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Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) (Points-tested) stream

The Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) is a permanent, points-tested visa for eligible skilled workers who do not require employer, state/territory or family sponsorship. Applicants must lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect and receive an invitation before applying.

Three different streams:

  1. Points-tested stream: For the Skilled Independent (Points-tested) stream you need to submit an expression of interest.
  2. New Zealand stream: The New Zealand stream of the Skilled Independent visa subclass 189 is now closed to new primary applications.
  3. Hong Kong stream: Subclass 189 also includes a Hong Kong stream for eligible Hong Kong or British National (Overseas) passport holders who meet the relevant visa, residence and eligibility requirements. This stream should be considered separately from the points-tested stream.

Sc 189 update - Processing Priorities

If you have already lodged a Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa application, these dates indicate which applications the Department of Home Affairs is currently prioritising for processing.

Applications that were lod​ged in or before:​​

  • June 2026 – Construction, Healt​hcare, Teaching, Agriculture, Aquaculture, Fishing, and Resources sectors, or in Australia's law enforcement and defence interests.
  • June 2026 – Visa applications where the primary applicant was in Australia at the time they lodged their application.
  • November 2025 – Visa applications where the primary applicant was outside of Australia at the time they lodged their application and whose application is not combined with another person’s application at any time.
  • November 2025 – All other visa applications from applicants who were outside Australia when they applied.

Sc 189 - Latest SkillSelect invitation round

Information last checked: 28 Oct 2026

The Skilled Independent visa (Sc 189) invitation round planned for 30 September 2026 was postponed and held on 15 October 2026. Official results had not been published when this was last checked. The most recent published round was held on 4 June 2026, when 10,000 invitations were issued (tie-break date 24 April 2026).

Eligibility

189 visa points test

The process

Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) via SkillSelect with details of your nominated occupation, skills and qualifications. SkillSelect will estimate a points score and rank you against other intending migrants. More information about EOIs, including invitation rounds and occupation ceilings, is available.

If you are ranked high enough and there are places available for your nominated occupation, you will be invited to apply for the visa.

If you are invited, you have 60 calendar days to apply for the visa.


Occupation

Your occupation must be on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations.

You must have a skills assessment that shows you have the skills and qualifications to work in that occupation.


Points score

You must be able to meet the points score on your invitation letter. This score will be 65 points or more.

The score on your invitation letter is based on the information in your EOI.

You must be able to meet the points score eligibility at the time you are invited to apply for the visa.

Check how many points you might get – Use the points table to calculate your test score.

Everyone who wants to be invited to apply for the visa must submit an EOI. When you submit your EOI you will be ranked against other intending applicants and might be invited to apply for the visa (your EOI will stay in the pool for up to 2 years).  There is no cost to submit an EOI.

Points information (Check if you can claim points for):

189 visa points test

Assessing authorities

Use the assessing authority listed against your nominated occupation in the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations.


What you can do with a 189 visa

This is a permanent visa. It lets you:

  • stay in Australia indefinitely
  • work and study in Australia
  • enrol in Medicare, Australia’s scheme for health-related care and expenses
  • sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
  • travel to and from Australia for five years
  • apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible.


Cost

Check here for skilled visa fee

Can I Apply in Australia or Overseas?

You can be in or outside Australia when you submit your EOI. You can either be in Australia or overseas when you apply for a Subclass 189 Skilled Independent Visa. To be able to lodge from within Australia, you would need to hold a substantive visa or a Bridging A, B or C visa. Once you apply from within Australia, you will receive a bridging visa allowing you to remain in Australia during processing of your visa application. If your current visa is refused or cancelled you might not be eligible to apply for the 189 visa while you were in Australia.


How long the visa lasts

This is a permanent visa. It lasts indefinitely.

The visa starts on the date it is granted.


Family

You can include your partner and your or your partner’s child or step-child in your application.

Family members who are granted the visa have the same rights and can do the same things as you.


Your obligations

You and your family members must comply with Australian laws and your visa conditions.

You can find your visa conditions in VEVO.


Travel

You can travel in and out of Australia as many times as you want for five years after the visa is granted.


Cost

From 1 July 2026, the visa application charge is $6,135 for the main applicant, $3,070 for each additional applicant 18 and over and $1,540 for each additional applicant under 18. See all skilled visa costs

189 Visa Points Table

To be invited for a points-tested 189 visa you need at least 65 points, and your points are counted at the time you are invited, not when you lodge your EOI or your visa application. The table below shows the points you can claim for a 189. It is the same points test used for the 190 and 491, except that the 189 has no nomination points. For more detail on each factor, see our skilled visa points table or try the 189 visa points test calculator.

Factor What you need Points
Age (at invitation) 18 to 24 25
25 to 32 30
33 to 39 25
40 to 44 15
English language Competent English (minimum requirement) 0
Proficient English 10
Superior English 20
Skilled employment outside Australia (in the 10 years before invitation) 3 to less than 5 years 5
5 to less than 8 years 10
8 years or more 15
Skilled employment in Australia (in the 10 years before invitation) 1 to less than 3 years 5
3 to less than 5 years 10
5 to less than 8 years 15
8 years or more 20
Qualifications (highest only) Doctorate from an Australian institution, or a recognised overseas doctorate 20
Bachelor degree or higher (including a master’s degree) from an Australian institution, or recognised overseas equivalent 15
Australian diploma or trade qualification, or a qualification recognised by your assessing authority 10
Specialist education Australian master’s by research or doctorate in a relevant STEM field, with at least 2 academic years of study 10
Australian study requirement At least 2 academic years of study in Australia that meets the requirement 5
Study in regional Australia Meet the Australian study requirement while living and studying in a designated regional area 5
Professional Year Completed an approved Professional Year in Australia in your nominated or a closely related occupation, in the 4 years before invitation 5
Credentialled community language NAATI credentialled community language (CCL) or a NAATI translator or interpreter credential 5
Partner You are single, or your partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident 10
Your partner is applying with you, is under 45, has Competent English and a suitable skills assessment in an occupation on the same list as yours 10
Your partner is applying with you and has Competent English only 5

Key rules to keep in mind

  • Points for skilled employment in and outside Australia are added together, but you can claim no more than 20 points for employment in total.
  • Employment only counts if it is in your nominated occupation or a closely related skilled occupation, and your skills assessment may only treat part of your work history as skilled.
  • Your English test must have been taken within 3 years before your invitation, and your skills assessment must still be valid when you are invited.
  • You can only claim points for one qualification, your highest. Specialist education, Australian study and regional study points are claimed in addition.

Is the points test changing? In the 2026 to 2027 Federal Budget (May 2026), the Government announced that it will reform the points test to select migrants who are younger, more highly educated and more highly skilled. As at late October 2026 no detailed changes or start date had been released, so the table above still applies. We will update this page when the new rules are confirmed.

Worked Example: Calculating Your 189 Points

Here is how the points might add up for a typical applicant. Priya is 29 and single. She completed a two year master’s degree by coursework at a Melbourne university, has a positive skills assessment, scored Proficient English, and has 3 years of skilled work overseas and 1 year of skilled work in Australia.

Factor Priya’s situation Points
Age 29 years old 30
English Proficient 10
Qualification Master’s degree by coursework (counts at bachelor level) 15
Australian study requirement 2 academic years in Australia 5
Overseas employment 3 years 5
Australian employment 1 year 5
Partner points Single 10
Total 80

Priya meets the 65 point pass mark, but in recent rounds many occupations have needed more than 80 points. Here is how she could improve her score:

  • Superior English: moving from Proficient to Superior adds 10 points, taking her to 90.
  • NAATI CCL: passing a credentialled community language test adds 5 points.
  • More Australian experience: once she reaches 3 years of skilled work in Australia, her Australian employment points rise from 5 to 10.

Priya should also watch her age. When she turns 33, her age points drop from 30 to 25, so if she is invited after that birthday she will have 5 fewer points. Use our points calculator to check your own score, then book a consultation so we can confirm which points you can actually prove.

How 189 Invitations and Tie-Breaks Work

You cannot apply for a points-tested 189 visa without an invitation. After you lodge an EOI in SkillSelect, your EOI is ranked against other candidates and Home Affairs invites the highest ranked people in each occupation during an invitation round.

How candidates are ranked
  • Points score first: within each occupation, EOIs with higher points are invited before EOIs with lower points.
  • Date of effect breaks ties: if two candidates have the same points, the one who reached that score earlier is invited first. Your date of effect is the date your EOI reached its current points score. If you gain extra points, for example with a better English result, your date of effect moves to the date you reached the new, higher score.
  • Occupation ceilings: Home Affairs sets occupation ceilings that limit how many invitations can go to each occupation in a program year, so popular occupations usually need higher scores.
  • Priority tiers: Home Affairs now groups occupations into priority tiers when it decides who to invite. Health, education and other priority occupations sit in the higher tiers, while heavily oversubscribed occupations, such as many accounting and ICT roles, sit in the lowest tier and usually need much higher points. Read more about the 4 tier invitation system for the 189 visa.
What recent rounds tell us (as at 27 October 2026)
  • The Government set 21,090 places for the Skilled Independent category in the 2026 to 2027 program year, up from 16,900 in 2025 to 2026. See our page on migration program planning levels.
  • In the 4 June 2026 round, Home Affairs issued 10,000 invitations for the 189. Several construction trades were invited at 65 points, many health and teaching occupations needed around 75 points, and some engineering and science occupations needed 95 points or more.
  • The first 189 round of the 2026 to 2027 program year was held on 15 October 2026. At the time of writing, Home Affairs had not published official results for that round.

Invitation rounds do not run on a fixed timetable, and the points needed change from round to round. Check our invitation rounds page for the latest results. Once you are invited, you have 60 days to lodge your visa application, and this deadline cannot be extended.

The Three 189 Visa Streams

The 189 visa has three streams. Most people apply under the points-tested stream. Select a tab to see who each stream is for.

Who it is for: skilled workers with an occupation on the MLTSSL who can score at least 65 points and receive an invitation.

Main requirements:

  • An occupation on the 189 occupation list (MLTSSL)
  • A suitable skills assessment for that occupation
  • An invitation through SkillSelect
  • Under 45 years of age at invitation
  • At least Competent English
  • At least 65 points at invitation
  • Health and character requirements

You do not need an employer, a state or territory, or a family member to sponsor or nominate you.

Step-by-Step: How to Apply for a 189 Visa

  1. Check your occupation. Make sure your occupation is on the MLTSSL and find out which body assesses it.
  2. Get your skills assessment. Apply to the assessing authority for your occupation. A skills assessment is usually valid for 3 years, or for a shorter period if the assessment says so.
  3. Sit your English test. Aim for the highest result you can, because Proficient and Superior English add 10 or 20 points.
  4. Work out your points. Only claim points you can prove with documents.
  5. Lodge your EOI in SkillSelect. Lodging an EOI is free and it stays in the system for up to 2 years. Keep it up to date if your circumstances change.
  6. Prepare your documents while you wait. Gather the documents in the checklist below so you are ready if you are invited.
  7. Lodge your visa application within 60 days of invitation. Your application must match the claims made in your EOI. Pay the visa charge for you and each family member included.
  8. Complete health checks and biometrics if asked. Respond to any request from Home Affairs by the date given.
  9. Wait for a decision. Tell Home Affairs about any change in your circumstances, such as a new address, a new baby or a change in relationship.
189 visa document checklist

The documents you need depend on your situation. This list covers what is commonly requested. Click each heading to see more.

  • Passport bio page for you and each family member
  • Birth certificates
  • National identity card, if your country issues one
  • Evidence of any change of name
  • A recent passport sized photo for each applicant
  • Your skills assessment outcome letter
  • Degree certificates and academic transcripts
  • Evidence of any Australian study used for points, such as completion letters and transcripts
  • Professional Year completion certificate, if claiming points
  • Your English test result taken within 3 years before your invitation
  • Evidence of functional English for adult family members, or be ready to pay the second instalment of the visa charge
  • Detailed reference letters on company letterhead showing your dates, hours, salary and duties
  • Employment contracts
  • Payslips and bank statements showing salary payments
  • Tax records, such as tax returns or notices of assessment
  • Superannuation statements for Australian employment
  • Marriage certificate, or evidence of a de facto relationship such as joint leases, joint accounts and shared bills
  • Birth certificates of children, and custody documents if a child’s other parent is not migrating
  • For partner skills points: your partner’s skills assessment and English test result
  • For partner English points: your partner’s English test result
  • Health examinations for each applicant, booked once you have a HAP ID
  • Police certificates for every country where you have lived for 12 months or more in the past 10 years since turning 16
  • Military service records or discharge papers, if relevant
  • NAATI credential or CCL result, if claiming community language points
  • Evidence of living and studying in a designated regional area, if claiming regional study points

189 vs 190 vs 491: Which Skilled Visa Suits You?

If your points are not high enough for a 189 invitation, a state nominated 190 or a regional 491 may give you a better chance, because nomination adds points and states choose from their own occupation lists. You can select more than one visa in the same EOI.

Feature 189 Skilled Independent 190 Skilled Nominated 491 Skilled Work Regional
Type of visa Permanent Permanent Provisional, valid for 5 years
Nomination or sponsorship None needed State or territory nomination State or territory nomination, or an eligible relative in a designated regional area
Extra points None 5 points for nomination 15 points for nomination or sponsorship
Occupation lists MLTSSL MLTSSL or STSOL, as chosen by each state MLTSSL, STSOL or ROL, as chosen by each state
Where you can live Anywhere in Australia You commit to living in the nominating state, usually for at least 2 years You must live, work and study in a designated regional area
Path to permanent residence Already permanent Already permanent 191 visa after holding the 491 for 3 years and meeting the requirements
Age limit Under 45 at invitation Under 45 at invitation Under 45 at invitation
Visa charge, main applicant (from 1 July 2026) $6,135 $6,140 $6,140
Places in 2026 to 2027 21,090 35,500 14,110 (Regional category, shared with the 494)

Each state and territory sets its own rules for nomination. See our guides to 190 state requirements, 491 state requirements and designated regional areas, or compare all options in our skilled visa comparison charts.

Bridging Visas and What Happens After Your 189 Is Granted

While your application is being processed
  • If you apply in Australia while holding a substantive visa, you will usually be granted a Bridging visa A (BVA). It comes into effect when your current visa ends and lets you stay lawfully until a decision is made. Check the work conditions on your BVA grant notice or in VEVO.
  • A BVA does not let you travel. If you need to leave Australia and return while you are on a BVA, apply for a Bridging visa B (BVB) before you go. See our page on bridging visas.
  • If you apply from outside Australia, you wait outside Australia. You can visit Australia on another visa, such as a visitor visa, if you are eligible for one.
  • If your current visa has a no further stay condition, such as condition 8503, you may not be able to apply in Australia unless the condition is waived. Get advice before your invitation arrives.
After your visa is granted
  • Your permanent residence begins. If you were granted the visa outside Australia, your grant letter may set a date by which you must first enter Australia.
  • Enrol in Medicare and update your visa details with your employer, bank and the ATO.
  • Your travel facility lasts 5 years from the date of grant. To return to Australia as a permanent resident after that, you will need a Resident Return visa or Australian citizenship.
  • Plan for citizenship. You can usually apply once you have lived in Australia for 4 years on a valid visa, including at least 12 months as a permanent resident, and meet the absence limits. Read about the citizenship residency requirement.
  • Waiting periods apply to many Centrelink payments for newly arrived permanent residents, so plan your finances for the first few years.
  • Sponsor family. As a permanent resident you may be able to sponsor eligible family members, such as a partner or parents, for their own visas.

Common 189 Visa Mistakes to Avoid

Many 189 problems, from missed invitations to refusals, come from avoidable errors. Click each one to see how to avoid it.

Your visa application is assessed against the claims in your EOI at the time you were invited. If you cannot prove a claim, for example years of employment or a qualification level, your score may fall below what was needed and the application can be refused. Only claim points you have evidence for on the day of your invitation.

Your skills assessment must be valid and your English test must have been taken within 3 years before your invitation. If either has expired when you are invited, you cannot claim it. Check the expiry dates regularly while your EOI is in the pool.

Your age points are counted on the day of invitation. If you turn 25, 33, 40 or 45 while you are waiting, your score can change or you may no longer be eligible. Update your EOI and plan ahead if a birthday is coming up.

Only work in your nominated or a closely related occupation, at the right skill level and hours, counts. Some assessing authorities only treat work after a certain date as skilled. Claiming more years than your skills assessment supports is a common reason for refusal.

To claim 10 partner skills points, your partner must be under 45 at invitation, have Competent English and hold a suitable skills assessment in an occupation on the same list as yours. If your partner only has Competent English, you can claim 5 points. Check this carefully before you lodge your EOI.

You must declare your partner and dependent children in your application even if they are not migrating with you. If you leave a family member out, it may be very difficult or impossible for them to get a visa through you later. Non-migrating family members usually still need health checks.

Giving false or misleading information or documents can lead to refusal under Public Interest Criterion 4020 and a ban on future visas. This applies even if a third party prepared the document. If you are unsure about a document, get advice before you lodge it.

You only have 60 days after invitation to lodge a valid application. Gathering police certificates, employment evidence and family documents can take weeks, so start collecting them while your EOI is in the pool.

189 Visa FAQs

65 points is the minimum to lodge an EOI and be invited, but most occupations need more. In the 4 June 2026 round, some construction trades were invited at 65 points while many health, teaching and professional occupations needed 75 to 85 points or more. The points you need depend on your occupation and the round.

Your EOI stays in SkillSelect for up to 2 years from the date you lodge it. There is no fee to lodge or update an EOI. If you are not invited within 2 years, you can lodge a new one.

If candidates in the same occupation have the same points, the person whose EOI reached that score first is invited first. This is called the date of effect. If you increase your points, your date of effect changes to the date you reached the higher score.

Yes. You can generally apply for a 189 visa in or outside Australia, but not while you are in immigration clearance. If your current visa has a no further stay condition, you may need to have it waived before you can apply in Australia.

Yes. You can include your partner and dependent children in your application. From 1 July 2026, the visa charge is $3,070 for each additional applicant aged 18 or over and $1,540 for each additional applicant under 18. Your family members must also meet health and character requirements.

No. A 189 visa has no nomination or regional conditions, so you can live and work anywhere in Australia. This is one of its main advantages over the 190 and 491 visas.

The age requirement is checked at the time of invitation. If you were under 45 when you were invited, you can still lodge your application within the 60 day period even if you turn 45 in the meantime.

Yes. In your SkillSelect EOI you can indicate interest in the 189, 190 and 491 visas, and you may be invited for whichever comes first. You can only accept and lodge an application for the visa you are invited to.

Processing times change month to month and depend on how complete your application is, how quickly health and character checks are finished and how many places are left in the program year. Lodging a decision ready application with all documents helps. See our skilled visa processing times page.

The Government has announced that it will reform the points test, but as at late October 2026 no details or start date had been released. Until new rules take effect, the current points table applies. If you are eligible now, it is usually best not to wait.

How VisaEnvoy Can Help with Your 189 Visa Application

Based in Melbourne, VisaEnvoy’s registered migration agents provide comprehensive online migration services to clients across Australia and overseas, including those who have never visited Australia.

We guide you through the Subclass 189 visa process, from your initial eligibility assessment to the final decision on your Australian permanent residency application.

Our services include:

  • Eligibility and Skills Assessment: Assessing your qualifications and work experience, checking whether your nominated occupation is on the relevant skilled occupation list, and assisting with your skills assessment application.
  • Points Assessment and Eligibility Review: Reviewing your points score, identifying which points you can legitimately claim, and assessing your competitiveness based on your nominated occupation and recent invitation trends. We can also advise on potential ways to improve your points score.
  • Expression of Interest (EOI): Preparing and submitting your EOI through SkillSelect, ensuring your points claims are supported by appropriate evidence, and updating your EOI when your circumstances change.
  • 189 Visa Application: Once you receive an invitation to apply, preparing and lodging your Subclass 189 visa application, including eligible family members and supporting documents.
  • Bridging Visa Management: Assisting with relevant bridging visa applications and conditions, where applicable, to help you maintain lawful immigration status in Australia while your application is being processed.
  • Ongoing Application Support: Liaising with relevant authorities, responding to requests for further information, and monitoring your application until a decision is made.

Where to Start?

Book a consultation today for a personalised assessment of your eligibility and available Subclass 189 visa pathways.

Related: New 4-Tier Invitation System for 189 Visa

Stage 1: Initial Eligibility Assessment

The first step that we will take is to conduct an initial assessment of your eligibility for this visa. This involves reviewing your qualifications, work experience, English language and other circumstances, to establish whether or not you are likely to meet the relevant requirements.

As part of this initial eligibility assessment, we will consider which MLTSSL occupation(s) you are likely to be able to nominate, and whether or not you are potentially eligible for a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for that occupation.

We will then provide you with informed and comprehensive advice about your ability to meet the minimum standards that DHA requires migrants to fulfil in order to qualify for an invitation to apply for this visa.

Stage 2: Skills Assessment

Should our initial assessment indicate that you are eligible for a positive skills assessment and EOI, we will prepare your skills assessment application.

For each skilled occupation listed on the MLTSSL, DHA has specified an assessing authority that may carry out skills assessments for that occupation. Only a skills assessment conducted by the relevant assessing authority will be accepted by DHA in support of an EOI.

We will provide you with a full list of the information and documents required to support your application. When you have provided the necessary details and documents, along with the required assessment fee, we will lodge your application with the applicable skills assessing authority.

Stage 3: Expression of Interest

Once you have received a positive skills assessment from the skills assessing authority, we will prepare and lodge your EOI. Although you do not need to provide supporting documents at this stage, you MUST be able to provide evidence that the information supplied in the EOI is correct at the time that you are invited to apply for the visa.

You will subsequently receive a result and points score from DHA, which is used to rank you against other applicants who have lodged EOIs for this visa. Ranking is based partially on whether or not your occupation is a skill that Australia requires at the time your EOI is assessed. If your EOI is successful, you will be invited to lodge a visa application.

Note: DHA retains an EOI for 2 years from the date that it is lodged. During this time, your EOI can be updated if any of your circumstances change (e.g. you obtain a new qualification or skills assessment). If your ranking changes during this 2-year period, based on either your changing circumstances or Australia’s changing skill needs, you may be issued with an invitation to apply for the visa at that point in time.

Stage 4: Visa Application

Once DHA has invited you to apply for this visa, we will prepare and lodge your visa application within the specified time frame, together with all of the documents that support the information that you provided in your EOI. This includes your skills assessment, English language test results, qualifications, work references and all other required documents.

Should your visa application be approved, you will be granted a permanent visa. You may be either in Australia or overseas when your visa is granted.

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