Eligibility Quiz
Are you under 45 years of age?
Requirements
To be eligible for this pathway, you must first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through the SkillSelect system and be formally invited to apply. You cannot apply for this visa without an invitation.
- Age: You must be under 45 years of age at the time you receive your invitation. If you turn 45 after submitting an EOI but before being invited, you lose your eligibility.
- Occupation: Your profession must be listed on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). This list focuses on high-demand roles in sectors like healthcare, engineering, and education.
- Skills Assessment: You must obtain a formal assessment from the relevant Australian authority for your occupation (e.g., Engineers Australia or the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council) confirming your qualifications and experience meet Australian standards.
- Points Test: You must score at least 65 points on the Australian migration points grid. However, due to high demand, the actual "cutoff" for an invitation in 2026 is often much higher—typically between 90 and 100+ points for most occupations.
- English Language: You must demonstrate at least Competent English (e.g., an IELTS score of 6 in all components or a PTE Academic score of 50). Scoring higher (Proficient or Superior) is often necessary to reach the competitive points threshold.
- Health and Character: You and any family members included in your application must meet strict health standards and provide police clearances from every country where you have lived for 12 months or more over the last 10 years.
Conditions & Warnings
The 189 visa is now treated as a residual category with invitations issued only after other skilled quotas are met, making it extremely competitive for non-priority sectors.
Invitations are now issued on a structured quarterly schedule rather than irregular rounds.
Applicants must be under 45 years of age at the time the invitation is issued.
Qualifications
Competent English (IELTS 6.0 in all components or PTE 50+)
Fees
Fee for primary applicant; additional fees for dependents; second installment of AUD 4,885 for adults without Functional English
Program Details
Australia is on our roadmap
We can notify you when we're ready to support Australia.
Key Developments
The Department of Home Affairs conducted a major invitation round issuing 10,000 invitations for the Subclass 189 visa, with minimum point scores for many trade occupations dropping to 65.
immi.homeaffairs.gov.au ↗The Australian government officially transitioned the Subclass 189 invitation cycle to a quarterly schedule for the 2025-26 program year to better manage application volumes.
immi.homeaffairs.gov.au ↗Visa application charges for the Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa increased to AUD 4,765 for the primary applicant as part of the annual indexation of immigration fees.
immi.homeaffairs.gov.au ↗