Commonwealth of Australia vs Solomon Islands
A neutral side-by-side of immigration systems, routes and regulators. Each row links to the underlying visa page with its primary government source.
Last reviewed:
Commonwealth of Australia
Australia operates a points-based SkillSelect system for permanent and provisional skilled visas alongside employer-sponsored subclasses (482 TSS, 186 ENS, 494 Regional), Working Holiday Maker subclasses, and student and global talent visas.
- Official portal
- Department of Home Affairs (Australia)
- Languages
- English
- Currency
- Australian dollar
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands publishes visa categories through the official Immigration Division site and work-permit guidance through the Ministry of Commerce, Industries, Labour and Immigration. The current Visa Atlas packet covers visitor, short-term business, work permit, working resident, student, dependant/family and permanent resident routes, with direct notes where the official pages state filing is temporarily in person while online systems are being tested. Applicants should confirm the active filing channel, fee and supporting documents before paying or travelling.
- Official portal
- Solomon Islands Immigration Division
- Languages
- English
- Currency
- Solomon Islands dollar
How Commonwealth of Australia and Solomon Islands differ
| Dimension | Commonwealth of Australia | Solomon Islands |
|---|---|---|
| Total routes covered | 9 | 7 |
| Routes without employer sponsor | 6 | 3 |
| Routes leading to permanent residence | 7 | 1 |
| Typical full settlement timeline | Arrival on 482 → 186 ENS after 2 years (Specialist Skills Pathway) or 3-4 years (Core Skills) → PR → citizenship after 4 years from arrival (minimum 12 months as PR). | — |
| Dominant skilled visa | Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) | Work Permit |
| Skilled visa salary minimum | — | — |
| Skilled visa processing time | Home Affairs publishes a typical decision window of 6–12 months for the subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa, counted from the date you lodge. Because 189 is points-tested and invitation-only, much of the real waiting often happens earlier – in the SkillSelect pool, waiting for an invitation to apply. | — |
| Skilled visa government fees | The Australia subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa costs roughly A$5,400 in Home Affairs fees for a single primary applicant, before skills-assessment and English-test costs. | — |
| Official languages | English | English |
| Currency | Australian dollar | Solomon Islands dollar |
| Primary regulator | MARA | SID |
| Policy changes (last 12 months) | 1 | 0 |
Skilled-route head-to-head
Comparing each country’s most-used skilled-migration route side by side.
Commonwealth of Australia
Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
- Salary minimum
- —
- Government fees
- The Australia subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa costs roughly A$5,400 in Home Affairs fees for a single primary applicant, before skills-assessment and English-test costs.
- Processing time
- Home Affairs publishes a typical decision window of 6–12 months for the subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa, counted from the date you lodge. Because 189 is points-tested and invitation-only, much of the real waiting often happens earlier – in the SkillSelect pool, waiting for an invitation to apply.
- Sponsor required
- No
- Leads to settlement
- Yes
Solomon Islands
Work Permit
- Salary minimum
- —
- Government fees
- —
- Processing time
- —
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- No
Routes unique to Commonwealth of Australia
Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
skilled-migration
Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
skilled-migration
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
skilled-migration
Working Holiday Maker visa (subclass 417/462)
youth-mobility
National Innovation visa (formerly Global Talent)
work-unsponsored
Routes unique to Solomon Islands
Visa routes side by side
Commonwealth of Australia (9)
Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482)
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · Up to 4 years.
Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Permanent residence.
Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Permanent residence.
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · 5 years provisional, with pathway to permanent residence.
Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · Permanent residence.
Working Holiday Maker visa (subclass 417/462)
No sponsor · Non-settlement · 12 months per grant; up to 3 visas with qualifying specified work.
National Innovation visa (formerly Global Talent)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Permanent residence.
Australian Student visa (subclass 500)
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Programme length plus small buffer.
Partner visa (subclass 820/801, 309/100)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Initial provisional to permanent residence.
Solomon Islands (7)
Visitor Visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Tourist visitor category: 30 days single entry, renewal available, maximum stay up to 150 days. Other visitor subcategories have their own limits.
Business Visa - Short-Term
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Official short-term page: 90 days stay. Immigration categories page: up to 180 days with multiple entry and not extendable for the listed business category.
Work Permit
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Permit validity depends on approval; use alongside the relevant working resident visa where required.
Working Resident Visa
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Long-term employment: two years, unlimited entries, extendable. Short-term employment: six months single entry, extension after first six months.
Student Visa
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Two years; extendable.
Dependent / Family Relationship Visa
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Up to two years for listed dependant/family categories; extension available where stated.
Permanent Resident Visa
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Five years; extendable.
Frequently asked questions
Which country has an easier skilled-migration route, Commonwealth of Australia or Solomon Islands?+
Commonwealth of Australia’s Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) is the dominant skilled route; Solomon Islands’s Work Permit is the dominant skilled route. “Easier” depends on your salary, sponsor situation, and nationality — see each visa’s eligibility detail.
Does Commonwealth of Australia or Solomon Islands have more visa routes without an employer sponsor?+
Commonwealth of Australia has more: 6 of its covered routes can be pursued without an employer sponsor, against 3 for Solomon Islands. No-sponsor routes — such as digital-nomad, self-employment, and points-based skilled migration — matter most if you do not yet have a job offer.