The 189 visa is the one skilled visa that lets you live and work anywhere in Australia permanently, with no employer and no state nominating you. That freedom is exactly why it’s so competitive — and why the single most common misunderstanding about it matters so much: you cannot apply for a 189 visa. You submit an Expression of Interest and then wait to be invited. This guide explains the mechanic properly, breaks down the points test category by category, and shows you what actually gets people invited. Last verified 14 October 2026.
Key facts at a glance
| Visa cost | From AUD 6,135.00 (main applicant) |
|---|---|
| Stay | Permanently |
| Age limit | Under 45 when you are invited |
| Points | Minimum 65 points to be invited |
| Sponsor | None — no employer or state nomination |
| Processing | Priority set by Ministerial Direction No. 122 |
| Last verified | 14 October 2026 |
The mechanic everyone gets wrong: you can’t apply
There is no application form you can simply fill in for a 189. The process starts with an Expression of Interest (EOI), which you submit through SkillSelect. That EOI is not an application — it is a declaration of your claims: your age, occupation, English score, work experience, qualifications and so on. SkillSelect ranks you against everyone else with the same occupation, and the Department then issues invitations to apply in rounds.
Only after you receive an invitation do you lodge an actual visa application, and at that point you must produce evidence for every claim you made. Claiming points you can’t prove doesn’t just fail — it can sink the whole application. So the honest way to think about the 189 is as a competition you enter, not a form you submit. If you’re weighing up your options, the sponsored 482 Skills in Demand visa and the temporary 485 graduate visa follow a different logic entirely.
What the points test actually rewards
Your score comes from a fixed table. Here is how it breaks down, category by category.
| Age | 18–24: 25 points · 25–32: 30 points · 33–39: 25 points · 40–44: 15 points |
|---|---|
| English | Competent: 0 · Proficient: 10 · Superior: 20 |
| Skilled employment — overseas | Less than 3 years: 0 · 3 to under 5: 5 · 5 to under 8: 10 · 8 or more: 15 |
| Skilled employment — in Australia | Less than 1 year: 0 · 1 to under 3: 5 · 3 to under 5: 10 · 5 to under 8: 15 · 8 or more: 20 |
| Qualifications | Doctorate: 20 · Bachelor degree or higher: 15 · Australian diploma or trade qualification: 10 · Qualification recognised by your assessing authority: 10 |
| Specialist education qualification | 10 (a research masters or doctorate from an Australian institution, with at least 2 years’ study in a STEM or specified ICT field) |
| Australian study requirement | 5 |
| Study in regional Australia | 5 |
| Professional Year in Australia | 5 (Accounting, ICT or Engineering) |
| Credentialled community language | 5 (NAATI-accredited) |
| Partner skills | 10 if your partner is under 45, has competent English, a suitable skills assessment and a matching occupation · 5 if your partner has competent English only · 10 if you are single or your partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident |
Two rules catch people out. Employment points are capped at 20 in total, so a long career can’t be double-counted across the two employment rows. And employment only counts if it was in your nominated occupation or a closely related one, within the 10 years before you were invited. For Australian employment, you must have held a substantive visa (or a Bridging A or B) and complied with its conditions.
The age curve is worth pausing on. The sweet spot is 25 to 32, which scores the maximum 30. From 33 the score drops, and from 40 it falls to 15. This is why the 189 is often described as a visa you’re best placed to chase in your late twenties and early thirties.
The pass mark is 65 — but that’s a floor, not a target
The Department’s stated minimum is 65 points. If you don’t reach 65, you will not be invited. But here’s the part people miss: the pass mark is the entry threshold, not the score you need in practice. SkillSelect issues invitations to the highest-ranked candidates in each occupation, and if your occupation is oversubscribed, the effective cut-off can sit well above 65. When you are invited, your invitation will state the score you must reach, and it may be higher than 65 depending on your claims. Use the official points calculator to get an indicative score before you build a plan around it.
Skills assessment: get it before you’re invited
A suitable skills assessment for your nominated occupation is mandatory, and it must be issued by the correct assessing authority — the one listed against your occupation on the official skilled occupation list. Which authority that is depends entirely on your occupation; there is no single body for everything.
The timing rule is strict but has one important nuance. You must declare a suitable skills assessment at the time of invitation. Normally that means having it in hand before you’re invited, and it must have been obtained within the three years before your invitation. However, following a court decision, the Department now also accepts an assessment obtained within the 60-day invitation period after you are invited. Don’t rely on that as a strategy — arrange your assessment early, because the assessment bodies have their own processing times and charges.
One more trap: a skills assessment issued for a 485 graduate visa is not a suitable assessment for a points-tested visa. If you’re coming off a 485, you may need a fresh, full assessment.
The under-45 rule
You must be under 45 when you are invited. The clock is fixed to the invitation date, not the application date. If you turn 45 after you submit your EOI but before an invitation is issued, you will not be invited. If you turn 45 after the invitation, you can still apply. This means a long wait in the EOI pool carries real risk for anyone near the boundary — a factor to weigh when you decide which visa to pursue.
How invitations actually work
Invitations are issued in rounds through SkillSelect. Within each round, candidates are ranked — broadly by points, with a tie-break — and invitations are issued down the ranking until the available places for that occupation are used up. The Department sets an occupation ceiling for each occupation in each program year, which caps how many invitations can go out for that occupation. Once the ceiling is reached, no more invitations are issued for it that year, no matter how strong your score.
The practical upshot: your chances depend heavily on which occupation you nominate. A high score in a crowded occupation can miss out while a lower score in an occupation with spare places gets invited. This is why choosing your nominated occupation — and the assessing authority that goes with it — is a strategic decision, not a formality.
Step-by-step: how to apply
- Check your occupation is on the relevant skilled occupation list for the 189. The list is defined by legislative instrument, so use the official version.
- Arrange your skills assessment with the assessing authority listed for your occupation, and get a suitable (not 485-only) outcome.
- Sit your English test if you need points for it. At minimum you need competent English at the time of invitation — IELTS 6.0 in each component, or an equivalent such as PTE Academic 47/48/51/54 for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025. Proficient and Superior English earn 10 and 20 points respectively.
- Submit your Expression of Interest in SkillSelect and note your indicative points score. You need at least 65.
- Wait to be invited. Invitations are issued in rounds, ranked by points, subject to occupation ceilings.
- When invited, lodge your visa application within the invitation period and provide evidence for every claim in your EOI.
- Wait for a decision. Applications are prioritised under Ministerial Direction No. 122 — not by lodgement date.
How processing priority works
As with the 482, the Department doesn’t process 189 applications in the order they were received. It works through them under Ministerial Direction No. 122. As at 14 October 2026, it is processing applications lodged in or before:
- June 2026 — Construction, Healthcare, Teaching, Agriculture, Aquaculture, Fishing and Resources, or where Australia’s law enforcement and defence interests are involved.
- June 2026 — where the primary applicant was in Australia at the time of lodgement.
- November 2025 — where the primary applicant was outside Australia.
- November 2025 — all other applications from applicants outside Australia.
Notice the pattern: priority sectors and onshore applicants move fastest, and offshore applications trail. The Department notes these allocation dates “may fluctuate” as it settles into the new priorities. For the bigger picture across visas, see our guide to Australian visa processing times.
Common mistakes
- Thinking you can apply directly. You can’t — you submit an EOI and wait for an invitation.
- Treating 65 points as the goal. It’s the floor. In crowded occupations the real cut-off is higher.
- Leaving the skills assessment too late. Have it in hand, from the correct authority, before you’re invited where possible.
- Using a 485 skills assessment. It is not valid for a points-tested visa.
- Over-claiming points in your EOI. You must evidence every claim when you apply, or risk refusal.
- Ignoring the age clock. You must be under 45 at the invitation date, not the application date.
- Picking a crowded occupation by accident. Occupation ceilings mean some occupations stop issuing invitations early.
FAQ
Can I apply for a 189 visa without a sponsor?
Yes — that’s the point of the visa. You don’t need an employer or a state nomination. But you do need an invitation, which you can only get after submitting an Expression of Interest.
What is the pass mark for the 189?
65 points is the minimum to be invited. Your invitation may require a higher score, depending on your claims and how competitive your occupation is.
Do I need a skills assessment?
Yes. It must be issued by the assessing authority listed for your nominated occupation, and it must be a suitable assessment for a points-tested visa — not a 485 assessment.
What age do I have to be?
Under 45 when you are invited. Turning 45 after you submit your EOI but before an invitation means you won’t be invited.
How long does a 189 take?
The Department doesn’t publish a fixed figure. Applications are prioritised under Ministerial Direction No. 122, so timing depends on your occupation, whether you’re onshore or offshore, and the current priority sectors.
What is SkillSelect?
It’s the Department’s system for submitting Expressions of Interest and receiving invitations. Your EOI is ranked against other candidates, and invitations are issued in rounds subject to occupation ceilings.
Visa fees are indexed on 1 July each year. The figures here were verified on 14 October 2026 — always confirm the current amount with the Visa Pricing Estimator before you lodge.
Official sources
- Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) — Department of Home Affairs
- 189 Points-tested stream (eligibility and step by step) — Department of Home Affairs
- Points table for the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) — Department of Home Affairs
- Points calculator — Department of Home Affairs
- Skills assessment — Department of Home Affairs
- Competent English — Department of Home Affairs
- SkillSelect — Department of Home Affairs
AU0061 publishes general information, not personal migration advice. Visa rules and fees change, and eligibility depends on your individual circumstances. Always confirm the current requirements with the Department of Home Affairs or a MARA-registered migration agent before you act on anything in this guide.