Skilled Independent visa(Subclass 189): A Complete Guide

Have you been living and working in Australia for a long time?

Are you thinking of getting an Australia Permanent Residency Visa in 2022?

Then this blog is exactly what you need!

As per the United Nations Human Development Index, Australia has been ranked among the top 10 countries in the world. It provides a healthy work-life balance, excellent quality of life, and world-class education system. So, it only makes it valid for you to make a permanent move to Australia! 

Having an Australian permanent residency visa brings multiple benefits to migrants, making it the first move towards getting Australian citizenship. We list down some of the benefits of getting an Australia permanent visa for you.  

• You can stay in any part of Australia and enjoy rights & privileges associated with your permanent residency status.
• You are eligible to work anywhere in Australia and get work compensation equivalent to that of an Australian citizen.
• You will be eligible for social security benefits, such as student benefits, unemployment benefits, sickness, and more.
• You will also be eligible for the free healthcare cover charge, which will cover all your medical treatment costs at any government hospital in Australia.
• With an Australian permanent residency visa, you are eligible for further education anywhere in Australia at any university.
• You will then be eligible to sponsor the permanent residency of any of your relatives after they have spent a reasonable time in Australia. 

To get a PR visa for any country, there are various categories to choose from. You need to apply for the category that matches your requirements. 

The GSM visa is a popular category for people who want to work and live in Australia as permanent residents. Generally, GSM does not require applicants to have a mandatory sponsorship from an Australian employer. But, applicants with a sponsorship are also eligible for this visa category.

GSM comes under the following three categories:

• Skilled Independent visa - Subclass 189
• Skilled Nominated visa - Subclass 190
• Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa - Subclass 491

This is the most popular GSM visa category. It works on a point-based visa system and therefore does not require applicants to hold any sponsorship from an Australian employer beforehand. 

The requirements for a skilled independent visa 189 are as follows:

• A minimum of 65 points in the Skillselect system
• Maximum age limit of 45 years
• Minimum IELTS band score of 6 in all four abilities
• An invitation to apply for the visa
• Meet the health and character requirements 

The application process for skilled independent visa 189 is straightforward. All you need to do is follow these simple steps:

• Collect your requirement documents i.e. IELTS score and other documents for submission.
• Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the online Skillselect system of Australia and get a minimum score of 65.
• Get an invitation to apply from the Department of Home Affairs, Australia.
• Apply for the visa within the 60 days time limit after receiving the invitation.

The processing time for a skilled independent visa 189 depends on many factors, but on average, it can take around 8 months to 1 year to process your application.  

Candidates scoring a minimum of 65 points would be considered eligible by DHA (Department of Home Affairs), an organization responsible for immigration.

Points determine your eligibility for an Australia PR visa. As already mentioned, you must score at least 65 points under the Points Grid. The below table describes the different criteria for scoring points: 

Know more about PR points Calculator

There are multiple factors taken into consideration by the Australian Home Office to decide on your visa application. These factors are:

• Accuracy of your visa application and the relevant documents attached to it.
• Your response to any further information asked by the Home Office.
• The time required to verify all the information shared in the application.
• The total number of applications.

The base cost of the skilled independent visa- subclass 189 is AUD 4,115. In addition to this cost, there is an extra charge depending on the age of the applicants. For applicants under 18 years of age, it is AUD 1030, and for applicants over 18 years of age, it is AUD 2055. 

Apart from these charges, there are additional charges associated with the skilled independent visa 189, and they are as follows:

• Skill assessment body fee: $500 to $1,000 approximately depending upon the occupation.
• Medical and PCC fees and state nomination fees: Depending upon the applicant's occupation.
• IELTS Test Fee: $300 to $400 approximately for the English language proficiency test.

Australia is a charming place to work, raise a family and build a successful career in. It attracts not just Nepalese but developed countries like the UK and Canada. So, if you want to move to Australia to study, speak to our education counsellors NOW!