Home / Countries / Australia / Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189)
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Understand this pathway
Australia skilled migration: how long the Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189) takes, what it costs, and whether it leads to permanent residence
Permanent Residence
Permanent visa, no sponsor
Permanent visa for points-tested skilled workers without needing sponsorship.
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-09-24
Does Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189) lead to permanent residence?
- Residency
Permanent residence on grant
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-09-24
Do you need a job offer for Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189)?
- Job offer
Not published on the page we read
The opened Home Affairs points-tested listing page does not mention a job offer or arranged employment.
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-09-12
What education does Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189) require?
- Education
The page states no education minimum
Page states no minimum education level; eligibility runs through the skills assessment and points test. Previous stored value 'bachelor' was unsourced and has been removed.
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-14
How much money do you have to show for Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189)?
- Funds
Not yet checked
We have not yet checked this field against the official source. That is not a finding that the page we read does not carry a rule.
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-09-24
How many points do you need for Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189)?
- Points
At least 65
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-14
How much does Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189) cost to apply for?
- Application fee
No amount stored
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-09-24
How long does Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189) take to process?
- Processing time
No commitment to a processing time
Open the authority's page for this fact
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-14
We tell you when we re-read a route you follow, in the note from that check, with the official link.
What does Department of Home Affairs actually require?
Quoted from the pages named beside each rule, not paraphrased.
- Age
You must be aged under 45 when we invite you to apply for the visa.
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-14
- Language
At the time of invitation, you must have at least competent English.
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-14
- Points test
You must be able to obtain at least 65 points on our points test to be eligible for this visa. Your invitation will state the number of points you must score, which may be higher than 65 depending on the claims in your EOI.
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-14
Not published on the pages we read
We checked for each of these and the page carried no figure. The absence is recorded with the reason, so this page states nothing the authority does not.
Processing time
Department publishes no figure. Page directs to the processing time guide tool and states the result 'is a guide only and not specific to your application'.
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-14
Application fee
Page shows cost as 'From ... (concessions apply in limited circumstances)' and directs to the Visa Pricing Estimator. No amount is published on the page, so no fee is stored. Opened 2026-09-24. The cost block also states that from 1 July 2026 a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid visa application. The base charge is still an empty BasePrice span in the page schema.
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-09-24
The process
How it works
- 1Meet the points test and competent English, and be under 45 when invited.
- 2No sponsor is required for this visa.
What changed when we last checked this record
Visa is open and permanent on grant. Eligibility confirmed: an occupation on the relevant skilled list, a suitable skills assessment, an invitation, and the points test. Opened 2026-09-24. If you are in Australia and you hold, or your last substantive visa was, subclass 491 or subclass 494, you must have held that visa for at least 3 years at the time you apply.
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-09-24
Estimate against the official table: What score do I need for an Australian skilled visa (subclass 189, 190 or 491)?
Other verified Australia routes
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Official sources
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