Indian citizens moving to Commonwealth of Australia
Indian applicants are the largest cohort for Australia's subclass 189 points-tested Skilled Independent stream and subclass 500 student visa. Migration-Australia-India Mobility Partnership Arrangement (MMPA) from 2023 introduced specific graduate and work mobility streams.
We cover 9 Australia routes — 6 can be started without a job offer, and 7 lead to permanent residence.
Tourist entry
No. Indian nationals require a visa to enter Commonwealth of Australia, even for short tourism. A separate residence or work route is required for long-term stay.
Treaty & bilateral memberships
- Commonwealth
Consular processing: New Delhi
What this means for Indian citizens
Of the 9 Commonwealth of Australia routes we cover, 6 can be started without an employer sponsor and 7 can lead to permanent residence. Relevant memberships: Commonwealth. Language alignment is strong, which usually eases qualification recognition and any language-test requirement.
Headline figures — Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
Computed from our continuously re-verified, primary-sourced data. Indicative, not legal advice.
Government cost
A$5,416
Single applicant, functional English, no health surcharge
Add A$2,385 per adult dependant, A$1,195 per child. Each adult may separately be charged the A$4,890 limited-English second instalment if they cannot demonstrate functional English.
Verified 1 June 2026 · Home Affairs — Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa →
How long it takes
6 months – 12 months
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.
Verified 1 June 2026 · Home Affairs — Global visa processing times →
Time to permanent residence
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).
Leads to Permanent Resident, then Australian citizenship.
Will you qualify?
EOI minimum: 65 points to submit an Expression of Interest; invitation rounds usually require more.
Estimate your score →Routes with nationality-specific notes
Each link opens the Indian-specific guide for that route.
Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482)
Employer-sponsored temporary work visa (formerly TSS) with reformed routes from December 2024.
Indian nationals are one of the largest subclass 482 cohorts, concentrated in ICT and engineering. Skills assessment through ACS (IT) or Engineers Australia is the critical path — allow 12–16 weeks. After 2 years on the Specialist or Core Skills stream, transition to subclass 186 permanent residence becomes available.
Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
Points-based permanent residence visa for skilled workers without employer or state sponsorship.
Indian applicants lead subclass 189 grants in most years. ACS assesses ICT qualifications; Engineers Australia assesses engineering. Indian degrees often require the Skilled Migration Assessment MSA pathway for ICT; budget 8–12 weeks. English tests accept IELTS, PTE or TOEFL — PTE is the fastest-turnaround choice in India.
Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
State-nominated permanent residence visa providing a 5-point SkillSelect boost.
Indian subclass 190 applicants follow state-nomination patterns: NSW for IT/finance roles, Victoria for IT/healthcare, South Australia for engineering and healthcare. State nomination adds 5 points to the 189 score. Skills assessment (ACS for ICT, Engineers Australia for engineering) is the rate-limiting step.
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
Provisional 5-year regional visa leading to permanent residence via subclass 191.
Indian subclass 491 applicants concentrate in IT, engineering, and healthcare roles in regional NSW, regional Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia. The 15 nomination points effectively unlock invitation thresholds inaccessible on points-only 189. Plan for 3 years of regional residence and qualifying income before the 191 permanent transition.
Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)
Permanent residence visa for workers nominated by Australian employers.
Indian applicants moving from subclass 482 to 186 ENS via the Temporary Residence Transition stream find it the most common permanent-residence path. Continuous employment with the sponsoring employer for at least 2 of the last 3 years is the threshold; plan employer-retention carefully.
Partner visa (subclass 820/801, 309/100)
Residence visa for spouses and de facto partners of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens.
Indian partner-visa applications are one of the largest single national cohorts. Indian marriage certificates from civil registrars (not religious-only ceremonies) are required, with apostille from the Indian MEA. Police clearance from every state lived in for 12+ months since age 16 is standard. The AUD 9,365+ fee is materially higher than UK or EU equivalents — factor this in to migration cost-modelling.
All Commonwealth of Australia routes open to Indian applicants
General routes available to all nationalities. Click any to read the full guide.
Working Holiday Maker visa (subclass 417/462)
Short-term work-and-travel visa for young people from participating countries.
No job offer needed · Temporary
National Innovation visa (formerly Global Talent)
Permanent residence for globally recognised high achievers in target sectors — replacement for the former Global Talent visa.
No job offer needed · Leads to permanent residence
Australian Student visa (subclass 500)
Study visa for international students enrolled at CRICOS-registered institutions.
Job offer required · Temporary
Frequently asked questions
Can Indian citizens enter Commonwealth of Australia without a visa?+
No. Indian nationals require a visa to enter Commonwealth of Australia, even for short tourism. A separate residence or work route is required for long-term stay.
Which Commonwealth of Australia visa routes are best suited to Indian applicants?+
Common general routes used by Indian applicants include Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190). Indian applicants are the largest cohort for Australia's subclass 189 points-tested Skilled Independent stream and subclass 500 student visa. Migration-Australia-India Mobility Partnership Arrangement (MMPA) from 2023 introduced specific graduate and work mobility streams.
Where do Indian applicants typically apply for a Commonwealth of Australia visa?+
Applications are typically processed at New Delhi. Some digital and in-country applications can be filed directly with Commonwealth of Australia's immigration authority without a consular visit.
Do Indian citizens need a job offer to move to Commonwealth of Australia?+
Not necessarily. 6 of the 9 Commonwealth of Australia routes we cover can be started without an employer sponsor, while the rest need a sponsoring employer or job offer. If you do not have an offer yet, the no-sponsor routes are the place to start.
Can Indian citizens get permanent residence in Commonwealth of Australia?+
Yes. 7 of the 9 Commonwealth of Australia routes we cover lead toward settlement or permanent residence; the others are temporary. Timelines vary by route, so check the settlement detail on each visa page.
How much does the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) cost for a Indian applicant?+
Government fees for the worked example (Single applicant, functional English, no health surcharge) total about A$5,416. Add A$2,385 per adult dependant, A$1,195 per child. Each adult may separately be charged the A$4,890 limited-English second instalment if they cannot demonstrate functional English. Figures from Home Affairs — Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa, verified 1 June 2026. Treat these as indicative — confirm the current schedule on the official source before budgeting.
How long does the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) take to process from India?+
The typical published decision window is 6 months – 12 months. Indian applicants usually file via New Delhi, and consular-post backlogs can add to the wait. Source: Home Affairs — Global visa processing times, verified 1 June 2026.
How long until permanent residence in Commonwealth of Australia?+
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). The route leads to Permanent Resident, then Australian citizenship. See Home Affairs — Australian citizenship for the qualifying-residence rules.