Australia Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189): Complete 2026 Guide
The subclass 189 is Australia’s points-tested permanent residence visa — the only skilled route with no employer, no state nomination and no job offer. You are ranked against everyone else in your occupation, invited through SkillSelect, and granted PR you can use anywhere in Australia. This guide gives you the full 2026 points table, the honest truth about the 65-point minimum (the floor, not the finish line), the AUD 6,135 charge, the MLTSSL occupation rule that trips up half the applicants, and every step from skills assessment to grant. For 2026–27 the government lifted Skilled Independent places from 16,900 to 21,090.
Who Qualifies for the Subclass 189 Visa?
The 189 does not care who your employer is or which state you settle in. It cares about one thing: whether you score highly enough, against everyone else in your occupation, to earn an invitation. There is no sponsor, no nominator and no job offer — that independence is the whole appeal, and also why it is competitive.
To be invited for the points-tested 189 you must:
- have an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list (the MLTSSL — see below)
- have a suitable skills assessment for that occupation from its assessing authority
- be invited to apply after lodging an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect
- satisfy the points test — and be under 45 at the time of invitation
| Condition | Requirement (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Points Competitive | 65 minimum | 65 only enters the pool. Real invitation cut-offs in 2026 have been 85–95+ for most professions. |
| Age | Under 45 at invitation | Age points: 25–32 scores the maximum 30; they fall to 0 at 45. A hard cut-off. |
| Occupation | On the MLTSSL | Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List, ANZSCO 2013 codes. Not the new CSOL. |
| Skills assessment | Positive, valid at invitation | From your occupation’s designated assessing authority (e.g. ACS, Engineers Australia, VETASSESS, CAANZ). |
| English | Competent minimum | IELTS 6.0 each band (or PTE/OET/TOEFL equivalent). Higher scores add points. |
| Health & character | Exam + police checks | Health examination; police certificates for every country lived in 12+ months in the last 10 years. |
This is the single most misunderstood point about the 189. Scoring 65 lets you submit an Expression of Interest — it does not get you invited. Home Affairs ranks every EOI by score and invites from the top down, so the effective cut-off is set by demand in your occupation. In 2026 rounds that has meant 85 to 95 or more points for most professional occupations, while a handful of trades were invited nearer the minimum. Treat 65 as “eligible to enter”, and aim far higher.
The December 2024 migration reforms introduced the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) on the newer ANZSCO 2022 codes — but that list is for the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) and employer-sponsored (subclass 186) visas. The points-tested 189 still uses the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) under the older ANZSCO 2013 version. Plenty of guides get this wrong. If your occupation is on the CSOL but not the MLTSSL, it does not help a 189 — check the combined list carefully before you assess your skills.
All three use the same points test and SkillSelect, but they are not the same visa:
- 189 — permanent, no location condition, no sponsor. The one on this page.
- 190 — permanent, state-nominated (+5 points), and you must settle in that state.
- 491 — a 5-year regional provisional visa (+15 points) that converts to PR via the subclass 191.
If your score is short for a 189, a 190 or 491 nomination is often the realistic path — the extra 5 or 15 points can be decisive.
How the 189 Points Test Works
Points come from a fixed official table. You claim them in your Expression of Interest, and you must be able to prove every claim with documents at the time you are invited. Here is the full 2026 table.
Age
| Age at invitation | Points |
|---|---|
| 18 to under 25 | 25 |
| 25 to under 33 | 30 (maximum) |
| 33 to under 40 | 25 |
| 40 to under 45 | 15 |
| 45 and over | 0 — not eligible to be invited |
English language
| Level | IELTS (each band) | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Competent Minimum | 6.0 | 0 |
| Proficient | 7.0 | 10 |
| Superior | 8.0 | 20 |
PTE Academic, OET, TOEFL iBT and Cambridge C1 Advanced are accepted at equivalent scores. Competent English (IELTS 6 or equivalent) is the eligibility minimum; points only start at Proficient.
Skilled employment experience
In your nominated or a closely related occupation, in the 10 years before invitation. Overseas and Australian experience are added together, then capped at 20 points.
| Years | Overseas (outside Australia) | In Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 to under 3 | 0 | 5 |
| 3 to under 5 | 5 | 10 |
| 5 to under 8 | 10 | 15 |
| 8 or more | 15 | 20 |
Educational qualifications
Highest qualification only — you cannot stack these.
| Qualification | Points |
|---|---|
| Doctorate (PhD) from an Australian or recognised institution | 20 |
| Bachelor degree or higher (Australian or recognised) | 15 |
| Diploma or trade qualification from an Australian institution | 10 |
| Award recognised by your assessing authority as suitable for the occupation | 10 |
Other points
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Australian study requirement (a qualification from an Australian institution) | 5 |
| Specialist education: Masters by research or PhD in a STEM/ICT field (Australian) | 10 |
| Professional Year in Australia (accounting, IT or engineering) | 5 |
| Credentialled community language (NAATI) | 5 |
| Study in a designated regional area of Australia | 5 |
| Partner skills (partner under 45, Competent English, positive skills assessment) | 10 |
| Partner with Competent English only | 5 |
| Single, or partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident | 10 |
Most applicants max out age and education early, so the difference between 65 and 90 is usually English (jumping from Competent to Superior is worth 20 points), years of experience, a Professional Year, NAATI community-language credentialling, or a partner who can be skills-assessed. If you are short, those are the levers worth pulling before the next round.
How to Apply for the 189: 6-Step Process
You cannot simply lodge a 189. The visa is invitation-only, and the invitation comes at the end of a sequence that starts months earlier. Here is the order that actually works.
-
1Get a positive skills assessment
First check your occupation is on the MLTSSL (ANZSCO 2013). Then apply to that occupation’s designated assessing authority — ACS for IT, Engineers Australia for engineering, VETASSESS for many professions and trades, CAANZ/CPA for accounting. This is the step that takes the longest and costs the most before the visa itself; start here.
-
2Sit an English test
Book IELTS, PTE Academic, OET, TOEFL iBT or Cambridge. You need at least Competent English (IELTS 6.0 in each band) to be eligible — but because English is worth up to 20 points, aiming for Proficient or Superior is often the cheapest way to lift your score.
-
3Submit an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect
Create a free SkillSelect account and lodge an EOI claiming your points for age, English, experience, qualifications and any bonuses. The EOI is not an application — it is you entering the pool. You must claim at least 65 points to be in it.
-
4Wait to be invited
Home Affairs runs periodic invitation rounds, ranking EOIs by score and inviting from the top down. Meeting 65 points does not guarantee an invitation — in 2026 the effective cut-off has been 85–95+ for most professions. You must be under 45 when the invitation is issued.
-
5Lodge the visa within 60 days
An invitation gives you 60 days to lodge the full application with evidence for every points claim, a health examination, and police certificates for each country you have lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years. Every claim you made in the EOI now has to be documented.
-
6Receive the grant — permanent residence
If approved, the 189 is granted as permanent residence with no location condition. You can live and work anywhere in Australia, sponsor eligible relatives, and start counting toward the residence you need to apply for Australian citizenship.
Documents Required for the 189
Everything you claimed in the EOI has to be evidenced once you are invited. Tick off what you have confirmed — your progress saves to this browser and prints into your checklist PDF.
Total Cost Breakdown
The visa application charge is only part of the bill. The skills assessment, English test, police checks and medical routinely add well over a thousand dollars — and they come before you even know whether you will be invited.
Visa application charge (from 1 July 2026)
| Applicant | Charge (AUD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Primary applicant | $6,135 (≈$4,050) | The base charge, up from $4,910 in 2025–26. |
| Additional applicant 18 or over | $3,070 | Spouse/partner, or an adult dependant. |
| Additional applicant under 18 | $1,540 | Per dependent child. |
| Second instalment — no functional English | $4,890 | Per adult applicant who cannot show functional English; payable before grant. |
Home Affairs’ Visa Pricing Estimator gives the precise charge for your family make-up, including any second-instalment English charge. A mis-paid charge can invalidate the application, so check it before you lodge.
The other costs (before the visa)
| Item | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Skills assessment | ~AUD $300–1,200 | Varies widely by assessing authority and occupation. |
| English test | ~AUD $340–450 | Per sitting — and many people sit more than once to lift points. |
| Police certificates | ~AUD $30–100 each | One per country lived in 12+ months in the last 10 years. |
| Health examination | ~AUD $350–500 each | Through Bupa Medical Visa Services or a panel physician. |
The skills assessment and English test are sunk costs paid before you enter the pool — and entering the pool is not the same as being invited. Budget for them as the price of finding out whether you are competitive, not as a guarantee of a grant.
Processing, PR and What Comes Next
Once you lodge, processing depends on your occupation, how complete your file is, and how quickly you respond to requests. The 189 is permanent from grant — there is no provisional stage to convert.
Home Affairs publishes live figures and updates them monthly. Recent data has roughly half of applications decided within about 5–8 months and 90% within around 14–19 months; the global median for permanent skilled visas was about 9 months in May 2026. Always check the Department’s visa processing-time guide for the current number — the estimate here is a guide, not a promise.
On 12 May 2026 the government set the Skilled Independent planning level at 21,090 places for 2026–27 — up from 16,900 in each of the previous two years. The overall Migration Program stays at 185,000, with onshore applicants prioritised. More Skilled Independent places means more invitations available this program year, though cut-offs still depend on demand in each occupation.
What permanent residence gives you
- Live and work anywhere in Australia, indefinitely, with no employer or state tie.
- Medicare — PR holders enrol immediately, unlike temporary-visa holders.
- Sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence.
- A pathway to Australian citizenship once you meet the residence requirement (generally four years of lawful residence, including 12 months as a PR).
- The travel facility lasts five years; after that you renew it with a Resident Return visa if you are overseas.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The 189 is entirely points-tested — you don’t need an employer, a sponsor, a nominator or a state nomination. You only need a positive skills assessment, an invitation through SkillSelect, and enough points.
The minimum is 65 points to enter the SkillSelect pool, but 65 rarely earns an invitation. In 2026 rounds most professional occupations have needed 85 to 95 or more points; some trades were invited lower. Points come from age, English, work experience, qualifications and other factors.
You must be under 45 when you’re invited to apply. Age points fall from 30 (ages 25 to 32) to 15 (ages 40 to 44) and drop to zero at 45, so applying earlier matters a lot.
The Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), using the ANZSCO 2013 occupation codes. The newer Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) applies to the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) and employer-sponsored visas — not the 189.
The base charge is AUD $6,135 for the main applicant (from 1 July 2026), plus AUD $3,070 per additional adult and AUD $1,540 per child. Budget separately for the skills assessment, English test, police checks and medical, which add well over a thousand dollars.
At least Competent English — IELTS 6.0 in each of the four bands, or the equivalent in PTE Academic, OET, TOEFL iBT or Cambridge. Higher scores earn extra points: Proficient (IELTS 7) adds 10, Superior (IELTS 8) adds 20.
It varies by occupation and how complete your application is. Recent Home Affairs data has roughly half of applications decided within about 5 to 8 months and 90% within around 14 to 19 months. Always check the Department’s live visa processing-time guide for current figures.
The 189 is permanent with no location condition. The 190 is also permanent but state-nominated — you get 5 extra points and must settle in that state. The 491 is a 5-year regional provisional visa (15 extra points) that leads to PR later. Only the 189 has no sponsor and no place-of-residence condition.
Get your skills assessed by the right assessing authority, then submit an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect. If you’re invited, you have 60 days to lodge the visa with your documents, health checks and police certificates. You can’t lodge a 189 without an invitation.
Prefer professional guidance?
A registered migration agent (check the register at mara.gov.au) can confirm your occupation and assessing authority, maximise your points claim, and manage the SkillSelect and lodgement steps. Many applicants do it themselves — SkillSelect is free — but a complex case (overseas experience, tricky skills assessment) is where an agent earns their fee.
Official sources & references
- Visasimmi.homeaffairs.gov.au — Department of Home Affairs — Skilled Independent visa (189) points-tested stream: eligibility, permanent PR, no sponsor, AUD 6,135 charge
- Pointsimmi.homeaffairs.gov.au — the official 189 points table: age, English, experience, education and bonus points
- Occupationsimmi.homeaffairs.gov.au — skilled occupation list: confirms the 189 uses the MLTSSL (ANZSCO 2013)
- Applyimmi.homeaffairs.gov.au — SkillSelect: how the Expression of Interest and invitation rounds work
- Statsimmi.homeaffairs.gov.au — Permanent Migration Program planning levels: 21,090 Skilled Independent places for 2026–27