The 189 Visa: Your Ticket to Permanent Residency in Australia

The General Skilled Migration (GSM) 189 visa is a Permanent Residence visa offered by the Australian government for skilled workers who wish to immigrate permanently to Australia. This visa subclass is designed for individuals who have qualifications and skills in a particular occupation that is in demand in Australia. The visa allows successful applicants to live and work in Australia permanently and it provides a pathway to citizenship.

One of the key benefits of the 189 visa is that it does not require the applicant to have a job offer or sponsorship from an Australian employer. This makes it an attractive option for skilled workers who want to migrate to Australia independently, without the need for a job offer or other forms of support.

189 Points Based Visa

The 189 visa is a points-based visa which means applicants have to meet eligibility criteria and score a minimum of 65 points in order to be considered for the visa.

189 Visa eligibility requirements

To be eligible for a 189 visa applicants must first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect. This is an online platform used by the Australian government to manage the GSM program. The EOI includes information about the applicant’s skills and work experience as well as their intention to live and work in Australia.

Once the EOI has been submitted the applicant is assigned a score based on the points system. They are then placed in a pool of other applicants with similar scores. The Australian government conducts regular invitation rounds where they select applicants from the pool to apply for the 189 visa. During these invitation rounds the government sets different minimum points score requirement so even though the minimum points requirement for a 189 visa is 65, the actual points required to receive an invitation to apply can be as high as 90 points for some occupations.

189 visa requirements

• Age: The applicant must be under the age of 45 at the time of application.

• English language proficiency: The applicant must demonstrate a minimum level of English language proficiency.

• Skill assessment: The applicant must have their skills and qualifications assessed by an assessing authority.

• Occupation: The applicant must have an occupation that is listed on the Skilled Occupation List.

• Health and character requirements: The applicant must meet health and character requirements

Age

Applicants between the ages of 18 and 24 can score up to 25 points, while applicants between the ages of 25 and 32 can score up to 30 points. Applicants between the ages of 33 and 39 can score up to 25 points, while applicants between the ages of 40 and 44 can score up to 15 points. Applicants who are over the age of 45 are not eligible for a 189 visa.

English language skills

Applicants can score up to 20 points for their English language proficiency based on their results in a recognized English language exam i.e. IELTS or TOEFL.

Skill assessment

Applicants can score up to 15 points for their skills assessment based on the relevance of their qualifications and work experience to their nominated occupation.

Occupation

Applicants can score up to 15 points for their nominated occupation based on the demand for that occupation in Australia.

Work experience

Applicants can score up to 20 points for their work experience which is calculated by the number of years they have worked in their nominated occupation.

Education

189 Visa applicants can score up to 20 points for their highest level of education.

Partner skills

Prospective 189 Visa applicants can score up to 10 points if their partner meets skills and language levels.

Take Free Visa Assessment to check eligibility

A free visa assessment for Australia is a preliminary evaluation of your eligibility to apply for a visa to Australia. This assessment has been taken by over 1million people worldwide: Free Visa Assessment

Making a formal 189 visa application

If an applicant is selected for an invitation they will have 60 days to submit a formal visa application. The application must include all relevant documentation including as proof of identity, qualifications, work experience and English language proficiency. Applicants at this stage will also be required to undergo a medical examination and provide police clearance certificates.

Health checks and police background checks can only be done after receiving an Invitation to apply and not before. This is because when an applicant accepts an invitation to apply and pays their fees they are given a HAP code which is the barcode they need in order to get an immigration health check completed by an approved provider.

189 visa assessment

Once the visa application has been submitted it will be assessed by the Australian government and the applicant will be notified of the outcome. If the application is successful the applicant will be granted a 189 visa which allows them to live and work in Australia permanently.

The assessment timeframe for a 189 visa application can vary depending the number of applications being processed by the Department of Home Affairs at the time. The Department of Home Affairs aims to process 75% of complete General Skilled Migration applications within 11 months of receipt.

Step by step process for making a 189 visa application for Australia

Determine your eligibility

Before you begin the application process it is important to determine whether you meet the eligibility requirements for a 189 visa. This includes having the required skills and qualifications, meeting the English language proficiency requirements and scoring enough points on the points test. Take a Free Visa Assessment and check your eligibility today.

Gather the required documents

Once you have determined your eligibility you will need to gather all of the required documents for your application. These include all of your personal documentation such as passport, birth certificate, drivers license, national ID card, marriage certificates and change of name deeds. Additionally, you will require the details from your positive skill assessment and your English language exam results (if applicable).

Create an account on the Department of Home Affairs website

To apply for a 189 visa you will need to create an account on the Department of Home Affairs website. This will allow you to access the online application form and submit your application.

Fill out the online application form

Once you have created an account you can begin filling out the online application form. You will also need to provide evidence to support your claims.

Pay the application fee

Once you have completed the application form, you will need to pay the application fee.

• Primary Applicant: AUD $4,045
• Secondary Applicant (over 18): AUD $2,025
• Secondary Applicant (under 18): AUD $1,015

E.g. if a couple with one child under 18 were applying for a 189 visa, the total visa fees would be AUD $7,085 (AUD $4,045 for the primary applicant + AUD $2,025 for the secondary applicant + AUD $1,015 for their child).

Submit your application

You will need to upload all of the required documents and provide any additional information requested by the Department of Home Affairs.

Wait for a decision

Once you have submitted your application, you will need to wait for a decision from the Department of Home Affairs. You can check the current processing times on the Department of Home Affairs website.

What questions are asked on a 189 visa application?

• Personal information
• Education and work history
• Language proficiency
• Nominated occupation
• Points test
• Health and character
• Family members

Cost of getting a 189 visa for Australia

• Visa application fee: The current visa application fee for a 189 visa is AUD $4,045 for the primary applicant and AUD $2,025 for each secondary applicant.

• Skills assessment fee: Before applying for a 189 visa, you may need to have your skills assessed by a relevant assessing authority. The cost of the skills assessment will vary depending on the assessing authority and the occupation being assessed. Skills assessments cost between AUD $675 and $4,900

• English language testing fee: If you need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency, you may need to take an English language test. The cost of the test will vary depending on the test provider and location. IELTS exams cost between AUD135 and $195.

• Health assessment fee: Allocate AUD $540 for each family member over 14.

• Character assessment fee: Allocate AUD $190 for each family member over 18.

What happens after a 189 visa is granted?

Once your 189 visa is granted you will be able to travel to Australia and begin your new life there as a permanent resident. The visa grant letter will include important information such as the validity dates of the visa and the date by which you must enter Australia.

You have 12 months from the date of this letter with which to travel to Australia. When you arrive in Australia your Permanent Residency is activated. You do not need to move to Australia within 12 months but you do have to activate your visas. If you do not make your first entry to Australia before this date your visa will be cancelled.

After making your first entry to Australia, you can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you like while the visa is valid. The 189 visa allows you to stay in Australia indefinitely as a permanent resident and you have the right to work and access healthcare and social services in Australia.

189 vs 190 visa for Australia

The 189 visa and the 190 visa are both skilled migration visas that allow skilled workers to live and work in Australia permanently. However there are some key differences between the two visas:

Eligibility

The 189 visa is a points-tested visa that is available to skilled workers who have the qualifications and experience to work in an occupation on the Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) or the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL). The 190 visa is also a points-tested visa but it requires sponsorship from an Australian state or territory government and the applicant’s occupation must be on the state’s list of eligible skilled occupations.

Sponsorship

The 189 visa does not require sponsorship from an Australian employer or government, whereas the 190 visa requires sponsorship from a state or territory government.

Points requirement

The minimum points requirement for the 189 visa is 65 whereas the minimum points requirement for the 190 visa is 60. However, because the 190 visa requires state or territory sponsorship then applicants receive the additional 5 points through their sponsorship.

Priority processing

The 189 visa is processed on a priority basis, which means that applications are processed faster than the 190 visa.

Flexibility

The 189 visa offers greater flexibility in terms of where the visa holder can work and live in Australia, whereas the 190 visa requires the visa holder to live and work in the sponsoring state or territory for at least two years.

Pros and Cons of the 189 visa for Australia

Pros of the 189 visa for Australia

• Permanent residency: The 189 visa allows you to live and work in Australia permanently.

• Flexibility: Unlike the 190 visa, the 189 visa does not require sponsorship from an employer or government.

• No obligation to stay in a particular state or territory: Unlike the 190 visa, the 189 visa does not require you to live and work in a specific state or territory.

• Priority processing: The 189 visa is processed on a priority basis which means that applications are processed faster than other visa subclasses.

Cons of the 189 visa for Australia

• Points based system: The 189 visa is a points based visa which and you must score a certain number of points in order to be eligible.

• Limited occupations: The 189 visa is only available to applicants whose occupation is on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) or the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL).

• High competition: Because the 189 visa is not tied to a specific state or territory it is a popular choice among skilled migrants.

• Cost: The cost of applying for a 189 visa can be high.

• Residency requirements: Once you are granted the 189 visa you must meet certain residency requirements in order to maintain your permanent residency status.

Reasons 189 visa applications are rejected

• Insufficient points: The 189 visa is a points visa and applicants must score at least 65 points to be eligible.

• Age: Visa applicants over the age of 45 are not eligible for the Skilled Independent visa category.

• Skill assessment: The Department of Home Affairs requires that all applicants have their skills assessed by a relevant assessing authority before they can apply for a 189 visa. If your skills assessment is not accepted your application will be rejected.

• Health issues: If you have a health condition that is deemed to be a threat to public health or safety your application will be deemed medically inadmissible.

• Character issues: Applicants must also meet the character requirements for the visa.

• False or misleading information: If you provide false or misleading information in your application your application will be rejected.

• Changes to eligibility criteria: The Australian government make ongoing changes to the eligibility criteria for the 189 visa.

Your rights on a  189 visa a permanent residence

The 189 visa is a permanent residence visa which means that it allows you to live and work in Australia on a permanent basis. As a permanent resident you have many of the same rights as Australian citizens including:

• The right to work in Australia without any restriction.

• Access to healthcare services and Medicare.

• The ability to study in Australia.

• The ability to sponsor family members for permanent residency.

• The ability to travel in and out of Australia without restriction.

• Access to social security benefits and support.

• Access financial services in Australia.

However, these rights are only for full Australian citizens:

• right to vote

• run for public office

• hold certain government positions

Going from 189 visa to Australian Citizenship

As a permanent resident on a 189 you can apply for Australian citizenship after you have met these residency requirements:

• You must have held a permanent residency visa for at least 4 years.

• You must have been physically present in Australia for at least 2 years as a permanent resident.

• You must meet the English language requirements.

• You must pass the citizenship exam.

• You must be of good character.

Once you meet these requirements you can apply for Australian citizenship. If your application is approved then you will be granted a Certificate of Australian Citizenship and will have the same rights and privileges as Australian citizens.

If you obtain Australian citizenship you may lose the citizenship of your home country because while Australia allows dual nationality some other countries do not.

189 Visa Alternatives

In addition to the 189, there are several other visa subclasses available under the General Skilled Migration program, including the Skilled Independent Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) and the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491). These visas are designed for skilled workers who wish to live and work in regional areas of Australia, and they have their own eligibility criteria and points system.

Summary

The General Skilled Migration program provides a pathway for skilled workers to immigrate permanently to Australia without the need for a job offer or sponsorship from an Australian employer. According to the latest quarterly report published by the Department of Home Affairs  a total of 9,230 Subclass 189’s were granted in the 2020-21 financial year. This represents a decrease from the previous year when a total of 10,742 Subclass 189 visas were granted.