Commonwealth of Australia · skilled migration · Leads to settlement

Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)

By Sam Parks · Last reviewed: 1 July 2026

Points-based permanent residence visa for skilled workers without employer or state sponsorship.

No sponsorship requiredLeads to permanent residencyPermanent residence.

Processing time: Variable — 6–24 months post-invitation.
Government fees: From AUD 6,135 principal applicant federal VAC.
Typical duration: Permanent residence.
Sponsorship required: No
Leads to permanent residency: Yes

Reviewed 1 July 2026Department of Home Affairs ↗

In short

As of 1 July 2026, the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) for Commonwealth of Australia has a typical government cost of about A$6,641 and typical processing of 6 months – 12 months. Sources: official Commonwealth of Australia government pages, reviewed 1 July 2026.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/australia/subclass-189-skilled-independent#answer

What is the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) in Commonwealth of Australia?

Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) is an unsponsored Australia route. Indicative government fees are From AUD 6,135 principal applicant federal VAC; indicative processing time is Variable — 6–24 months post-invitation; typical duration is Permanent residence. This route can lead to permanent residence.

Verified against Department of Home Affairs on 1 July 2026.

Australia skilled-route cost and points layer

Australia skilled points, nomination and Skills in Demand cost answer

The route guide answers eligibility. This stack keeps the money and evidence layer beside it: skills assessment, nomination, sponsorship, salary thresholds and route-stage fees.

Calculator context

A points result does not guarantee an invitation, nomination or visa grant. It only says whether the profile clears the 65-point SkillSelect EOI floor. Skills assessment, occupation demand, state nomination, sponsorship, salary thresholds and post-invitation fees still need separate evidence.

Australia route	Points or sponsor trigger	Mandatory paid-away baseline	Skills, nomination or salary dependency
Subclass 189 Skilled Independent	Points-tested SkillSelect route. The EOI floor is 65 points; there is no sponsor or state nomination bonus.	A$7,501-A$8,705	A$550-A$1,200 skills assessment before the EOI can become usable. No fixed salary floor in the route model; invitation depends on occupation demand and invitation rounds.
Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated	Points-tested SkillSelect route plus state or territory nomination. Nomination can add 5 points after the state gate is met.	A$7,506-A$9,010	A$550-A$1,200 skills assessment plus A$0-A$300 state or territory fee exposure. No employer sponsor or national salary floor; state criteria can add occupation, residence and funds declarations.
Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional	Points-tested regional route. State/territory nomination or eligible-relative sponsorship can add 15 points.	A$7,506-A$9,010	A$550-A$1,200 skills assessment plus A$0-A$300 nomination or eligible-relative gate exposure. No upfront national salary floor; later subclass 191 context is income-evidence timing, not an upfront 491 fee.
Subclass 482 Skills in Demand	Sponsor-led route. It is not a points-tested SkillSelect invitation route.	A$10,381-A$13,335	A$0-A$1,200 skills-assessment exposure where required by occupation, nationality or stream. A$420 sponsor fee, A$330 nomination fee and A$4,800-A$7,200 SAF levy are employer-side; A$79,423/yr CSIT or A$146,576/yr SSIT, plus AMSR where the stream requires it.

Comparator route	Route type	Paid-away baseline	Do not collapse these lines
Singapore S Pass	Employer-sponsored pass with quota, levy and insurance duties.	SGD 16,405-SGD 18,205	SGD 15,600 levy and SGD 600-SGD 2,400 insurance stay employer-side; SGD 39,600-SGD 45,600 salary evidence is not a visa fee.
New Zealand AEWV	Employer-accredited work route with job-check approval before the worker applies.	NZ$3,060-NZ$4,325	NZ$775 accreditation and NZ$735 job check are employer-side; variable market-rate job evidence is not paid away.
New Zealand SMC	Residence route with points, skilled-employment evidence and post-invitation filing.	NZ$6,810-NZ$8,925	NZ$0 EOI and NZ$6,450 resident-stage application; NZ$72,800-NZ$109,200 skilled-job pay evidence is not a fee.
Austria Red-White-Red Card	Points and employer-declaration route with AMS assessment.	€228-€363	€218 application fee; €0 points and labour-market gate; €41,580 salary evidence remains a category condition.

Source dates: Australia cost and salary data checked 1 July 2026; comparator cost rows checked 1 July 2026. Latest source record in this cluster: 1 July 2026. This cluster supports retrieval and review, not ranking, traffic, AI-citation or market-share outcome claims.

Overview

Subclass 189 is the core SkillSelect permanent-residence visa. Points are assigned for age, English, qualifications, experience, partner skills, and Australian study. Invitations issue after EOI submission based on points ranking and occupation.

Guidance by nationality

Specific information for applicants from these countries. Don’t see yours? The general eligibility criteria above apply to everyone.

Eligibility

Typical criteria

✓Qualifying occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List (post-reform) or the applicable list.
✓Positive skills assessment.
✓Age under 45.
✓Competent English (IELTS 6 or equivalent) minimum; points for higher.
✓Score invitation cut-off (65+ typical baseline; points ceiling higher).

Common blockers

!Occupation off list.
!Points below invitation round cut-off.

Typical evidence

·Skills assessment by relevant body.
·English test results.
·Work-history evidence.

Application pathway

Positive skills assessment
Assessment via VETASSESS, Engineers Australia, ACS, AHPRA, etc.
Submit EOI via SkillSelect
Expression of interest with points breakdown.
Receive Invitation to Apply
Based on ranking in invitation rounds.
Lodge visa application
60-day window post-invitation.

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

Official portalApplicant
Submit SkillSelect EOI ↗
Applicants use SkillSelect to lodge the EOI required before a subclass 189 invitation.
Department of Home Affairs · verified 1 July 2026

Fees and processing time

A typical Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) application runs about A$6,641 in government fees (single applicant, functional English, no health surcharge). A decision then typically takes 6 months – 12 months. Both change over time, so the dedicated pages below carry the itemised breakdown and the current official figures.

Matches these professions

Software engineer Nurse Doctor Care worker

Also explored by

Indian British Chinese

Compare Commonwealth of Australia with

Related routes

Frequently asked questions

How many points do I need for subclass 189?+

The minimum is 65 points but actual invitations typically require substantially higher for most occupations — often 85+ in recent rounds. Monitor Skills in Demand programme round results.

Can I get permanent residence in Australia without a job offer or employer sponsor?+

Yes. The Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) is a points-based permanent residence visa for skilled workers without employer or state sponsorship, so no job offer is required. Instead you need a qualifying occupation, a positive skills assessment, and a points score high enough to be invited. Confirm the current settings on the Department of Home Affairs.

Do I need a skills assessment for the subclass 189 visa, and who carries it out?+

Yes. A positive skills assessment is a core requirement and is the first step in the pathway, carried out by the assessing body for your occupation, such as VETASSESS, Engineers Australia, ACS, or AHPRA. It comes before you submit your Expression of Interest via SkillSelect. Confirm which body covers your occupation on the Department of Home Affairs.

How long does the 189 visa take to be granted after I'm invited to apply?+

Processing is variable, but typically 6 to 24 months after you receive an invitation to apply. You have a 60-day window to lodge the visa application once you are invited. Check the current processing guidance on the Department of Home Affairs.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

Find a regulated advisor in Australia

How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Department of Home Affairs

Last checked: 1 July 2026

See the full evidence trail and methodology

Compare Find my route