  • we grant the visa if you are in Australia
  • you enter Australia on this visa if you are outside Australia

Include family

You can include members of the family unit in your application. You can:

  • include them when you lodge your visa application
  • add them after you lodge your application but before we decide on your visa. 

Family members who apply for the visa must meet our health and character requirements.

If your partner or dependent children are not included in this application, tell us the reason why (for example, they already hold Australian citizenship or are a permanent resident).

Cost

The visa costs AUD4,045 for the main applicant.

There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you.

To work out what your visa will cost use the Visa Pricing Estimator.

You might have to pay an extra charge for any applicant 18 years old or older who has less than functional English. This charge is the second instalment. Pay it only when we ask you to. We ask for the charge only if we are going to grant the visa.

The second instalment charge for family members is AUD4,885.

The Visa Pricing Estimator does not include the second instalment or other costs. You might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

Apply from

You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa and when we decide on your application, but not in immigration clearance.

If you apply in Australia, you must hold a substantive or a subclass 010 Bridging A visa, a subclass 020 Bridging B visa or a subclass 030 Bridging C visa, otherwise your application will not be processed.

Processing times

We assess applications on a case-by-case basis, and actual processing times can vary due to individual circumstances including:

  • whether you have lodged a complete application, including all necessary supporting documents
  • how quickly you respond to any requests for additional information
  • how long it takes to perform required checks on the supporting information provided
  • how long it takes to receive additional information from external agencies, particularly in relation to health, character, and national security requirements
  • for permanent migration visa applications, how many places are available in the migration program

Travel

You can travel in and out of Australia as many times as you want for 5 years from the date we grant the visa. After 5 years you will need a Resident Return (RRV) visa (subclass 155 or 157) to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.

Visa label

We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.

Be invited to apply

Have a suitable skills assessment

Be this age

Be able to score 65 points or more

Have this level of English language

At the time of invitation, you must have at least competent English.

 

Meet the skills requirement

Your occupation must be on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations for the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) Point-Tested stream.

 

Meet our health requirement

You and any family who apply for the visa with you must meet our health requirement.

If requested, family members not accompanying you to Australia might also need to meet our health requirement.

 

Meet our character requirement

You and family members aged 16 years and over who apply for the visa with you must meet our character requirement.

Family members not accompanying you to Australia must also meet the character requirement.

 

Have paid back your debt to the Australian government

If you or any family members (including those who do not apply for the visa with you) owe the Australian Government money, you or they must have paid it back or arranged to pay it back.

 

Sign the Australian values statement

If you are 18 years of age or older, you must:

  • have read, or had explained to you, the Life in Australia booklet and
  • confirm you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws when you sign or accept the Australian Values Statement.
 

Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused

You might not be eligible for this visa if you have had a visa cancelled or refused while you were in Australia. Check if visa cancellation affects your eligibility.

Before you Apply

You must submit an expression of interest (EOI) through SkillSelect to let us know you want to apply for this visa

Gather your documents

You will need to provide documents to support the claims you make in your EOI and show you meet the other eligibility criteria

Apply for the visa

When you have your invitation you can apply online. You can be in or outside Australia. You have 60 days from the date of your invitation to apply for the visa.

After you apply

We will let you know when we have received your application. If you are granted a bridging visa you will receive notification of your visa grant

Visa outcome

You can be in or outside Australia when we decide your visa application but not in immigration clearance. We will let you know our decision in writing.

If we grant your visa, we will tell you:

  • your visa grant number
  • the date your visa starts
  • your visa conditions, if applicable

Keep a copy of the decision.

If we refuse your visa, we will tell you:

  • why we refused the visa
  • whether you have a right to a review of the decision

We will not refund the application charge if we refuse your application.

 
 

Coming to Australia

If you are outside Australia when the visa is granted, you must enter Australia before a date that we specify on your visa grant letter.

Before you leave

Check your travel documents

You must have:

  • a valid visa to enter Australia
  • a valid passport or other travel document

At the border

Complete an Incoming Passenger Card

All people arriving in Australia must complete the Incoming Passenger Card. You will be given this card onboard.

Leaving the airport faster

We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. You might be able to leave the airport faster if you use SmartGates.

In Australia

  • stay in Australia permanently
  • work and study
  • enrol in Australia’s public health care scheme, Medicare
  • sponsor your relatives to come to Australia
  • travel to and from Australia for 5 years
  • if eligible, become an Australian citizen

What you must do on this visa

You and your family members must obey Australian laws.

How long you can stay

This is a permanent visa. It lets you stay in Australia indefinitely.

Travelling on your visa

You can travel to and from Australia for 5 years from the date we grant the visa. After 5 years you will need a Resident Return (RRV) visa (subclass 155 or 157) to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident. To see when the 5 years ends, use VEVO.

New Zealand passport holders

If an immigration officer processes your clearance at our border, we recommend you tell them:

  • you have a Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
  • you do not want a Special Category visa (subclass 444)

If you don’t tell them, you might be granted a subclass 444 visa. Grant of a subclass 444 visa will cease your permanent visa, which will then affect your eligibility for Australian citizenship.

Proving you have a visa

To prove you have a visa and show your conditions to someone, use VEVO.

Working 

You are protected by Australian workplace law. See your workplace rights and entitlements.

Bringing family

As an Australian permanent resident, you might be able to sponsor eligible family to come to Australia.

To find a visa for your family member, explore visa options.

Becoming an Australian citizen 

After a certain time, you might be eligible for Australian citizenship. Find out more about becoming a citizen.

For citizenship purposes, your permanent residence starts on the day:

  • we granted the visa, if you were in Australia
  • you entered Australia on this visa, if you were outside Australia when we granted it

Leaving Australia

Before you leave

Check your travel documents

You must have a valid passport or other travel document to leave Australia and return.

Ensure your visa is still valid and allows you to re-enter Australia

Check the travel component of your visa in VEVO.

See what to do if your visa has expired or is about to expire.

At the Border

Leaving the airport faster

We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. You could leave the airport faster if you use SmartGates.

After you leave

Proving you have been to Australia

To prove you have been to Australia, request your international movement records by completing Form 1359 – Request for international movement records (280KB PDF).