Vistolane
Australia visaSubclass 189

Australia Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) for Indian applicants

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.

7 min read Verified 29 October 2026 against immi.homeaffairs.gov.au · How we verify

Australia skilled independent visa: quick answers

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.
Australia Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)

At a glance

ItemDetail
VisaSkilled Independent (subclass 189), points-tested stream; permanent residence
Government feeAUD 6,135 main applicant (from 1 July 2026)
Second instalmentAUD 4,885 per adult family member without functional English
Minimum points65; invitation rounds often require more for popular occupations
AgeUnder 45 at invitation
EnglishCompetent (IELTS 6.0 each band) minimum; Proficient 10 points; Superior 20 points
InvitationExpression of interest in SkillSelect; 60 days to lodge after invitation
ProcessingSeveral months to about a year after lodgement; Home Affairs publishes monthly figures

Eligibility and how the points test works

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.

Fees and costs

ItemAUDNotes
Skilled Independent visa, main applicant6,135From 1 July 2026; paid after invitation
Additional applicant 18 or overPer pricing tablePartner
Additional applicant under 18Per pricing tableEach child
Second instalment4,885Each adult applicant without functional English, paid before grant
Skills assessment500 to 1,500Set by the assessing authority; ACS, Engineers Australia, VETASSESS, TRA
English testAbout INR 17,000 to 18,000IELTS, PTE Academic or TOEFL iBT; valid three years for the visa
Health examinations and police certificatesPanel physician and Passport Seva feesEvery 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.

From skills assessment to grant, step by step

  1. 1

    Skills assessment and English test

    Apply to the assessing authority for your occupation with qualifications and employment evidence; sit IELTS, PTE Academic or TOEFL iBT aiming for Proficient or Superior.

  2. 2

    Lodge the expression of interest in SkillSelect

    Enter the occupation, assessment, English, employment and education claims; the system calculates the points and ranks the EOI for two years.

  3. 3

    Receive the invitation to apply

    Rounds are run by Home Affairs; the invitation gives 60 days to lodge the visa application with every document.

  4. 4

    Lodge the 189 application and pay AUD 6,135

    Upload evidence for each points claim, passports, relationship documents, police certificates and health examination results.

  5. 5

    Grant and first entry

    The grant letter sets the date by which you must enter Australia (usually tied to the health and police certificate validity); permanent residence starts on first entry.

Realistic timeline for an applicant in India

StageTypical time
Skills assessment6 to 12 weeks (ACS and Engineers Australia); longer for VETASSESS
English test to result1 to 3 weeks
Expression of interest to invitationWeeks to over a year depending on score and occupation
Invitation to lodgementUp to 60 days; police certificates are the long pole
Lodgement to grantSeveral months to about a year
Grant to first entryWithin 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.

After the grant: travel facility, residence and citizenship

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 checklist: before the expression of interest

DocumentStandard the officer applies
Positive skills assessmentFrom the assessing authority for the nominated occupation; note the skilled-employment start date it sets
English test resultIELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT or Cambridge within three years; Proficient or Superior for points
PassportValid; number entered in the EOI

Points evidence

DocumentStandard the officer applies
Employment referencesLetterhead, duties matching the ANZSCO tasks, dates, hours and salary; pay slips, Form 16 and PF statements to corroborate
Qualification certificates and transcriptsAs assessed by the authority
Partner's skills assessment and EnglishFor partner points; or evidence of being single
Australian study, professional year, NAATICertificates where claimed

After the invitation

DocumentStandard the officer applies
Police clearance certificatesIndia (Passport Seva) and every country lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years
Health examinationsEvery applicant with a Bupa-approved panel physician; results valid 12 months
Relationship documentsMarriage certificate, children's birth certificates, custody evidence where relevant
Form 80 and Form 1221 detailsFull address, travel and employment history for character assessment

Why applications on this route get refused, and the fix

Points claimed not supported at lodgement

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.

Skills assessment or English expired

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.

Public interest criterion 4020

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.

Health or character requirement

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.

Lodged after the 60-day window or missing documents

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.

Official sources

Australia skilled independent visa questions

Other Australia routes

Subclass 600

Visitor visa (subclass 600)

AUD 250 per person

Read the route

Subclass 500

Student visa (subclass 500)

AUD 2,500 per person

Read the route

Subclass 482

Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482)

AUD 4,015 per person

Read the route

Subclass 309/100

Partner visa (subclass 309/100)

AUD 11,710 main applicant

Read the route