Subclass 189
Skilled Independent Visa Guide
Australia's flagship points-based permanent residency pathway. No sponsor required.
Key distinction: Unlike the Subclass 190 and 491, the 189 requires no nomination from any state, territory, or employer. Your points score alone determines your competitiveness in the pool.
At a glance
| Visa type | Permanent residency |
| Minimum points | 65 (competitive pool typically 80 or higher) |
| Sponsor needed | No |
| Processing time | 6 to 18 months |
1. What is the Subclass 189 visa?
The Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa is Australia's primary pathway to permanent residency for skilled workers who are not sponsored by an employer or nominated by a state or territory government. It is a points-tested visa, which means applicants compete against each other in a pool based on a score calculated from factors including age, education, work experience, and English language ability.
Once granted, the visa allows you, your partner, and dependent children to live and work permanently anywhere in Australia. There are no restrictions on which state or city you must live in, and no ongoing reporting obligations to an employer or government body after grant.
2. Who is this visa for?
This visa is designed for skilled workers whose occupation appears on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). These are professions Australia has identified as being in medium to long-term demand nationally. Common qualifying occupations include software engineers, accountants, nurses, civil engineers, teachers, and a broad range of healthcare professionals.
For Indian applicants, the most common successful profiles are IT professionals, engineers, healthcare workers, and finance professionals in the 25 to 35 age range with proficient or superior English scores. For Filipino applicants, nurses, allied health workers, accountants, and engineers form the majority of successful 189 applicants.
Is this visa right for you?
| Best suited for | Applicants with a high points score (75 or above), strong English, and an occupation on the MLTSSL with a currently open invitation allocation. |
| Not suitable if | Your occupation is on the STSOL only (not MLTSSL), your points score is under 65, or you prefer a faster pathway via state nomination. |
| Compared to 190 | The 189 does not require state nomination but is more competitive because nomination adds 5 bonus points. Many applicants apply for both simultaneously. |
| Compared to 491 | The 491 offers 15 bonus points but requires living in a regional area for 3 years. The 189 grants freedom to live anywhere immediately. |
3. Points system explained
You must score a minimum of 65 points to submit an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect. However, meeting the minimum does not mean you will receive an invitation. The Department of Home Affairs invites applicants in rounds based on the highest scores in the pool. Recent draw data shows most invitations going to applicants with scores of 80 or above for popular occupations.
| Age 18 to 24 | 25 points |
| Age 25 to 32 (peak) | 30 points |
| Age 33 to 39 | 25 points |
| Age 40 to 44 | 15 points |
| Age 45 and over | 0 points |
| Competent English (IELTS 6.0) | 0 points (minimum only) |
| Proficient English (IELTS 7.0) | 10 points |
| Superior English (IELTS 8.0) | 20 points |
| Overseas work 3 to 4 years | 5 points |
| Overseas work 5 to 7 years | 10 points |
| Overseas work 8 or more years | 15 points |
| Australian work 1 to 2 years | 5 points |
| Australian work 3 to 4 years | 10 points |
| Australian work 5 to 7 years | 15 points |
| Australian work 8 or more years | 20 points |
| PhD (recognised institution) | 20 points |
| Bachelor degree or higher | 15 points |
| Diploma or trade qualification | 10 points |
| Bonus: Australian study (2 years) | 5 points |
| Bonus: Professional Year | 5 points |
| Bonus: NAATI community language | 5 points |
| Bonus: Partner competent English | 5 points |
| Bonus: Partner proficient English + assessment | 10 points |
Important: For the 189, state or territory nomination points (5 or 15) do NOT apply. Only the base score from the table above counts toward your 189 eligibility.
4. Occupation requirements
Before you can apply for the 189, your occupation must be assessed by the relevant skills assessing authority for your profession. This is a mandatory step that can take several months and involves submitting your qualifications, employment references, and in some cases sitting an assessment exam.
| ANZSCO occupation code | Every occupation in Australia has a unique 6-digit ANZSCO code. You must identify which code applies to your work and confirm it appears on the MLTSSL. |
| Skills assessing body | Different occupations have different assessing bodies. IT professionals use ACS, engineers use Engineers Australia, accountants use CPA Australia or CAANZ, nurses use AHPRA or ANMAC. |
| Assessment outcome | You need a positive skills assessment before you can submit your EOI. A negative assessment means you cannot proceed with the 189. |
| MLTSSL requirement | Your occupation must appear on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List. Occupations only on the STSOL are not eligible for the 189. |
5. Step-by-step application process
The 189 application proceeds in two stages: first you submit an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect, then if invited, you lodge the formal visa application.
- Check occupation eligibility. Confirm your ANZSCO code is on the MLTSSL. If your occupation is on the STSOL only, consider the 190 or 491 instead.
- Obtain a skills assessment. Contact the relevant assessing authority. Submit your qualifications and employment references. Allow 3 to 6 months. You cannot lodge an EOI without a positive assessment.
- Sit an English test if needed. IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, OET, or CAE. Aim for proficient (7.0) or superior (8.0) to maximise your points. Test results are valid for 3 years.
- Calculate your points score. Use the BetterLifeVisa eligibility analysis or the official DHA points calculator. Check recent SkillSelect invitation data to understand competitiveness for your occupation.
- Submit your Expression of Interest (EOI). Create an ImmiAccount at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au and submit through SkillSelect. Your EOI remains active for 2 years and can be updated at any time.
- Wait for an invitation to apply. The Department runs invitation rounds periodically (usually monthly). Invitations go to the highest-scoring candidates. No fixed waiting time.
- Lodge the visa application. Once invited, you have 60 days to lodge. Pay the visa application charge (AUD 4,640 for primary applicant as at 2025), submit documents, arrange health examinations and police clearances.
- Provide biometrics if required. Some applicants are asked to provide fingerprints and a photograph.
- Await visa decision. Processing typically takes 6 to 18 months. Complex cases may take longer. Track progress through ImmiAccount.
6. Documents required
You will need the following documents when lodging your visa application. Start collecting these early as some items can take time.
| Identity | Valid passport. Birth certificate. Marriage certificate if applicable. |
| Skills assessment | Positive skills assessment letter from your assessing body. Do not lodge without this. |
| English test | Valid IELTS, PTE, TOEFL, OET, or CAE result (3 year validity). |
| Employment references | Detailed reference letters covering the experience you are claiming. Must confirm dates, hours, duties, and reporting structure. |
| Qualifications | Certified copies of degree certificates and academic transcripts. Official translations required if not in English. |
| Health examinations | Booked through eMedical. Specific examination depends on your country of residence. |
| Police clearances | From your home country and every country where you lived for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. |
| Partner documents | If including a partner: proof of relationship, their skills assessment and English test if claiming partner bonus points. |
| Children | Birth certificates, passports, and immunisation records for any dependent children included. |
7. Visa conditions and obligations
| Travel | You may travel to and from Australia for 5 years from grant. After 5 years, apply for a Resident Return Visa (RRV) or obtain Australian citizenship. |
| Work rights | Unlimited. Any employer, any location, no restrictions. |
| Study rights | Any course at any institution. You pay domestic student fees. |
| Medicare | Immediately eligible to enrol in Australia's public healthcare system. |
| Location | No restrictions. Any state, any city. Unlike 190 and 491, no regional obligation. |
| Citizenship | 4 years of residency required, including at least 12 months as a permanent resident. |
| Sponsoring family | As a PR holder you can sponsor eligible family members through the family stream. |
| Social security | Some welfare payments have a 2-year Newly Arrived Resident Waiting Period. |
8. Costs
| Visa application charge (primary) | AUD 4,640 (approximately USD 3,000 / INR 2,50,000) |
| Additional applicant aged 18+ | AUD 2,320 per person |
| Additional applicant under 18 | AUD 1,160 per child |
| Skills assessment fee | Varies by body. Typically AUD 500 to AUD 1,200. |
| English test fee | IELTS approximately USD 200 to 250. PTE approximately USD 200. |
| Health examination | Approximately AUD 300 to 500 per adult depending on location. |
| Police clearance (India) | Approximately INR 500 via Passport Seva. Allow 2 to 4 weeks. |
| Migration agent fees (optional) | AUD 3,000 to AUD 8,000 if using a registered agent. |
Note on fees: Visa application charges are set by the Australian Government and are subject to change. Verify the current amount at homeaffairs.gov.au before budgeting.
9. Tips to improve your score
If your current score is below the competitive threshold for your occupation, these are the most impactful actions to improve it.
Retake your English test
Moving from Proficient (7.0) to Superior (8.0) adds 10 points to your score. For most applicants this is the single highest-impact action available.
Gain more work experience
Work experience is awarded in bands. If you are just below a threshold (e.g. 4 years and 11 months), continuing to work until you cross the 5-year mark adds 5 points.
Complete a Professional Year
For accounting, computing, engineering, or nursing applicants, completing an accredited Professional Year in Australia adds 5 points and also counts as Australian work experience.
Obtain NAATI certification
If you speak Hindi, Tamil, Tagalog, or another eligible community language, sitting the NAATI CCL test adds 5 points and is achievable with 2 to 3 months of focused preparation.
Include your partner's credentials
If your partner has a positive skills assessment and proficient or superior English, including them adds 10 points to your total.
Consider the 190 as a parallel pathway
While improving your score, simultaneously apply for state nomination under the 190. Nomination adds 5 points and some states nominate at lower scores than the 189 pool.
10. Frequently asked questions
Can I include my family in the application?
Yes. Your partner and dependent children can be included as secondary applicants. They receive the same permanent residency rights as you.
Can I apply from India or the Philippines without visiting Australia first?
Yes. You can submit your EOI and lodge your application from outside Australia. Health examinations are completed at an approved panel physician in your country.
How long does the EOI stay in the pool?
Your EOI is valid for 2 years from submission. You can update it any time, including after an English test resit.
What if I receive an invitation but am not ready to apply?
Once invited, you have 60 days to lodge. If you do not lodge in time, the invitation lapses and you re-enter the pool. Your EOI remains active.
Is a job offer required?
No. The 189 does not require a job offer. You compete purely on your points score.
What English tests are accepted?
IELTS Academic or General, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, OET (for healthcare workers), and Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE).
Important disclaimer. This guide is produced by BetterLifeVisa for general informational purposes only. BetterLifeVisa is a points calculation and eligibility analysis tool. It is not a registered migration agent and does not provide immigration legal advice. Information reflects publicly available criteria as at the date of publication and may become outdated as policies change. Always verify current requirements at homeaffairs.gov.au and consult a MARA registered migration agent before making any immigration decisions.