189 visa requirements explained by a registered agent in Brisbane: occupation, skills assessment, points, English, and how the 189 compares to the 190.
The Skilled Independent visa, subclass 189, is a permanent visa for skilled workers who aren’t sponsored by an employer, a state, or a family member. It’s the most independent of the skilled visas, and one of the most competitive. To qualify you generally need an occupation on the relevant skilled list, a positive skills assessment, at least competent English, you must be under the age limit, and you need to score enough points and be invited to apply after submitting an Expression of Interest. You also need to meet health and character requirements. Unlike the 190 or 491, there’s no nomination or sponsorship, which means no state conditions, but it also means you compete on points alone. Here’s the full picture.
The 189 is a points-tested permanent residency visa under general skilled migration. Once granted, it gives you and your included family the right to live, work, and study anywhere in Australia, with no obligation to a particular state, employer, or region. That freedom is exactly why it’s so sought after, and why the points bar tends to sit high. You apply by submitting an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect and waiting to be invited, ranked against everyone else in your occupation.
To be invited and granted a 189, you generally need to meet all of these:
Miss any single one of these and the application doesn’t proceed, which is why the order you tackle them in matters.
The 189 is won on points. Your score is built from a combination of factors, including:
Because the 189 has no nomination to add points, your raw profile has to carry the whole score. Reaching the pass mark isn’t enough on its own. You’re ranked against others, so a higher score improves your chance of an invitation. We spend real time here, because the honest ways to add a few points, a better English result, a partner’s skills assessment, more experience, can be the difference between an invitation and a long wait.
1. Check your occupation and list. Confirm your occupation is eligible for the 189. 2. Get a positive skills assessment from the right assessing authority. 3. Sit an English test if you need to, aiming for the score that gives you the points you need. 4. Calculate your points honestly, including every category you can legitimately claim. 5. Submit an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect. 6. Receive an invitation to apply, if your score is competitive. 7. Lodge the visa application with full evidence within the deadline, and complete health and character checks.
This is the most common question we hear, and the honest answer is “it depends on your points”. The 189 gives you complete freedom, no state ties, no regional condition, permanent from the start. The 190 requires a state or territory nomination and usually a commitment to live in that state for a period, but the nomination adds points that can get you invited when your raw score falls short for the 189. If your points are strong, the 189 is the cleaner option. If you’re a few points short, the 190, or the regional 491, can be the smarter, faster route to the same destination. There’s no single “better” visa, only the better fit for your score and plans. See our Skilled Migration page for the wider view.
We’re a registered migration practice in Brisbane, led by a registered migration agent (MARN 1794201). For the 189 we check your occupation against the current list, guide your skills assessment, calculate your points accurately, and find the legitimate ways to lift your score. If your 189 profile isn’t competitive yet, we tell you honestly and map the 190 or 491 alternatives instead of leaving you to wait indefinitely. You get a realistic strategy, not false hope. See our Skilled Independent Visa (189) service page for the full service.
An eligible occupation on the relevant list, a positive skills assessment, at least competent English, being under the age limit, enough points to be invited after an Expression of Interest, and meeting health and character.
It’s the Skilled Independent visa, a permanent points-tested visa for skilled workers who aren’t sponsored by an employer, state, or relative. It lets you live and work anywhere in Australia.
You must reach the pass mark, but because you’re ranked against other applicants, the score needed to actually be invited is often higher. A competitive score matters more than just clearing the minimum.
No. The 189 is independent and doesn’t require an employer, sponsor, or job offer. You need a suitable occupation, a positive skills assessment, and a competitive points score.
Yes. You need a positive skills assessment from the assessing authority for your nominated occupation before you can be granted the visa. This is a core requirement.
At least competent English, shown through an approved test. Higher results (proficient or superior) earn extra points, which can be decisive in a competitive occupation.
Yes. The 189 is a permanent visa from grant, giving you and your included family the right to live, work, and study anywhere in Australia, with a pathway to citizenship over time.
If your points are strong, the 189 gives you freedom with no state conditions. If you’re a few points short, the 190’s nomination points may get you invited faster. It depends entirely on your score and plans.
Yes. Eligible family members can usually be included and share the permanent residency, provided they meet health and character requirements.
It has two waits: the time to receive an invitation, which depends on your points and occupation demand, and then the processing time after you lodge. Both change over time. We give you a realistic picture for your profile.
If your score isn’t competitive, you can keep improving your points, or pivot to a 190 or 491 nominated pathway. We assess which route gives you the best realistic chance.
The 189 offers the most freedom of any skilled visa, but only if your points are competitive. See our Skilled Independent Visa (189) service page, then call BYD Education & Immigration Consultants on 0434 893 901 to book a consultation with a registered migration agent and get an honest read on your points.
