Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) (Points-tested) stream

The process

Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) via SkillSelect with details of your nominated occupation, skills and qualifications. SkillSelect will estimate a points score and rank you against other intending migrants.

If you are ranked high enough and there are places available for your nominated occupation, you will be invited to apply for the visa.

If you are invited, you have 60 calendar days to apply for the visa. We will then process your visa application.

Eligibility

Expressions of Interest

Points

The visa

1. Before you submit your expression of interest

   Before you submit your EOI, you should complete all parts of this step. If you are not able to, consider:
   • another visa
   • waiting until you can complete all parts.

   Check your points

   Check that you can score at least 60 points in your EOI. If you cannot score at least 60 points, you will not be invited to apply for the visa.

   If you are invited to apply for the visa, you must prove that the points you claim are correct.

   Information about points is available under the Learn about tab.

   Gather your documents

   If you receive an invitation and apply for the visa, you will need to provide documents:

   • that prove all of the claims you make in your EOI
   • that support other eligibility criteria for the visa.

   It is preferable that you have all of these documents before you submit your EOI.

   Applicant documents

   Documents for dependents under 18

   Documents for dependents 18 or older

   Documents for your partner

   Documents for non-migrating family members

   Prepare your documents

   It is preferable that you prepare all your documents before you submit your EOI.

   • All non-English documents must be translated into English.
   • Translators in Australia must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.
   • Translators outside Australia do not need to be accredited, but they must endorse the translation with their full name, address, telephone number, and details of their qualifications and experience in the language being translated.
   • Scan all documents (English and non-English documents) in colour in readiness to attach to your visa application. The scanned documents must be legible
   • Your documents do not have to be certified.
   • When you apply for the visa, send a document only once, even if you are using it as evidence for more than one criterion.
   • Information about attaching documents is available.

   Check your occupation

   Check that your occupation is on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations.

   Get a skills assessment

   Your skills and qualifications need to be assessed so we know you can work in your nominated occupation.

   The assessment must be undertaken by a relevant assessing authority. Assessing authorities are listed against occupations in the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations. You might have to pay a fee to the assessing authority.

   You must have the results of your skills assessment to submit an EOI.

   More information is available about the skills assessment and assessing authorities.

   Medical doctors, barristers and solicitors

   Medical doctors, barristers and solicitors do not need to have their skills assessed.

   Medical doctors must provide one of the following certificates issued by the Australian Health Practitioner

   Regulation Agency as proof of full registration:

   • unconditional or general medical registration
   • conditional specialist registration – which allows you to practice only in your particular speciality with no further training or supervision requirements.

   Barristers and solicitors must provide proof of admission to practice as a lawyer in the relevant state or territory.

   Check you are eligible for the visa

   Even if you receive an invitation to apply for the visa, you might not be eligible for it.

   Eligibility criteria is listed in the Learn about tab

2. Submit your expression of interest

   How to submit your EOI

   EOIs are submitted through the online system SkillSelect.

   Create an Expression of interest

   Note: Make sure you select the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189).

   You will receive an email confirming that your EOI has been submitted.

3. After you submit your expression of interest

   Make changes to your EOI

   You can make changes to your EOI before you are invited to apply for the visa.

   If you are in Australia

   If you submit an EOI in Australia and your current visa is about to expire, you must apply for another visa to stay in Australia.

   You are not eligible for a bridging visa because the EOI is not a visa application. You are only eligible for a bridging visa after you are invited and apply for this visa.

4. Receive an invitation to apply for the visa

   Apply for the visa within 60 calendar days

   You could receive an invitation any time within two years of submitting your EOI. If you are invited to apply for the visa, you will receive an email from SkillSelect. Receiving an invitation does not mean you will be granted the visa.

   If you are invited, you have 60 calendar days to apply for the visa. This time will not be extended.

   The invitation will include a points score based on your EOI claims. You must demonstrate that you can meet the points score and satisfy all other eligibility criteria. If you cannot meet this points score and all other eligibility criteria, you will not be granted the visa.

   If you do not apply for the visa after two invitations, your EOI will be removed from SkillSelect.

   You will not receive an invitation if you turn 45.

   If you cannot meet the points score or other eligibility criteria

   If you cannot demonstrate that you can meet the points score and satisfy all other eligibility criteria you should not apply for the visa at this time. If you want to update your EOI to better reflect your points score, you can do so after the 60 day invitation period has elapsed.

   If this is your first invitation, you might be sent a second invitation after the 60 day invitation period has elapsed.

   If this is your second invitation, you will have to submit another EOI if you still want the visa.

   If you do not receive an invitation

   If you are not invited to apply within two years of submitting your EOI, your EOI will expire. We will send you an email when your EOI is about to expire.

   You will need to submit a new EOI if you still want the visa.

   You will not receive an invitation if you turn 45.

5. Organise health checks

   We prefer that you and your family members have health checks before you apply for the visa.

   You will pay a fee for the checks and the results are valid for one year. If you undertake a health check before you apply and it takes longer than a year to process your application, you will need to undertake, and pay for, the checks again.

   Undertaking health checks after you lodge your application may cause processing delays.

   Find out the checks you need

   If you have not lodged your application, you can find out the checks you and your family members need through our online system ImmiAccount.

   If you don’t have an ImmiAccount, you need to create one.

   Create an ImmiAccount

   If you already have an ImmiAccount, log into it.

   Log into ImmiAccount

   When you are in your ImmiAccount, create a New application and then select Health > My Health Declarations.

   After completing My Health Declarations, you will automatically be directed to the online system eMedical Client where you will answer questions about your medical history and receive advice regarding health checks.

   More information

   There is more information about My Health Declarations.

   There is more information about our health requirement.

6. Apply

   Apply for the visa online

   You have 60 days from the date of your invitation to apply for the visa.

   You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa.

   Before you start your application, learn:
   • how you apply
   • how to pay the application fee
   • how to attach documents
   • about the transaction reference number.

   Start your application

   Log into your SkillSelect account.

   Log into SkillSelect

   When you are in your SkillSelect account, click the “Apply Visa” button. This will take you to our online application system – ImmiAccount.

   Log into your ImmiAccount or create an ImmiAccount if you do not have one.

   Note that your ImmiAccount will have a different username and password to your EOI.

   The visa application form will be available when you are in your ImmiAccount.

7. After you apply

   Current Australian visa expires

   If you applied in Australia

   If you applied in Australia, you were granted a bridging visa when you lodged your application. The bridging visa will come into effect only if your current visa expires. A bridging visa lets you stay in Australia while your subclass 189 visa application is being processed.

   If you held a Bridging visa A (BVA), Bridging visa B (BVB) or Bridging visa C (BVC) when you lodged your application, you were granted a Bridging visa C (BVC).

   If you held a visa that was not a bridging visa when you lodged your application, you were granted a Bridging visa A (BVA).

   More information is available about bridging visas.

   If you applied outside Australia

   If you held an Australian visa at the time you lodged your visa application, you must apply for and be granted another visa to enter Australia.

   When in Australia, you can apply for a Bridging visa A (BVA). The bridging visa will come into effect if the visa you entered Australia on expires. A BVA lets you stay in Australia while your subclass 189 visa application is being processed.

   More information is available about bridging visas.

   Travel

   If you applied in Australia

   You do not have to tell us if you want to travel outside Australia while your visa is being processed. This is because you do not have to be in Australia when the visa is decided.

   Bridging visa holders

   Only holders of a Bridging visa B (BVB) can return to Australia if they leave.

   Holders of a Bridging visa A should apply for and be granted a BVB before they depart Australia. You cannot apply for a BVB outside Australia.

   Holders of a Bridging visa C are not eligible for a BVB.

   If you applied outside Australia

   Do not make arrangements to travel to Australia, leave your job or sell your home until we advise you in writing that you have been granted the visa.

   Provide biometrics

   You might need to provide biometrics (fingerprints and photo). We will let you know if you need to provide them.

   Get health checks

   If you did not have health checks before you applied, you will need to have them when we tell you to.

   More information is available about our health requirement.

   Send more information or documents

   If you did not include all relevant documents when you applied, attach them to your ImmiAccount as soon as you can.

   If we request documents, you will usually have 28 days to provide them. Generally, we will not continue to process your application or respond to email enquiries during this 28 day period.

   Pay the second instalment if applicable

   If you need to pay the second instalment, we will send you an invoice for the instalment after you have met all other requirements for the visa.

   Please do not request the invoice.

   Add family members

   You can add a partner or dependent child to your application any time before we make a decision on your visa. Attach evidence of your relationship and the family member’s passport to your ImmiAccount.

   You will also need to complete and send Form 1436 — Adding an additional applicant after lodgement (364 KB PDF).

   If you have a newborn child.

   Tell us of changes

   You need to tell us if:
   • there are any changes to your circumstances, for example change of address, telephone number or birth of a child
   • you made a mistake on your application
   • you need to provide more information
   • you want to withdraw your application.

   Detailed information about updating is available at the Tell us of Changes tab.