General Skilled Migration Visa

Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)

The 189 Visa is a permanent visa that allows skilled workers to live in Australia.

What does this visa allow you to do?

This visa provides the holder with Australian permanent residency with no conditions. The holder can live and work wherever they like in Australia. Although the visa is granted based on the holder being skilled in a specific occupation, once granted, the visa doesn’t require you to seek or maintain employment in this occupation.

Who can apply for the subclass 189 visa?

This visa is available to applicants who are skilled in an occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)

How do I qualify for a subclass 189 visa?

To apply for a Skilled Independent Subclass 189 visa, you must meet a minimum score on a points test.

Once you have confirmed you meet the points test, the applicant will need to obtain a successful migration skills assessment outcome in their nominated occupation. The steps required to achieve this will vary depending on the occupation. Our migration agents can assist you with this step as part of the overall visa process.

Applicants for this visa must be under 45 years of age and meet health, character and English language requirements. Then, an applicant can lodge an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect and be invited to submit a visa application by the Department of Home Affairs.

Skilled Nominated Visa Subclass 190

The 190 Visa is a permanent visa that allows skilled workers to live in Australia, based on a nomination by an Australian state or territory.

What does this visa allow you to do?

This visa provides the holder with Australian permanent residency with no conditions. The holder can live and work indefinitely in their chosen state. Although the visa is granted based on the holder being skilled in a specific occupation, once granted, the visa doesn’t require you to seek or maintain employment in this occupation.

Who can apply for the subclass 190 visa?

This visa is available to applicants who are skilled in an occupation on a state or territory occupation list. Each state or territory has its own individual list, depending on the skill shortages in that area.

How do I qualify for a subclass 190 visa?

To apply for a Skilled Independent Subclass 190 visa, you must meet a minimum score on a points test.

Once you have confirmed you meet the points test, the applicant will need to obtain a successful migration skills assessment outcome in their chosen occupation.

The steps required to achieve this will vary depending on the occupation. Your migration agent can assist you with this step as part of the overall visa process. Applicants for this visa must be under 45 years of age and meet health, character and English language requirements.

Once the above steps have been followed, an applicant can lodge an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect and be invited to submit a visa application by the Department of Home Affairs.

An applicant for a 190 visa must be issued with a nomination by their chosen state or territory. The requirements for this differ depending on the state or territory in question, as does the application process an applicant must follow. For example, some states require that you apply separately for state nomination through their website, whereas others simply want you to declare that you are seeking nomination in your EOI.

Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa Subclass 491

The subclass 491 visa is a provisional residency visa available to skilled workers who are willing to live and work in a designated regional area. It is available both to skilled workers who are already living and working in Australia as temporary residents, and to those living outside Australia.

What does this visa allow you to do?

Once a 491 visa is granted the visa holder can remain in a designated regional area of Australia for up to five years, with a permanent residency pathway available after three years. Dependent family members can be included and must also live, work and study in a designated regional area.

Who can apply for the subclass 491 visa?

The 491 visa can be applied for from within or outside of Australia. Applicants within Australia must hold a substantive visa or a Bridging A, B or C.

How do I qualify for a subclass 491 visa?

To be eligible for this visa, applicants must be skilled in an occupation on the relevant State Government Occupation List and be nominated by that State OR be skilled in an occupation on the MLTSSL or be nominated by an Eligible Family Member.

Whether you are applying on the basis of a State nomination or a Family Member nomination, all applicants must meet a minimum score of 65 points on a points test.

Applicants must also meet the following criteria:

• Be between the ages of 18 and 44
• Have Competent English or higher, and their dependent family members over 18 years of age have at least Functional English
• Hold a positive skill assessment in the nominated occupation
• Meet health and character requirements

The process is very similar to subclass 190 visa. Once you are invited to apply under any GSM visa subclass, you must lodge your application within 60 days. For this reason, it is very important that you have all required documentation prepared to lodge as soon as possible after receiving the invitation.