No employer, no state,no sponsor. Just yourpoints and an invitation.
The subclass 189 is permanent residence on your own record: age, English, experience and qualifications scored against a points test. You lodge an expression of interest in SkillSelect and wait for an invitation. Invitations go to the highest scores first, and the bar in recent rounds has been well above the minimum.
Government charges, subclass 189
- Visa application charge, main applicantpoints-tested stream$6,135
- Each adult dependant$3,070
- Each child under 18$1,540
As at 1 July 2026. An additional second instalment applies to each adult dependant without functional English. Skills assessment and English test fees are paid to the assessing body and test provider. Our professional fee is fixed and quoted in writing.
Permanent residence by points, with no sponsor and no nomination.
The subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa is a permanent visa for skilled workers under 45 whose occupation is on the relevant skilled occupation list, who hold a positive skills assessment and competent English, and who are invited through SkillSelect on points. The main applicant charge is $6,135 and no employer, state or family member is involved.
Verified as at 1 July 2026 against the Department of Home Affairs subclass 189 page and Schedule 2 of the Migration Regulations 1994.
Do I qualify? A 30-second check
Answer the questions to see where you stand.
A guide only, not legal advice. The consultation is where the real answer comes from.
Six requirements, all tested on the day you are invited.
The Department checks these at the moment of invitation, not at lodgement. Claim a point you cannot prove and the visa is refused, not adjusted.
How our fees and process work
- 01
Under 45
You must be under 45 when invited. Age points fall from 33 and reach zero at 45, so time matters twice.
- 02
Occupation on the list
Your nominated occupation must be on the skilled occupation list that applies to the 189. Lists change by legislative instrument, so we check the current one before every expression of interest.
- 03
Skills assessment
A positive assessment from the authority for your occupation, valid at invitation. Most are valid for three years unless the authority sets a shorter period.
- 04
Competent English
At least IELTS 6 in each band or the equivalent in an accepted test, or a passport from an exempt country. Higher results earn points.
- 05
At least 65 points
Sixty-five is the floor to lodge an expression of interest. Invitations in recent rounds have gone to scores well above it.
- 06
Health and character
Medical examinations for every applicant, police clearances from each country lived in for twelve months or more, and a genuine set of documents behind every claim.
Where the points come from.
The table below shows the main factors under the current test. The government has signalled changes to the points test, so we confirm the live table before every expression of interest.
| Factor | How points are earned | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 25 to 32 scores highest; 18 to 24 and 33 to 39 score less; 40 to 44 least | 30 |
| English | Proficient (IELTS 7) 10 points; superior (IELTS 8) 20 points; competent scores nothing | 20 |
| Skilled employment overseas | Three, five or eight years in the nominated or a closely related occupation | 15 |
| Skilled employment in Australia | One, three, five or eight years in the last ten | 20 |
| Qualifications | Doctorate 20; bachelor or masters 15; diploma or trade qualification 10 | 20 |
| Australian study requirement | Two academic years of study in Australia | 5 |
| Specialist education | Research masters or doctorate in a STEM or ICT field from an Australian institution | 10 |
| Regional study | Australian study requirement met while living and studying in a designated regional area | 5 |
| Professional Year | Completed Professional Year in accounting, ICT or engineering | 5 |
| Credentialled community language | NAATI certification at the required level | 5 |
| Partner | Skilled partner with assessment and competent English 10; partner with competent English 5; single or partner is Australian 10 | 10 |
| Nomination or sponsorship | Not available for the 189; 5 points for the 190, 15 for the 491 | 0 |
Points are claimed in the expression of interest and proved at application. Overclaiming is a refusal, not a correction.
Assess, test, lodge the expression of interest, then wait for the round.
Most of the work happens before the visa application exists. The invitation is the gate and it is not in your control, so everything before it has to be right.
Skills assessment
Apply to the assessing authority for your occupation with qualifications and employment evidence. Some authorities also assess years of skilled employment, which sets your experience points.
English test
Sit IELTS, PTE or another accepted test. A proficient or superior result is often the single largest point gain available, so this is worth preparing for.
Expression of interest
Lodge in SkillSelect with the points claimed and every date exact. It stays active for two years and can be updated as your circumstances improve.
Invitation round
The Department runs rounds and invites the highest-ranked candidates in each occupation. Cut-offs are published after the round and they move with the places available.
Visa application
Sixty days from invitation to lodge with full evidence, health and character. Every claim in the expression of interest must be proved as at the invitation date.
Grant
Permanent residence from the day of grant, with a five-year travel facility. After that a Resident Return visa keeps the travel right alive.
Sixty-five gets you in the queue. It rarely gets you invited.
Straight answers about the round system, because a plan built on the minimum score usually fails.
- 01
Rounds are not on a fixed timetable
The Department runs rounds when it chooses and the number of invitations varies with the program year's planning levels. There can be long gaps.
- 02
The score needed moves
Cut-offs depend on how many people are waiting above you and how many places exist. Recent rounds have favoured high scores, and some occupations are invited only at very high scores.
- 03
Ranking within a score
Two people on the same score are ranked by the date their expression of interest reached that score. Updating your claims resets that date.
- 04
There is a faster door
State nomination adds 5 points for a 190 and 15 for a 491, and states invite from their own queues. For many applicants that is the realistic path.
What a 189 costs the applicant.
Government charges only. Skills assessment, English test, medicals, police clearances and our fixed professional fee are additional.
As at 1 July 2026. Adult dependants without functional English pay a further second instalment before grant.
Subclass 189, answered plainly.
How many points do I need for a 189 visa?
Sixty-five is the minimum to lodge an expression of interest. Invitations in recent rounds have gone to much higher scores, so treat 65 as the entry ticket rather than the target. English, experience, a skilled partner and NAATI certification are the usual ways to lift a score.
What is the age limit for the 189?
You must be under 45 when the invitation is issued. Age points also fall from 33 onward, so a candidate at 39 with the same profile ranks below one at 30.
Do I need a job offer for a 189 visa?
No. The 189 is independent of any employer, state or sponsor. Skilled employment earns points, but an offer is not a requirement.
How long does the 189 take?
Two waits are involved. The wait for an invitation depends on your score and occupation and is not published as a time. Once lodged, processing times vary and are published monthly, and decision-ready applications move faster.
Can I include my partner and children?
Yes. Each adult dependant is $3,070 and each child under 18 is $1,540. A partner with their own skills assessment and competent English can add 10 points to your score.
What if my points are too low for an invitation?
Look at state nomination. The 190 adds 5 points and the 491 adds 15, and each state invites from its own list. An employer-sponsored 482 with a path to the 186 is the other route we compare.
What happens after the 189 is granted?
You are a permanent resident from the grant date, free to live and work anywhere in Australia. The travel facility lasts five years, after which a Resident Return visa is needed to re-enter. Citizenship follows once the residence requirements are met.
Where this visa connects.
- 190Open
Skilled Nominated visa
State nomination adds 5 points and its own invitation queue.
- 491Open
Skilled Work Regional visa
Fifteen points for regional nomination, five years, then the permanent 191.
- 485Open
Temporary Graduate visa
Work rights after study while the points are built.
- 482Open
Skills in Demand visa
Employer sponsorship when the points path is too slow.
Not sure your points will get an invitation?
One consultation scores your profile honestly, finds the points you are missing and tells you whether the 189, 190 or 491 is the realistic path.