The Skilled Independent visa is permanent residence without an employer or state sponsor. You need a positive skills assessment in an eligible occupation, Competent English, at least 65 points and an invitation from SkillSelect; invited applicants pay AUD 6,135 from 1 July 2026 and lodge within 60 days. Invitation scores for popular Indian occupations run well above the minimum.
Who is eligible for the 189 visa? An applicant under 45 at the time of invitation with a positive skills assessment in an occupation on the relevant skilled list, English at Competent level or higher (IELTS 6.0 in each band for Competent; 7.0 for Proficient points; 8.0 for Superior), at least 65 points on the points test and an invitation to apply issued through SkillSelect. Points come from age, English, skilled employment in and outside Australia, qualifications, Australian study, partner skills and other factors.
What does it cost? Nothing to lodge the expression of interest. After the invitation: AUD 6,135 for the main applicant from 1 July 2026, plus additional applicant charges for a partner and children and a second instalment of AUD 4,885 for any adult family member without functional English. Add the skills assessment (AUD 500 to 1,500), the English test, health examinations and police certificates.
How long does it take? The expression of interest sits in SkillSelect for up to two years; the wait for an invitation depends on your score and occupation and can be weeks or more than a year. After lodging, Home Affairs publishes 50 and 90 percent processing figures each month; recent 189 applications have taken several months to about a year. Twelve to twenty-four months from first test to grant is a common span for Indian applicants.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Visa | Skilled Independent (subclass 189), points-tested stream; permanent residence |
| Government fee | AUD 6,135 main applicant (from 1 July 2026) |
| Second instalment | AUD 4,885 per adult family member without functional English |
| Minimum points | 65; invitation rounds often require more for popular occupations |
| Age | Under 45 at invitation |
| English | Competent (IELTS 6.0 each band) minimum; Proficient 10 points; Superior 20 points |
| Invitation | Expression of interest in SkillSelect; 60 days to lodge after invitation |
| Processing | Several months to about a year after lodgement; Home Affairs publishes monthly figures |
Before the expression of interest you need a positive skills assessment from the assessing authority for your occupation (ACS for ICT, Engineers Australia, VETASSESS for many professions, AHPRA-linked bodies for health, TRA for trades), an English test at Competent level or above, and documentary evidence for every point claimed. Skilled employment counts only after the date the assessing authority deems you skilled, which for ICT applicants often removes two to four years of early experience.
The points test awards 25 or 30 points for age (25 to 32 scores highest), 0, 10 or 20 for English, up to 20 for overseas skilled employment and up to 20 for Australian skilled employment (capped at 20 combined), 10 to 20 for qualifications, 5 for Australian study and 5 more for regional study, 5 for a specialist education qualification, 5 for a credentialled community language (NAATI), 5 for a professional year, and 5 or 10 for partner factors or for being single. The pass mark is 65 but invitations go to the highest scores in each occupation.
Occupation ceilings and the migration program planning levels decide how many invitations each round issues. For Indian applicants in software, accounting and engineering, recent rounds have invited at scores well above 65, so Superior English, a partner with a skills assessment, Australian study or a professional year make the difference. State nomination (subclass 190, 5 points) and regional nomination (subclass 491, 15 points) are the usual alternatives when the independent score is not competitive.
| Item | AUD | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Independent visa, main applicant | 6,135 | From 1 July 2026; paid after invitation |
| Additional applicant 18 or over | Per pricing table | Partner |
| Additional applicant under 18 | Per pricing table | Each child |
| Second instalment | 4,885 | Each adult applicant without functional English, paid before grant |
| Skills assessment | 500 to 1,500 | Set by the assessing authority; ACS, Engineers Australia, VETASSESS, TRA |
| English test | About INR 17,000 to 18,000 | IELTS, PTE Academic or TOEFL iBT; valid three years for the visa |
| Health examinations and police certificates | Panel physician and Passport Seva fees | Every applicant |
The visa charge is not refunded on refusal. Family members who join later pay a separate visa application charge, so include everyone who may migrate when you lodge.
| Stage | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Skills assessment | 6 to 12 weeks (ACS and Engineers Australia); longer for VETASSESS |
| English test to result | 1 to 3 weeks |
| Expression of interest to invitation | Weeks to over a year depending on score and occupation |
| Invitation to lodgement | Up to 60 days; police certificates are the long pole |
| Lodgement to grant | Several months to about a year |
| Grant to first entry | Within the period on the grant letter, usually 12 months from the earliest certificate |
Start the Indian police clearance certificate on the day of the invitation; Gulf, Singapore and US certificates take longer and should be ordered in anticipation when a round is imminent.
The 189 visa is permanent from grant, with a five-year travel facility; after five years you need a Resident Return visa to re-enter unless you have become a citizen. Permanent residents can live and work anywhere in Australia, enrol in Medicare and sponsor family members, and children born in Australia to a permanent resident are citizens.
Citizenship by conferral requires four years of lawful residence including 12 months as a permanent resident, no more than 12 months' absence in the four years and 90 days in the last year, the citizenship test and good character. India does not permit dual citizenship, so naturalising means surrendering the Indian passport and applying for an OCI card. The guide to [naturalisation absence limits](/guides/read/naturalisation-absences-limits) covers how the days are counted.
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Positive skills assessment | From the assessing authority for the nominated occupation; note the skilled-employment start date it sets |
| English test result | IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT or Cambridge within three years; Proficient or Superior for points |
| Passport | Valid; number entered in the EOI |
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Employment references | Letterhead, duties matching the ANZSCO tasks, dates, hours and salary; pay slips, Form 16 and PF statements to corroborate |
| Qualification certificates and transcripts | As assessed by the authority |
| Partner's skills assessment and English | For partner points; or evidence of being single |
| Australian study, professional year, NAATI | Certificates where claimed |
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Police clearance certificates | India (Passport Seva) and every country lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years |
| Health examinations | Every applicant with a Bupa-approved panel physician; results valid 12 months |
| Relationship documents | Marriage certificate, children's birth certificates, custody evidence where relevant |
| Form 80 and Form 1221 details | Full address, travel and employment history for character assessment |
The visa was refused because evidence did not support the points claimed in the EOI, for example employment before the skills-assessment date or a partner without a valid assessment, so the score fell below the invitation score.
The fix. Claim only points you can evidence at the EOI stage, use the assessing authority's skilled date, and keep every reference letter and pay record ready before the round.
The assessment or test passed its validity before the invitation or lodgement.
The fix. Track validity dates (most assessments three years, English three years for the visa) and renew before the EOI ranks high enough to be invited.
An employment reference or qualification could not be verified, or information was omitted, leading to a refusal and a three-year bar.
The fix. Use documents the issuer will confirm, declare every detail on Form 80 accurately, and answer the natural justice letter with evidence within the deadline.
A family member's health condition assessed as a significant cost, or an undisclosed conviction.
The fix. Complete examinations early, disclose all convictions with court records, and take advice where a health waiver might apply.
The invitation lapsed or the application was incomplete and could not be rescued.
The fix. Prepare the lodgement pack before the round, and request certificates in advance so the 60 days are not spent waiting.
The legal minimum is 65, but invitations under the Skilled Independent visa go to the highest-ranked expressions of interest in each occupation, and popular Indian occupations have needed considerably more in recent rounds. State nomination (190) and regional nomination (491) add 5 and 15 points respectively.
AUD 6,135 for the main applicant from 1 July 2026, plus additional applicant charges for family members and AUD 4,885 for each adult without functional English. Skills assessment, English test, health examinations and police certificates are extra.
No. The 189 visa is independent of employers and states. A job offer earns no points; the score comes from age, English, skilled employment, qualifications and the other factors in the points test.
Twelve to twenty-four months from the first English test to grant is a common span, driven mainly by the wait for an invitation at your score. Home Affairs publishes monthly 50 and 90 percent processing figures for the lodged application stage.
The free eligibility check estimates your points and the recent invitation scores for your occupation. Permanent residence files go to a licence-checked, MARA-registered migration agent chosen on the Australia destination page.