When an Australian employer can not fill a position in Australia, he will have to outsource a skilled employee from outside Australia. Migrants from all over the world come to Australia for better work opportunities and living standards. 

A Skilled independent visa 189 is enduring. It is for skilled workers not holding sponsorship by the Australian state/territorial government, an employer, or any family member. It allows the worker to stay, live and work in Australia permanently. 

In a skilled independent visa, an employer or state/territorial government nominates a person to come and join a position.

The preliminary requirement for eligibility for an independent visa is that the worker must have specific skills in a nominated occupation for which he is moving to Australia. However, a worker must have other requirements to fulfil the eligibility criteria, and these are as follows- 

• To apply for visa 189, an applicant must have an invitation from the Australian community.
• The aspirant must be of an age between 18 to 45 years.
• He must not have any previous cancelled or refused visa applications.
• He must have a level of competency in the English language.
• He must fulfil the character and health requirements required by the immigration department. 
• He must have done a skill assessment.
• The applicant must have an expression of interest. 
• He must have passed a point test, scoring 65% or more.

The candidate applying for a skilled independent visa 190 must satisfy any other additional requirement prescribed by the department of home affairs.

An independent skilled migration visa entitles a person to live, study, and work in Australia permanently, apply for Australian citizenship, enrol in Australia’s medicare programs, access social security payment, and sponsor a family member/friend/relative.

Visa 189 Streams

To apply for an independent visa, the skilled worker must know about its streams. There are two streams of this visa –

• New Zealand Stream

This stream is for citizens of New Zealand who have demonstrated commitment and contribution to living and working in Australia permanently.

• Point-tested stream

In this stream, one must clear a point-based test on specific skills. The applicant’s skills are the basis of this point test. 

Apply Or A Skilled Independent Visa 189

The step-by-step procedure for the application of a skilled independent visa 189 is as follows –

• Skill Assessment

The applicant must complete a skill assessment as required for the occupation he wishes to apply for by an authorised body. It takes about three months for an assessing authority to decide. 

• Expression of interest

After receiving the skill assessment, the applicant must submit an EOI to the department of home affairs. 

• Invitation To Apply

An invitation to apply (ITA) is necessary for the visa application when the applicant receives an invitation to apply for the skilled independent visa.

• Apply For The Visa

Gather all the documents and login into the ImmiAccount to apply online. Click “apply now” to proceed further.

• Fill In The Personal And Other Details.

Fill in all the personal and other details in the application form and attach supportive documents in a scanned copy or electronic form. Cross-check all the documentation before attaching them to avoid mistakes.

• Pay The Visa Fees

The applicant must pay the charges as per the regulations of immigration law before applying. The visa cost is $4115 for the applicant, $2055 for the partner, and $1030 for a dependent under the age of 18 years.

• Submit The Application Form

After completing all the formalities and rechecking the details filled in, submit the application form. 

• Wait For The Application To Be Processed.

The applicant has to wait for the 189 visa application processing time, which is 75% of the application in 20 months, and 90% in 24 months. 

An applicant can take the assistance of an Immigration agent in Adelaide to understand more about skill assessment and how to pass a point test to be eligible for visa subclass 189. He can also help the applicant to avoid unnecessary delay in granting a skilled independent visa 189.

Summary

A person can apply for a skilled independent visa 190 when he receives a nomination from an employer working in an occupation listed on the skills occupation list or the Australian state/territorial government. While a skilled independent visa 189 is for skilled workers who did not receive any such type of nomination.

To apply for visa 189, the applicant must submit an expression of interest and pass a point test for specific skills he possesses. The best migration agent in Adelaide is an experienced professional with expert knowledge of immigration legislation and various visa types. He can guide a person to clear the skill assessment procedure under an assessing authority.

An independent skilled migration visa allows a skilled worker from overseas (point-based test stream) or a New Zealand citizen (New Zealand stream) to stay in Australia as a permanent resident.