Points Tested Stream
This visa is a point-based permanent work visa for skilled workers who are not sponsored by an employer or family member, or nominated by a state/territory government.
You must submit an expression of interest (EOI) and be invited to apply for this visa. If granted, this visa lets you live and work in Australia as a permanent resident. You can include your family members in your application.
189 Visa Conditions
As the visa applicant, you must,
189 Visa Eligibility
- You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa and when a decision is made on your application, but not in immigration clearance.
If you apply in Australia, you must hold a substantive or a subclass 010 Bridging A visa, a subclass 020 Bridging B visa or a subclass 030 Bridging C visa, otherwise your application will not be processed.
- You must submit an expression of interest (EOI) to DOHA informing them about your intention to apply for this visa. After you have submitted an EOI, you will be ranked against other intending applicants and might be invited to apply for the visa.
- You must have a suitable skills assessment at the time you are invited to apply. You will need to provide a copy of this skills assessment with your application.
Your skills assessment must have been obtained in the 3 years before the date of your invitation. If the assessment was for a shorter period, that period must not have passed.
If your skills were assessed on the basis of a qualification you got in Australia when you held a student visa, the qualification must be from studying a course registered on CRICOS.
- You must be under 45 years of age when you are invited to apply for the visa. You can still apply for the visa if you turn 45 after you get the invitation to apply.
If you turn 45 after you submit your EOI but before you are invited to apply, you will not be invited to apply.
- The subclass 189 visa is a points-tested visa. You must be able to obtain at least 65 points on our points test to be eligible for this visa. If you cannot obtain 65 points you will not be invited to apply.
If you get an invitation to apply for the visa, you must prove the claims you make in your EOI application is being assessed by DOHA
Use the points calculator to check how many points you might score.
- At the time of the invitation, you must have at least competent English. This translates to you having at least 6 for each of the 4 components in IELTS or at least 50 for each of the 4 components for PTE Academic)
- Your occupation must be on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations for the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) Point-Tested stream.
- You must apply for the visa within 60 days from the date of your invitation.
- You and any family member included in this application must meet all the health and character requirements
- You or any family member must not have any debt to pay to the Australian government. If you or any family members (including those who do not apply for the visa with you) owe the Australian Government money, you or they must have paid it back or arranged to pay it back.
- If you are 18 years of age or older, you must: have read, or had explained to you, the Life in Australia AND confirm you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws when you sign an Australian Values Statement
Note: If you have had a visa cancelled or previous application refused, you may not be granted a visa.
Visa Benefits
- stay in Australia permanently
- work and study in Australia
- enroll in Australia’s public health care scheme, Medicare
- sponsor your relatives to come to Australia
- travel to and from Australia for 5 years
- if eligible, become an Australian citizen
General notes
- You must apply for the visa within 60 days from the date of your invitation.
- You can travel in and out of Australia as many times as you want for 5 years from the date we grant the visa. After 5 years you will need a Resident Return (RRV) visa (subclass 155 or 157) to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.
- You can include members of the family unit in your application. You can:
- include them when you lodge your visa application
- add them after you lodge your application but before DOHA decides on your visa.
- You might have to pay an extra charge for any applicant 18 years old or older who has less than functional English. This charge is the second instalment. You must only pay it when DOHA asks you to. The charge is only requested if the visa will be granted. The second instalment charge for family members is AU$4,885.
Hong Kong Stream
This visa is a point-based permanent work visa for skilled workers who are not sponsored by an employer or family member, or nominated by a state/territory government.
You must submit an expression of interest (EOI) and be invited to apply for this visa. If granted, this visa lets you live and work in Australia as a permanent resident. You can include your family members in your application.
189 Visa Conditions
As the visa applicant, you must,
189 Visa Eligibility
- You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa and when a decision is made on your application, but not in immigration clearance.
If you apply in Australia, you must hold a substantive or a subclass 010 Bridging A visa, a subclass 020 Bridging B visa or a subclass 030 Bridging C visa, otherwise your application will not be processed.
- You must submit an expression of interest (EOI) to DOHA informing them about your intention to apply for this visa. After you have submitted an EOI, you will be ranked against other intending applicants and might be invited to apply for the visa.
- You must have a suitable skills assessment at the time you are invited to apply. You will need to provide a copy of this skills assessment with your application.
Your skills assessment must have been obtained in the 3 years before the date of your invitation. If the assessment was for a shorter period, that period must not have passed.
If your skills were assessed on the basis of a qualification you got in Australia when you held a student visa, the qualification must be from studying a course registered on CRICOS.
- You must be under 45 years of age when you are invited to apply for the visa. You can still apply for the visa if you turn 45 after you get the invitation to apply.
If you turn 45 after you submit your EOI but before you are invited to apply, you will not be invited to apply.
- The subclass 189 visa is a points-tested visa. You must be able to obtain at least 65 points on our points test to be eligible for this visa. If you cannot obtain 65 points you will not be invited to apply.
If you get an invitation to apply for the visa, you must prove the claims you make in your EOI application is being assessed by DOHA
Use the points calculator to check how many points you might score.
- At the time of the invitation, you must have at least competent English. This translates to you having at least 6 for each of the 4 components in IELTS or at least 50 for each of the 4 components for PTE Academic)
- Your occupation must be on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations for the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) Point-Tested stream.
- You must apply for the visa within 60 days from the date of your invitation.
- You and any family member included in this application must meet all the health and character requirements
- You or any family member must not have any debt to pay to the Australian government. If you or any family members (including those who do not apply for the visa with you) owe the Australian Government money, you or they must have paid it back or arranged to pay it back.
- If you are 18 years of age or older, you must: have read, or had explained to you, the Life in Australia AND confirm you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws when you sign an Australian Values Statement
Note: If you have had a visa cancelled or previous application refused, you may not be granted a visa.
General Notes
- You can travel in and out of Australia as many times as you want for 5 years from the date of the visa grant. After 5 years you will need a Resident Return (RRV) visa (subclass 155 or 157) to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.
- You can include members of the family unit in your application. You can:
- include them when you lodge your visa application
- add them after you lodge your application but before DOHA decides on your visa.
- You might have to pay an extra charge for any applicant 18 years old or older who has less than functional English. This charge is the second installment. You must only pay it when DOHA asks you to. The charge is only requested if the visa will be granted. The second installment charge for family members is AU$4,885.
189 Visa Processing Time
The processing time for the 189 visa can vary depending on individual circumstances and the current state of the migration program. But the median processing time for the Points-tested stream is 4 months.
To avoid unnecessary delays, make sure to complete the application form thoroughly, submit all required documents, and respond promptly to any information requests from DOHA.
