Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)

SkillSelect – Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)

The Skilled Independent Visa is a permanent residence visa for individuals who have the qualifications and skills required to fill Australia’s skill shortages and are not sponsored by an employer, family member or nominated by a State or Territory Government.

SkillSelect – Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) Requirements:

The Skilled Independent Visa is a permanent residence visa for individuals who have the qualifications and skills required to fill Australia’s skill shortages and are not sponsored by an employer, family member or nominated by a State or Territory Government.

To successfully apply for this skilled migration visa, you need to first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) online and then be invited to apply for the visa.

Once you have been invited to apply, you must be able to satisfy the basic visa requirements to qualify for a visa in the General Skilled Migration program.

You Must fulfil these criteria to get the visa for a skilled individual  for Australia Permanent resident:


  • Have nominated a skilled occupation that is eligible for this subclass of visa.

  • Have obtained a suitable skills assessment in the nominated skilled occupation;

  • Be at least 18 years of age and younger than 45 years of age;

  • Have at least competent English language ability;

  • Meet the points test pass mark of at least 65 points;

  • Meet certain health and character requirements.

Applicants are assessed against the point test in which points can be claimed in the following areas:


  • Age

  • English language ability

  • Australian and overseas skilled work experience

  • Australian & International qualifications

  • Australian study requirements

  • Specialist qualifications.

  • Credentialed community language qualifications

  • Regional Australian study

  • Spouse skill qualifications

  • Professional year in Australia

The Points Table

Points are awarded on the basis of the factors listed in the following table. All factors are assessed as they are at the time you are invited to apply for this visa.

Age

Up to 12 points will be awarded under the age factor on the following basis:

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
25
Overseas skilled employment – (outside Australia) 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) 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
English Points

Competent English
0

Proficient English
10

Superior English
20

More information

  • 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 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

More information

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 we can assist you as part of our visa services, to get your overseas qualification assessed.

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 Points

A Masters degree by research or a Doctorate degree from an Australian educational institution that included at least 2 academic years study in a relevant field. 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:
10

Eligible fields

Information technology

  • Computer science

  • Information systems

  • Information technology

  • Other information technology
Natural and physical sciences

  • Biological sciences

  • Chemical sciences

  • Earth sciences

  • Mathematical sciences

  • Natural and physical sciences

  • Other natural and physical sciences

  • Physics and astronomy
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 technologyRegional Australian study

  • Other engineering and related technologies

  • Process and resources engineering

To determine whether your qualification is eligible, see the CRICOS website.

Australian study requirement Points

Meet the Australian study requirement. You must have at least 1 degree, diploma or trade qualification from an Australian educational institution that meets the Australian study requirement.
5
Professional Year in Australia Points

Completion of a Professional Year in Australia.
5

More information

Recognition of your qualifications

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
Credentialed community language Points

Hold a recognised qualification in a credentialed community language. To be credentialed 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.
5
Study in regional Australia 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.

To be eligible for the award of points your educational qualification:

1)must meet the Australian study requirement

2)have been obtained while you lived in, and studied at a campus in, a designated regional area

3)not include study undertaken by distance education
5
Partner skills 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:
1)Were under 45 years’ old
2) Had competent English
3) Had nominated a skilled occupation that is on the same skilled occupation list as your nominated skilled occupation
4) Had a suitable skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for their nominated skilled occupation, and the assessment wasn’t for a Subclass 485 visa. 		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

Entitlements of the SkillSelect – Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)

The Skilled Nominated Visa will grant you permanent residency in Australia. This will entitle you and your eligible family members to:


  • Travel in and out of Australia.

  • Work and study in Australia.

  • Access Government-subsidised healthcare (Medicare);

  • Apply for Australian citizenship once you become eligible.

  • Sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence.

To find out whether you qualify for a skilled migration visa, get in touch with our Australian Migration Expert by booking appointment.

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