Australian Skilled Visa: Skilled - Independent Visa (subclass 189)

The Australian Visa Bureau is a division of Visa Bureau. Visa Bureau is not affiliated with the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) and is a website specialising in visa and immigration information to Australia.

Australian Skilled Migration Visas

Skilled workers who wish to apply for permanent migration to Australia can apply through the Australian General Skilled Migration Program. The program aims to meet current skills shortages by attracting skilled migrants.

Click Here to Complete the Free Online Australian Skilled Migration Visa Assessment

Australian Visa Bureau's free online Skilled Migration Visa assessment will provide you with your points score on completion and you will be given the option at that stage to request a free telephonic or email consultation with an experienced migration consultant specialising in evaluating eligibility for migration to Australia. As part of this initial free consultation, the consultant will discuss the options open to you and provide you with guidance on what visas are suitable and practical to you situation.

Additionally, should you decide to use us to assist you with your skilled migration visa application, your migration consultant will explain our service charges. Our service charges are dependent on both the visa subclass and your own individual circumstances; for example, while our service charge can be as low as £29, it can range to £2,400 for some skilled visa applications. This is not inclusive of VAT, the Australian government fees or any other costs associated with the application. You are not obliged to use our services at any point and we encourage you to take the free online assessment to assess your eligibility. Should you choose to use our services, your application will be handled by a MARA-registered migration agent initially and you will be assigned a personal caseworker who will guide you through every step of the process, from confirming your eligibility and gathering documents to checking your final application before lodging it to the Australian government.

You can also begin the process of applying for an Australian Skilled Migration Visa by going to the Australian Government website. The government fees for a visa application range in price, depending on your own personal circumstances and the subclass of visa you are applying for. The total government fee can be anything from AU$435 for an employer-sponsored visa to over AU$3,000 for certain skilled visas.

Click Here to Apply Online on IMMI.gov.au (Official Site)

The Australian Skilled - Independent Visa (subclass 189) is an Australian skilled visa for skilled workers who are not sponsored by an employer, a state or territory, or a family member. A visa holder can live and work permanently anywhere in Australia. Certain family members can be included in the application.

You must score at least 60 points (the pass mark) on the Points Test to be eligible for this visa.

Applying for the Skilled - Independent Visa (subclass 189)

To be able to lodge a valid application for this visa you need to first submit an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect. You can do this in or outside Australia.

To apply for this visa you must:

be invited to apply;
be younger than 50 years of age when you are invited to apply;
nominate an occupation that matches your skills and qualifications and is on the relevant Skilled Occupation List (SOL);
have your skills assessed by the relevant assessing authority as suitable for your nominated occupation;
have at least competent English;
score at least 60 on the Points Test; AND
meet the health and character requirements.

Australian Skilled Visa Process

The Skilled - Independent Visa (subclass 189) is based on a 3 stage application process.

Stage 1
The first stage of the application process involves completing a skills assessment with the relevant government body. Your skills assessment enables the Department of Immigration and Citizenship ( DIAC) to judge if you have the required level of skill in your chosen occupation to practice in Australia.
Stage 2
Once you have received a positive skills assessment, you will need to submit an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect. You can do this in or outside Australia.
Stage 3
Once you have been issued an Invitation To Apply (ITA), you can continue to the DIAC stage of the application, where you can submit your final, complete application to be approved by DIAC so your visa can be granted.

Priority processing arrangements apply to this visa. They determine the order in which the department considers applications regardless of when they have been lodged.

Australian Skilled Visa Conditions

A successful applicant is given a 5 year multiple entry visa to live and work in Australia. You only need to live in Australia for 2 of the 5 years to have the visa reissued for a further 5 years. Alternatively, you can spend 4 consecutive years in Australia and be eligible for citizenship.

If you choose not to gain citizenship, however, you must apply for a Resident Return Visa before the original one expires in order to travel to and from Australia. To qualify for this you must demonstrate that you have spent 2 years lawfully living in Australia or that you have significant personal, cultural or business ties to Australia.

Complete an Online Assessment to determine if you can qualify for an Australian Skilled - Independent Visa (subclass 189) as a highly skilled migrant.

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