EMC Australia / Skilled Independent
A points-tested skilled visa with no state and no employer.
The Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) is a permanent visa for invited skilled workers who are not sponsored by an employer, state or family member. You need an invitation from your SkillSelect EOI, at least 65 points, to be under 45 when invited, and competent English. An EOI is not a visa application.
189 is permanent residence for people whose occupation, skills assessment, English and points are strong enough to be invited without a state or an employer. The wait is in SkillSelect. The visa is a separate application after the invitation. An inflated points claim is how people get invited and then refused.
Last reviewed:
Official source: Department of Home Affairs – Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
Who We Assist
Who We Assist
- Your occupation can be used for 189 on the current skilled list
- You can get a suitable skills assessment for that occupation
- Your points claim is honest and competitive in the current invitation rounds
- You do not need — or cannot get — state nomination or an employer sponsor
- You already have an EOI and want to know whether 189 is still realistic
How it works
What you do before anyone grants a visa
Occupation, a skills assessment, and an honest points claim come first. The subclass number is how the Department labels the visa.
Before the EOI
Assessing body, then SkillSelect
Occupation and skills assessment
The occupation has to match the work you actually do. The assessing body is set by that occupation, not by preference.
A suitable skills assessment is generally required before a points-tested EOI will work. The wrong occupation, or the wrong assessing body, is money spent on a wait that cannot succeed. This step sits on the skills-assessment page.
EOI
Submitted online — not a visa
SkillSelect expression of interest
You claim points against the occupation and wait for an invitation. There is no nominating state and no sponsoring employer.
The EOI can sit for up to two years. Points settings, occupation ceilings and invitation rounds change while it sits. You can update an EOI. You cannot invent points.
189 visa
In or from outside Australia, once invited
Invitation, then the 189 application
Invitation is permission to apply. It is not a grant. The Department still decides the visa.
Health, character, the skills assessment, the points you claimed, and whether the occupation still fits are checked again. If the claim was inflated, this is where it fails.
PR
Australia
Permanent residence after grant
189 is a permanent visa. You can live and work anywhere in Australia.
The travel facility on the visa has an end date. Permanent residence itself does not expire while you remain in Australia, but you may later need a Resident Return visa to come back. That is a different application.
How EMC works
How we help
01
Occupation and points first
We check whether the occupation can be used for 189 and whether the points you want to claim can be evidenced. If they cannot, we stop before the EOI fee.
02
An EOI that can survive an invitation
Dates of skilled employment, English, qualifications and the skills assessment have to line up. We do not lodge a claim we cannot defend.
03
The visa, if you are invited
Invitation is the start of the visa. Health, character and the same points claim still have to hold. We prepare that application as a separate piece of work.
What to Prepare
What to Prepare for Your Consultation
- Skills assessment outcome, or the occupation you think you will use
- English test results, date of birth, and a work history with dates and hours
- Qualifications and, if already lodged, the EOI number and points claimed
- Any invitation letter, or a record of previous invitation rounds you are watching
Before you apply
Important Considerations Before Applying
- Being on a skilled list is not a grant and not even an invitation.
- Invitation rounds for 189 can sit well above the legal pass mark. A score that was competitive last year may not be this year.
- Claiming points you cannot prove is how an invitation turns into a refusal.
- 189 does not use state nomination. If you need a state’s extra points, that is 190 or 491.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. It is a permanent visa. You still have to be invited, lodge a valid application, and be granted. The travel facility on the visa is not the same as the permanent residence itself.
No. That is the point of 189. If you need a state’s nomination, look at 190 or 491. If you have an employer who can sponsor you, look at 482 or 186.
For points-tested 189, a suitable skills assessment for the nominated occupation is generally required. Lodging an EOI on a guess is how people wait for an invitation they cannot use.
No. It is permission to apply for 189 within the time on the invitation. The Department still assesses health, character, the occupation and the points you claimed.
Yes. 189 is not a regional or state-nominated visa. If you have already committed to a state under 190 or 491, that is a different visa with different conditions.
Start with your situation.
You do not need the visa number to start. Book a consultation, or send a short note. MARN 1800335 · Level 14, 333 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000.
Other work
- Skilled Nominated visa 190
- Skilled Work Regional visa 491
- EOI and state nomination
- Skills assessment
- Occupation search
- Employer-sponsored visas
- Points calculator
This page is general information, not advice about your circumstances. Australian migration law changes. You should consult a Registered Migration Agent before you apply. EMC Australia is OMARA-registered (MARN 1800335).