You Are Here
HOME Australia Immigration Australia Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189)

Australia Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189)

A Permanent Resident visa is an official permit skilled workers need to obtain to reside and work in a foreign country on a long term. If one wants to reside and work in Australia on a long-term, he must obtain a PR visa under the Skilled Migrant Scheme. The Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189) is one of PR visa programs of the Skilled Migrant Scheme.  This visa subcategory of Australia Skilled Migrant Scheme is specifically for professionals who do not have any sponsorship from a relative or a nomination from Australian State/territory for Australia immigration. This visa is granted to an applicant solely based upon his eligibility, skills and ability to contribute to the growth of the Australian economy.

How does an Australian PR visa benefit the visa holder?

Australian Permanent Resident visa has a unique set of benefits for the visa holders. Any individual or families who migrate to Australia on a PR visa get to enjoy following rights & benefits:

  • Freedom to live, work & settle anywhere in Australia
  • No restrictions on travel within the country
  • Freedom to work for any sector, company or job the applicant wishes to
  • Official permit to accompany family members
  • Employment freedom & benefits for spouse
  • Free education for non-adult children
  • Medicare sponsors all health and medical related expenses
  • Sponsor eligible relatives for Australia PR in future
  • Australian Citizenship after a continuous stay of 3-4 years

Eligibility Requirements of Australia PR visa subclass 189

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection follows simple points based system to select eligible candidates for Permanent residency on Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189). Applicants are assessed for the following factors and points are allotted accordingly:

Age- Under 50 years

One of the most important factors considered for skilled migration Australia is age. As Australia is in need of youngsters who can contribute on a long-term to the country’s economic growth, a specific age range is fixed. Candidates who are under 50 years only are eligible to apply for the Skilled independent Visa (subclass 189). However, candidates who fall in the age range of 18 to 24 years are considered best and allotted with highest points i.e. 25 points.  The Australia Points Calculator features the list of points allotted for applicant according to his age.

Education- Min. Bachelor’s Degree

To qualify for a PR visa, it is mandatory that a candidate has at least completed his graduation. While a Bachelor’s degree is the min. requirement, the highest degree will help the applicant with highest points. For education, maximum 20 points are allotted.

Work Experience- Min. 3 yrs relevant experience

To be invited for an Australia Permanent Residency, Australia demands a min. 3 yrs work experience along with a relevancy of the education. The skills & experience gained in the past years must be assessed prior to submission of the initial visa application. For this, candidates need to send an application of Skills Assessment to the relevant assessing body of his occupation. The Skilled Occupation List (now known as the Medium and Long Term Strategic Skills List) features the list of assessing bodies and the list of occupations they are associated to.  On meeting all the conditions of work experience & skills assessment, the applicant gets 10 points for the highest work experience (8-10 yrs or above). Likewise, if the applicant has work experience within Australia, total 20 points can be claimed for the employment adaptability.

English Language- Proficiency Level

To settle in Australia as a permanent resident, one must have an ability to read, write, understand and speak the English Language. To confirm whether an applicant meets the language criteria, Australia demands a English Language Assessment, much preferably IELTS. The applicant must pass the language assessment with at least 6 bands in each of the four test components of IELTS. However, to claim the highest points (20 points) proving his language proficiency, the applicant must be able to get 8 bands in each of the four components.

Other factors

While the above factors will be considered for points allotment, applicants must also have certain other factors to qualify for a PR visa subclass 189:

  • Nominated Occupation from the Skilled Occupation List
  • Score overall 60 points under the points-based selection system
  • Be medically fit & mentally sound- prove this my submitting Medicals
  • Should not hold any criminal record- an evidence of PCC must be provided
  • Financial stable & able to manage to stay in Australia

How to get Australia PR subclass 189 visa?

To obtain the Australia PR visa subclass 189, one must first check his/her eligibility for this visa. Our Initial Evaluation Service helps aspirants to know their eligibility & their chances for the visa. This Evaluation Service is conducted in assistance of India’s best Evaluation Experts. If you believe that you meet the basic requirements of Australia Immigration & wish to check your eligibility for Australia Skilled Independent visa, our experts can help. You can contact us or leave your details for our Experts to contact you.