Subclass 189 Skilled Independent Visa: Requirements, Points and Reality

The subclass 189 is permanent on grant. There is no provisional stage, no subclass 191 to reach three years later, no obligation to live in a nominated state or region, and no employer who can end your pathway by ending your job. You can live and work anywhere in Australia, enrol in Medicare, sponsor eligible relatives, and apply for citizenship once you meet the residence requirement.

That is why the competition is real. Invitations are issued to the highest-ranked candidates in the pool within each occupation ceiling, and the practical cut-off in a competitive occupation sits well above the published minimum.

• Occupation on the MLTSSL. The Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List — see our occupation list guide.
• Positive skills assessment in that occupation, valid at the time you apply. For engineers, Engineers Australia; for ICT, the ACS.
• Under 45 at the time you are invited.
• Competent English as a minimum — IELTS 6 in each band or equivalent. In practice you will want Superior English for the 20 points.
• At least 65 points on the points test.
• An invitation following an EOI lodged in SkillSelect.
• Health and character requirements.

Note the order. The skills assessment comes first, because you cannot honestly claim occupation or employment points without it, and a claim you cannot document leads to refusal at the visa stage.

There is no published pass mark beyond 65. What exists is the Department's record of each invitation round: the minimum points invited and the date-of-effect cut-off at that score, per occupation group.

Engineering occupations have historically been invited at lower scores than accounting or ICT, because the occupation ceilings have been generous relative to demand. That advantage is real but it is not a guarantee, and it varies round to round.

Practical approach:

1. Score yourself honestly in the points calculator.
2. Read the last several published invitation rounds for your occupation group.
3. If your score sits below the recent cut-off, do not wait — decide which single lever moves it. Superior English (+20) and a partner's skills assessment (+10) are the two that most often close the gap.
4. If it still will not close, plan a 190 (+5) or 491 (+15) in parallel rather than instead.

A 189 is granted with very few conditions. You may live, work and study anywhere in Australia. The travel facility on the visa allows multiple entries for five years from grant, after which you need a Resident Return visa to re-enter — the permanent residence itself does not expire, only the travel component.

There is no obligation to work in your nominated occupation after grant. The occupation determined your eligibility; it does not bind your career.

The one stage you control completely is the skills assessment. Start it first — a positive outcome is valid for three years and costs nothing to hold. See our guide to assessment validity for the expiry trap that catches long-wait applicants.