Why Apply for the Subclass 189 Visa in 2025?
If you’re planning to move to Australia in 2025, the Subclass 189 Skilled Independent Visa is one of the best ways to get permanent residency without needing sponsorship from an employer or state.
Here’s why many skilled professionals are choosing the 189 visa in 2025:
• Live in Australia permanently with Subclass 189 visa.
• Work in Australia with PR.
• Earn in AUD, 5 times more than your current salary.
• Travel to and from Australia indefinitely.
• Settle in Australia along with your family.
Subclass 189 Visa Requirements for Skilled Workers
To become an eligible candidate for the Skilled Independent Visa Subclass 189, you will require the –Possess an occupation that is included in the relevant list of skilled occupations.
• Complete the skill assessment given for that particular occupation.
• Maintain good English language proficiency.
• Score a minimum of 65 points for a Subclass 189 visa.
• Have an ITA (Invitation to Apply).
The requirements include the following:
• A filled Application form.
• Passport.
• Report of Skill Assessment.
• Results of English language test in IELTS or PTE.
• Paperwork for Skilled occupation.
• Color passport-sized photocopies.
• Proof of Educational qualification.
• Australian study requirement.
• List of skills possessed by partners or spouses.
• Paperwork stating evidence of the relationship.
• Health / medical certificates.
• Proof of code of conduct.
• Any reference letters from previous or current employees.
How to Apply for a Subclass 189 Visa ?
Check your eligibility score. You should score 65 points or more.
Register your Expression of Interest (EOI).
Receive an invitation to apply (ITA).
Submit the requirements.
Australia PR Eligibility for Subclass 189 Visa in 2025
You must fulfill the requirements given below to apply for a Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa.
Occupation & Talents
• Your chosen occupation must be included in the eligible skilled occupations list.
• You must attend the skill assessment test via the assigned authority to prove that you have the skills required to qualify as an employee in your chosen occupation.
Invitation And Points Test
• You will be required to submit an EOI and receive an ITA to apply for the 189 visas.
• A minimum point of 65 must be scored to receive an ITA.
• The last round in the assessment process lists the total score that got you the ITA.
• After receiving an ITA, you must fulfill the score eligibility.
• Evaluate and tally your subclass 189 points.
English
• You must submit proof of English proficiency, and candidates with the highest quality proficiency in English will be given additional points.
• You can better your score through the online English Academy.
Age
• You must be below 45 years of age to receive an ITA (Invitation to apply).
Health & Character Requisites
• You must meet the given health and character requirements.
• If you are a Kiwi with New Zealand citizenship, you stand eligible for the New Zealand Stream 189 Visa instead of the Australia Subclass 189.
Subclass 189 Visa Cost in 2025
• The tables given below show the estimated costs for 189 visas. The application fee for the Subclass 189 visa is as follows:
|
Primary adult applicant
|
AUD 4115
|
|---|---|
|
Additional adult applicant (18+ years of age)
|
|
|
Dependent child (less than 18 years of age)
|
AUD 1030
|
• Other expenses included in the Subclass 189 visa are as follows:
• Getting an Australian permit can be pretty excruciating and time-consuming. You can pay your application fees online via a debit or credit card.
• Note that you may have additional charges when making the payment through cards.
• Processing Time – Subclass 189 visa
• Many factors contribute to the time taken to process the visa.
Skilled independent visa applicant FAQ
Skilled Independent Visa – Subclass 189
The subclass 189 skilled independent visa is a no-strings-attached permanent visa that lets you live and work in Australia with no restrictions as to location or employer. It is aimed at facilitating easy migration to Australia for people with skills that are in demand across Australia.
Application process
- Identify an occupation on the MLTSSL
- Apply for and receive a positive skills assessment for your skilled occupation
- If necessary, sit an English test
- Lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) with SkillSelect
- Receive invitation to apply
- Make application within 60 days
Visa eligibility criteria
The major criteria for a subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa are:
- A positive skills assessment for your occupation
- Achieving an English standard of at least IELTS 6 or equivalent
- Aged between 18 and 45 inclusive. In other words, you cannot have turned 45 at the time of invitation.
- Standard health and character criteria.
- Having at least 65 points on the General Skilled Migration points test
The points test
All candidates to migrate to Australia through the General Skilled Migration program are ranked based on a points test. Applicants must reach at least 65 points, but those with higher pointsare given priority for invitation than lower pointed applicants. Click here to work out how many points you currently have.
There is a limited number of invitations that will be issued for each occupation in any given year, but in practice very few occupations will ever reach this occupation ceiling. Occupations that are likely to reach the occupation ceiling are handled differently to other occupations and you may require a higher score than 60 points to receive an invitation for one of these occupations.
Common problems for applicants
- It’s important to nominate the correct occupation for the position you are nominating. The nominated occupation can be the difference between visa grant and visa refusal, and you cannot change your mind after the application has been lodged.
- We recommend that visa applicants attend an English test as soon as possible after deciding to apply for a General Skilled Migration visa, if you have not already achieved the required level of English in the last three years.
- If you want to apply from within Australia, always be aware of your current visa’s expiry date and conditions. Letting a visa expire without applying for a new one can have severe consequences, even if you try to apply the next day.