Skilled Independent visa
Permanent residence for invited skilled workers with no sponsor required.
What this visa is for#
The Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) is a skilled visa in the Points-tested stream. It is permanent residence for invited skilled workers with no sponsor required.
This visa sits in the skilled category. It is used for people who receive an invitation through the skilled migration system and then lodge a visa application with the Department of Home Affairs.
As a permanent visa, it can include the usual permanent residence features set by the Department, such as living and working in Australia indefinitely from the time the visa is granted. The exact visa conditions and entitlements come from the grant notice and the law in force at the time of decision.
Who it is generally for#
This visa is for people who work in skilled occupations and apply through the points-tested skilled migration system.
This visa is for people who do not need an employer sponsor, a state or territory nomination, or family sponsorship for this visa pathway.
This visa is for people who receive an invitation before they can lodge the visa application. In practice, the invitation stage is a key part of the process, because the visa is not lodged first and assessed later in the way some other visas are.
This visa is for people who are ready to provide evidence for the claims made in the invitation system and later in the visa application. That commonly includes identity documents, skills assessment material, English evidence where relevant, work history records and personal documents for any family members included.
What it costs#
The government visa application charge for this visa is:
- Main applicant: $6,135
- Additional applicant 18 or over: $3,065
- Additional applicant under 18: $1,535
These are government charges. The government charge is the same no matter who lodges it, whether that is the applicant, a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner.
Professional fees are separate. A registered migration agent or lawyer may charge for services such as checking documents, preparing the application, managing deadlines, corresponding with the Department and responding to requests for more information. Those professional fees are set by the provider, not by the government, so they can vary a lot.
Other third-party costs can also come up during the process, such as medical examinations, police certificates, translations, skills assessments and document replacement fees. The amount depends on the provider and the country involved.
Government charges are indexed and usually change on 1 July. The amount payable is normally the amount in force on the day a valid application is lodged.
How long it takes#
Published processing guidance: Invitation round dependent; commonly 6-12 months after invitation.
That timeframe is only a guide. It does not include the time taken before invitation, such as creating an expression of interest, waiting through invitation rounds, obtaining a skills assessment or collecting documents.
Processing can be longer if the application is incomplete, if the Department asks for more information, if health or character checks take time, or if documents need verification. It can also move more quickly where the application is decision-ready and all required checks finish without delay.
The practical point is that there are two separate waiting periods in many cases: the wait to receive an invitation, and the wait for the visa decision after lodgement. People often focus on the second one and underestimate the first.
What the process involves#
The process usually starts before any visa application is lodged. For a points-tested skilled visa, people commonly arrange a skills assessment, gather identity documents and work records, and prepare the information needed for the Department's invitation system.
After that, an expression of interest is lodged in SkillSelect. This is not the visa application itself. It is the stage where a person records details used in the invitation system, such as occupation, qualifications, employment history and other points-related claims.
If an invitation is issued, the visa application is then lodged online with the Department of Home Affairs. The information and evidence in the visa application need to match the claims relied on at invitation stage. Where dates, job titles, qualifications or personal details do not line up, the Department may ask questions or refuse the application if the claims are not supported.
The application usually includes identity documents, civil documents, skills evidence and documents for any family members included in the application. Depending on the case, the Department may also require health examinations and police clearances.
After lodgement, the Department may issue a request for more information. These requests usually have a deadline. The application then moves through document checks, background checks and final assessment before a decision is made.
If the applicant is in Australia when lodging and holds a substantive visa, a bridging visa may be granted automatically in connection with the application. A bridging visa does not necessarily start straight away, and its work, travel and study conditions may be different from the current visa.
What commonly goes wrong#
One common problem is incomplete evidence. People sometimes lodge quickly after invitation and assume they can add core documents later, but missing employment records, identity documents, relationship documents or police certificates can slow the case down or create bigger issues if key claims cannot be proved.
Another frequent issue is inconsistency between the expression of interest and the visa application. Small differences in dates can matter. If work periods, qualification dates, marital status, name spellings or passport details do not match across forms and documents, the Department may treat the claim as unsupported unless the discrepancy is clearly explained and documented.
Documents can also expire during the process. Passports, police certificates and some other time-sensitive records may need attention if processing runs longer than expected. If a passport changes after lodgement, the Department usually needs to be updated so the application record stays current.
People also miss messages from the Department. Requests for more information are often sent through the online account or by email, and they usually come with a deadline. If contact details change, including email, phone number or residential address, the Department needs to be told promptly.
Another practical problem is assuming a bridging visa carries the same rights as the substantive visa held before lodgement. That is not always the case. Work rights, travel rights and the date the bridging visa comes into effect can all be different, so the visa grant notice and conditions need to be checked carefully.
Health and character steps can also cause delay where they are left too late or where records are hard to obtain. Police certificates from overseas can take time, and medical bookings can be limited in some locations.
Translation issues are common as well. If documents are not in English, the Department generally expects translations that meet its requirements. Poor-quality scans, missing pages and untranslated stamps or notes can all create avoidable follow-up requests.
A final problem is failing to keep records of what was submitted. Saving copies of forms, uploaded documents, receipts and messages makes it much easier to respond if the Department asks for clarification months later.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the subclass 189 visa?#
The subclass 189 is a skilled visa in the Points-tested stream. It is permanent residence for invited skilled workers with no sponsor required.
It is part of Australia's general skilled migration framework. An invitation is a required step before the visa application can be lodged.
Do I need an employer or state sponsor for a 189 visa?#
No sponsor is required for this visa. That is one of the main features that distinguishes it from some other skilled visas.
The process still involves the Department's invitation system. No sponsor is needed, but an invitation is still required before lodgement.
How much does the 189 visa cost?#
The government visa application charge is $6,135 for the main applicant, $3,065 for each additional applicant aged 18 or over, and $1,535 for each additional applicant under 18.
These amounts are the government's charges and stay the same no matter who lodges the application. Professional fees for a registered migration agent or lawyer are separate and can vary by provider.
How long does the 189 visa take to process?#
Published processing guidance: Invitation round dependent; commonly 6-12 months after invitation.
That guide usually refers to the period after invitation and lodgement, not the earlier wait for an invitation. Total end-to-end time can be longer when document gathering, skills assessments and invitation wait times are included.
Can I include family members in a 189 visa application?#
This visa can involve additional applicants, which is why separate government charges apply for adult and child family members. Family members included in the application also usually need identity and civil documents, and may need health and character checks depending on the requirements that apply to them.
The Department assesses each included person against the legal criteria that apply to their place in the application. The exact documents needed depend on the family relationship and the stage of the process.
About this page. This is general information about how the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) works. It is not immigration assistance and it is not advice about your situation. Under section 280 of the Migration Act 1958 only a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner can give you that. Charges are indexed and most change on 1 July, so check any figure against immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before you rely on it, and check any agent's registration on the OMARA register.