Full Independence
No employer sponsor, no family sponsor and no state or territory nomination. Your application stands or falls on your own occupation, skills and points - nothing else.
Points-Tested Permanent Visa
Subclass 189 Skilled Independent.
The Subclass 189 visa is the most independent permanent residency pathway in Australia's General Skilled Migration program. There is no employer, no family member and no state or territory government standing behind your application - just your points score, your occupation and a positive skills assessment. Intel Migration helps skilled professionals build a technically sound EOI, maximise their points honestly, and lodge a decision-ready application once an invitation arrives.
Permanent from grant
No nomination required
65 points legislative minimum
MARA Agent #1688088
Why apply for a 189 visa
Australia's purest permanent pathway.
No nomination obligations, no regional restrictions and no employer to keep happy. If your points score stacks up, the Subclass 189 visa gives you and your family unconditional permanent residency from the day it is granted.
Permanent From Grant
Unlike provisional visas, the 189 grants full permanent residency immediately - no waiting periods, no regional living conditions and no conversion visa required.
Family Inclusion
Your spouse or de facto partner and dependent children can be included as secondary applicants and receive the same permanent residency rights as you.
5-Year Travel Facility
Your initial travel facility allows you to enter and exit Australia freely for five years from grant, giving you time to settle, work and arrange your life with full flexibility.
Live, Work & Study Anywhere
With no regional or sponsorship conditions attached, you can choose to live, work and study in any state, territory or city across Australia from day one.
Pathway to Citizenship
Permanent residents may become eligible to apply for Australian citizenship once residency requirements are met, plus access to Medicare and certain social security entitlements.
2025/26 invitation cycle
Built for high-scoring, technically eligible professionals.
The 189 rewards preparation. We help you verify your occupation ceiling status, lock in your skills assessment and English test results, and time your EOI submission for the strongest possible invitation outcome.
Eligibility essentials
Six benchmarks every 189 applicant must clear.
The Subclass 189 visa is technically demanding because every advantage has to come from your own profile. We run a full technical review against each of these benchmarks before you commit time and money to a skills assessment or English test.
Points Test Score
65 points is the legislative floor, but invitation rounds for popular occupations frequently sit between 85 and 95 points.
Age Requirement
You must be under 45 years of age at the time you are invited to apply - age is one of the most heavily weighted points categories.
Eligible Occupation
Your nominated occupation must appear on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) - the only list that supports a 189 visa.
Positive Skills Assessment
A valid, positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for your nominated occupation, current at the time of invitation.
English Language Result
At least Competent English is required, while Proficient or Superior results unlock significant additional points toward your total score.
Health & Character
You and any family members included must meet health examination standards and provide police clearances covering relevant countries of residence.
Strategic roadmap
The 189 visa journey, step by step.
A technically rigorous 8-step framework. Every stage feeds into the next, so a small mistake early on - the wrong occupation code, an unverified document, a borderline English result - can affect your final points score and invitation prospects.
Occupation & Points Check
We confirm your ANZSCO code sits on the MLTSSL and run an honest, technical estimate of your current points score across all categories.
Skills Assessment
Lodgement of your application with the correct assessing authority, supported by verified qualifications and employment evidence.
English Language Test
Selecting and preparing for IELTS, PTE Academic or an equivalent test to secure Competent, Proficient or Superior English points.
SkillSelect EOI
Submission of a complete, accurately scored Expression of Interest in the SkillSelect system to enter the invitation pool.
Invitation to Apply
Monitoring invitation rounds and occupation ceilings, then confirming your invitation once it is issued by the Department.
Visa Lodgement
Preparation and submission of your complete, decision-ready 189 visa application with all supporting documents within the 60-day window.
Health, Character & Grant
Completion of health examinations and police clearances for all applicants, followed by final assessment and visa grant.
Post-Grant Settlement
Guidance on Medicare enrolment, travel facility conditions and the residency pathway toward Australian citizenship.
The 60-day invitation deadline
Once invited, you have 60 days to lodge a complete visa application or the invitation lapses and you must re-enter the SkillSelect pool. Health checks, police certificates and supporting documents should be organised in advance wherever possible.
Choosing your GSM visa
189 vs 190 vs 491 at a glance.
The 189 is not always the right or fastest option. If your points score is borderline, a state nomination or regional pathway may get you to permanent residency sooner. We assess all three before recommending a strategy.
| Feature | Subclass 189 | Subclass 190 | Subclass 491 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sponsorship / nomination | None required - fully independent | State or territory nomination required | State, territory or family-sponsored regional nomination |
| Points bonus | No bonus points available | +5 points for nomination | +15 points for nomination |
| Visa outcome | Permanent residency immediately | Permanent residency immediately | Provisional (5 years) with pathway to Subclass 191 PR |
| Location conditions | None - live anywhere in Australia | May include a commitment to the nominating state | Must live and work in a designated regional area |
| Typical competitiveness | Highest points threshold - relies on your score alone | Moderate - depends on state occupation lists and demand | Often most accessible due to the largest points bonus |
Official resources
Useful links before you start.
These official Home Affairs pages are a useful starting point for understanding the 189 visa. We help you interpret the rules against your actual occupation, points score and personal circumstances.
Common 189 risks
- Overestimating your points score, particularly for English, work experience and partner skills.
- Submitting an EOI before your skills assessment or English results are confirmed and valid.
- Missing the 60-day deadline to lodge after receiving an invitation to apply.
- Occupation ceilings filling for the program year before your invitation is issued.
- Health or character issues for family members surfacing late in the process.
- Assuming the 189 is your only option when a 190 or 491 nomination could be faster.
FAQ
Before you lodge a 189 visa.
Technical answers to the questions we hear most often from skilled professionals considering the independent pathway.
01Is the subclass 189 visa permanent residency?
Yes. The Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa is a permanent visa. Once granted, you and any included family members can live, work and study anywhere in Australia indefinitely, with a 5-year initial travel facility.
02Do I need an employer or state to sponsor my 189 visa?
No. The 189 visa is entirely points-tested and independent. You do not need an employer sponsor, family sponsor or state/territory nomination, which is what sets it apart from the 190 and 491 visas.
03How many points do I need for a 189 visa?
The legislative minimum is 65 points, but because the 189 carries no nomination bonus, competitive invitation rounds for in-demand occupations often require 85 to 95+ points. We can help you calculate an honest, technically defensible score.
04What is the difference between the 189, 190 and 491 visas?
The 189 is independent and requires no nomination. The 190 requires state or territory nomination and adds 5 points. The 491 is a provisional regional visa that adds 15 points and requires you to live and work in regional Australia before transitioning to the permanent Subclass 191.
05Can my family be included in a 189 application?
Yes. Your spouse or de facto partner and dependent children can be included as secondary applicants and receive the same permanent residency rights as you, including unrestricted work and study access across Australia.
06What happens after I receive my invitation to apply?
You have 60 days from the invitation date to lodge a complete visa application. Missing this window means losing the invitation and re-entering the SkillSelect pool, so we recommend preparing health checks, police certificates and supporting documents in advance.
Independent. Permanent. Yours.
Ready to map your 189 pathway?
Send us your occupation, qualifications, English test results and current points estimate. We will run a technical eligibility check and help you decide whether the 189, 190 or 491 is the right strategy for your situation.
Book a 189 consultation
MARA Registered Agent #1688088
Intel Migration Pty Ltd
West End, Brisbane QLD
