Australia is a beautiful country and continent with a unique culture. Many who visit the Down Under are interested in moving to Australia permanently. The primary methods for moving to this country are applying for Australian citizenship and obtaining a visa.
A skilled independent visa subclass 189 is a type of visa that prioritizes skilled workers who want to move to Australia. Only certain people qualify for this process, so let’s break down the details of the skilled independent visa subclass 189.
Understanding the Australia Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)
The purpose of this program is to bring in workers who can offer skills that are deemed necessary by the Australian government. The potential visa holder must meet all the qualification requirements to participate in this migration program. If successful, they can bring eligible family members when they move to the country. This permanent residence visa allows you to live and work anywhere in Australia, which is not true for all migration programs.
The program is available to eligible New Zealand citizens, invited workers, and Hong Kong or British National (Overseas) passport holders who fulfill all the requirements for each group. The recipient must also have a demonstrated commitment to Australia.
Key Features
The primary benefit of this program is you can live and pursue an occupation anywhere in Australia. No restrictions are based on a specific territory or state sponsoring your move. Additionally, the skilled independent visa subclass 189 comes with permanent residency status, which may allow you to apply to become an Australian citizen in the future. The visa recipient may also sponsor family members closely related for permanent residence, including dependent children, a partner’s dependent children, and a partner.
Eligibility Requirements for the Skilled Independent Visa
Eligibility for the program depends on your individual circumstances. You must have a skill set that is needed to be invited for a visa, and there is a detailed application process before final approval. Let’s discuss the requirements for skilled independent visa subclass 189 in Australia.
Skills Assessment
The basis for this visa is your skills as a potential worker and what you can provide professionally in Australia. If you have experience in a role on the skilled occupation list, you must take a skills assessment in a nominated occupation to proceed with your application. The relevant assessing authority will organize this suitable skills assessment to determine if you have enough knowledge to provide value as a worker in Australia.
Points Test
Eligibility for this visa is based on a points system that considers age, language, abilities, work experience, health, and other qualifications. This points test is completed after you submit an Expression of Interest and are invited to complete an application.
Minimum Points Requirement
To live and work permanently in Australia, you must have a minimum of 65 points through this scoring system. The points required to qualify also depend on the nominated skilled occupation, as some may require a score higher than 65.
Age Requirement
Australia’s scheme requires that you have many working years ahead of you to enroll in this program. You must be under 45 when invited to apply for the skilled independent subclass 189 visa.
English Language Proficiency
Speaking English is required to move to Australia and pursue employment through this program. A test must determine that you can speak at least competent English. If you receive proficient or superior scores in English proficiency, you will get more points on your complete application.
Health and Character Requirements
Good character and health are also requirements for being eligible for a visa. Strong character is typically reflected in a past that is free of criminal conduct, but not all applicants are rejected if they have crimes in their background. Health qualifications are also part of the application process. The government wants to ensure you are not at risk of spreading diseases or putting undue burden on the healthcare system, so you cannot have any diseases or conditions that might fall within those categories.
Applying for the Skilled Independent Visa
If you want to start a new life in Australia and want to know if you are eligible for a skilled independent subclass 189 visa, you must complete an application process. Here are the steps involved in applying for this program.
Expression of Interest (EOI)
The main applicant for a visa must submit an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect. This form includes personal information, skills assessment results, and an English proficiency test. Once you have compiled all this information, send it to the Department of Home Affairs through SkillSelect and await a response.
Invitation to Apply (ITA)
If you pass the first round of requirements, you will receive an official invitation to apply. Once you have received the invitation, you have 60 days to submit the rest of the application.
Visa Application Process
The application for a skilled independent subclass 189 visa is entirely online. You must create an account with ImmiAccount to start filling out additional information. Once you have completed the required fields, you will submit the form electronically and any required documents.
Required Documents
You must provide evidence that supports the various answers in your visa application. This will include identifying documents, a skills assessment for your chosen occupation, English proficiency test results, health documentation, and character documents.
Visa Application Fees
The visa application cost depends on which stream you are pursuing. The points-tested and Hong Kong streams cost AUD4,765, and the New Zealand streams cost AUD4,115. These fees increase if you sponsor a family unit, and each family member will increase the cost.
Processing Times
Processing times vary throughout the year and depend on the nature of your application. If you have provided all necessary information and supporting documents upfront, your application can be processed quickly. Multiple external agencies are involved, and the average processing time is typically nineteen months to two years. A New Zealand stream visa may take even longer.
Points-Based System in Detail
Before you submit an Expression of Interest, you should look at the points system to determine if you will surpass the minimum score of 65 points. Here is a breakdown of how many points certain elements are worth.
Factors Affecting Points
Migration agents have selected various categories that award points in this system. The primary scoring methods include your age, language proficiency, employment experience, educational qualifications, Australian study requirements, and de facto partner skills.
Points Allocation
To become a permanent resident on this visa, you must have at least 65 points based on the following factors.
- Age – 18-25 is worth 25 points, 25-33 is worth 30 points, 33-40 is worth 25 points, and 40-45 is worth 15 points.
- English – Competent is worth 0 points, proficient is worth 10 points, and superior is worth 20 points
- Work experience – Less than three years is worth 0 points, 3-5 years is worth 5 points, 5-8 years is worth 10 points, and 8+ years is worth 15 points.
- Qualifications – Your education is also relevant, with a doctorate worth 20 points, a bachelor’s degree worth 15 points, and a lower-level qualification worth 10 points.
- Australian study – You may receive 5 or 10 points if you have completed your education in Australia.
- Partner skills – Your spouse or de facto partner can increase your score by 5 or 10 points if they have specific skills
Calculating Points
Although some scoring is determined on a case-by-case basis, this summary reflects an accurate point total. If you assess the categories above and add up all the points you would receive, that is most likely your score.
Benefits of an Australian Skilled Independent Visa
Applicants who receive their visas through this program will benefit in numerous ways. Here are some of the advantages of this migration initiative.
Permanent Residency
Becoming a permanent resident grants you many privileges in Australia. You can enroll in the healthcare system, apply for loans to buy property, sponsor eligible relatives, apply for citizenship, and even attend free English classes.
Work and Live Anywhere in Australia
The highlight of this visa program is the freedom to live and work anywhere in the country. Most visa programs or sponsorships require you to live or work in a particular area for the duration of the visa. Due to your skills, you have more freedom to choose a location in this program.
Family Members
You can include eligible family members who will move to Australia with you during the application process. A spouse, de facto partner, dependent child, or partner’s dependent child may all be included in your application.
Pathway to Citizenship
If you are eligible for citizenship, then this is a viable option for migrants who want to enjoy the privileges of being an Australian citizen. These include voting in government elections, obtaining a passport, working for the government, joining the Australian Defence Force, and accessing student loans. To be eligible, you must be of good character, meet all residence requirements, have knowledge of the responsibilities of a citizen, and intend to stay associated with Australia.