Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)- Permanent Visa
This stream is for skilled workers who are not sponsored by an employer or family member or nominated by a state or territory government. It allows you to live and work in Australia as a Permanent Resident. Applicant must score 65 points based on his/her and spouse credentials like qualification, work experience, English language proficiency.
Points table for Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) assessed at the time of invitation
Age
| Age | Points |
| at least 18 but less than 25 years | 25 |
| at least 25 but less than 33 years | 30 |
| at least 33 but less than 40 years | 25 |
| at least 40 but less than 45 years | 15 |
English Language Skills
| English | Points |
| Competent English | 0 |
| Proficient English | 10 |
| Superior English | 20 |
Overseas Skilled Employment – Outside Australia
| Number of years | Points |
| Less than 3 years | 0 |
| At least 3 but less than 5 years | 5 |
| At least 5 but less than 8 years | 10 |
| At least 8 years | 15 |
Australian Skilled Employment – In Australia
| Number of years | Points |
| Less than 1 year | 0 |
| At least 1 but less than 3 years | 5 |
| At least 3 but less than 5 years | 10 |
| At least 5 but less than 8 years | 15 |
| At least 8 years | 20 |
You can only claim points for employment if the employment was in your nominated skilled occupation or a closely related skilled occupation; and you were employed for the relevant periods set out in the table, in the 10 years before you are invited to apply.
For any Australian employment you must have held a substantive visa or a Bridging A or Bridging B visa and complied with the conditions of that visa to be eligible for points.
Employed means engaged in an occupation for remuneration for at least 20 hours a week.
Closely-related occupations must be:
- in the same ANZSCO Unit Group or
- consistent with a career advancement pathway or
- recognised by an assessing authority that it is closely related to your nominated occupation, as part of your skills assessment
Under the points test there is a cap on the number of points that can be awarded for employment experience. The maximum number of points that can be awarded is 20, this means that even if you score more than 20 combined points for your employment experience only 20 points will be awarded.
Educational Qualifications
| Requirement | Points |
| A Doctorate from an Australian educational institution or a Doctorate from another educational institution, that is of a recognised standard. | 20 |
| At least a Bachelor degree from an Australian educational institution or at least a Bachelor qualification, from another educational institution, that is of a recognised standard. | 15 |
| A diploma or trade qualification from an Australian educational institution. | 10 |
| Attained a qualification or award recognised by the relevant assessing authority for your nominated skilled occupation as being suitable for that occupation | 10 |
For points based migration you will receive points for your highest qualification only.
Recognition of your qualifications
The authority undertaking your skills assessment may determine if your qualifications are comparable to the relevant Australian qualification. Assessing authorities are listed against your occupation in the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations. You must have obtained this recognition at the time you are invited to apply for a visa.
If you hold an overseas qualification at bachelor level or above and your skills assessing authority did not offer an opinion on that qualification then it is open to you to contact Vocational Education Training and Assessment Services (VETASSESS) for advice.
VETASSESS can provide an assessment of the comparative educational level of these qualifications against the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Advice from VETASSESS should be provided with your application to support your claim for these points.
To obtain an assessment contact Vocational Education Training and Assessment Services.
Doctoral requirements (PhD)
You can only be awarded points for a doctoral degree if you have completed a qualification at the relevant level, that is, a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). You cannot claim these points for the award of other qualifications that give you the right to use to the title of Doctor (that is, general practitioner, dentist, vet).
Specialist Education Qualification
| Requirement | Points |
| A Master’s degree by research or a Doctorate degree from an Australian educational institution that included at least 2 academic years study in a relevant field. | 10 |
The postgraduate degree by research (doctorate or masters) must be awarded from an Australian education institution after at least 2 academic years of study in the following science, technology, engineering, mathematics or specified information and communication technology (ICT) fields:
Natural and physical sciences
- biological sciences
- chemical sciences
- earth sciences
- mathematical sciences
- natural and physical sciences
- other natural and physical sciences
- physics and astronomy
Information technology
- computer science
- information systems
- information technology
- other information technology
Engineering and related technologies
- aerospace engineering and technology
- civil engineering
- electrical and electronic engineering and technology
- engineering and related technologies
- geomatics engineering
- manufacturing engineering and technology
- maritime engineering and technology
- mechanical and industrial engineering and technology
- other engineering and related technologies
- process and resources engineering.
To determine whether your qualification is eligible, see the CRICOS website.
Australian Study Requirement
| Requirement | Points |
| Meet the Australian study requirement | 5 |
You must have at least 1 degree, diploma or trade qualification from an Australian educational institution that meets the Australian study requirement.
Professional Year in Australia
| Requirement | Points |
| Completion of a Professional Year in Australia | 5 |
At the time of invitation to apply, you had completed a Professional Year. To be eligible for the award of these points your Professional Year must have been in Accounting, ICT/Computing or Engineering, and:
- in your nominated occupation or a closely related occupation
- completed over a period of at least 12 months
- completed in Australia in the four years before you are invited to apply for a visa
- provided by one of these organisations:
- the Australian Computer Society
- CPA Australia
- Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand
- the Institute of Public Accountants (formerly the National Institute of Accountants)
- Engineers Australia.
Credentialled Community Language
| Requirement | Points |
| Hold a recognised qualification in a credentialled community language | 5 |
To be credentialled in a community language and eligible for the award of points you must have been accredited at the paraprofessional level or above, certified at the certified provisional level or above, or have a community language credential for interpreting or translating by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.
Study in Regional Australia
| Requirement | Points |
| You must have at least 1 degree, diploma or trade qualification from an Australian educational institution that satisfies the Australian study requirement obtained while living and studying in an eligible area of regional Australia | 5 |
To be eligible for the award of points your educational qualification:
- must meet the Australian study requirement
- have been obtained while you lived in, and studied at a campus in, a designated regional area
- not include study undertaken by distance education
Partner skills
| Requirement | Points |
Your spouse or de facto partner must also be an applicant for this visa and meet age, English and skill criteria For you to be eligible for the award of these points your partner must be an applicant for the same visa subclass and must not be an Australian permanent resident or an Australian citizen. Additionally, you will need to provide evidence that when you were invited to apply for this visa that they:
| 10 |
Your spouse or de facto partner must also be an applicant for this visa and has competent English For you to be eligible for the award of these points your partner must be an applicant for the same visa subclass and must not be an Australian permanent resident or an Australian citizen. | 5 |
| You are single or your partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident | 10 |
Process
Skill Assessment
Your education and work experience are assessed by designated authorities in Australia, you can proceed with the application only if you have received a positive skill assessment. If you want to add spouse’s skill points then skill assessment is must for spouse as well.
EOI
On receiving positive skill assessment and with sufficient information, applicant submits an Expression of Interest to apply for permanent residency of Australia. Department will assess your application and may issue invitation to apply for the visa, depending on their criteria.
Visa Application
As soon as you receive invitation to apply for permanent residency in Australia you can submit application for visa.
Medical
All the applicants need to go under medical examination as per requirement by the department.