General Skilled Migration
Skilled Independent (189)
Permanent residence on the strength of your own points score. No state, territory or employer nomination, and no conditions on where you live or work.
Requirements
What the 189 asks of you.
Every requirement is assessed before we lodge anything. This page covers the points-tested stream; a separate Hong Kong stream serves HK and BNO passport holders.
A skilled occupation and assessment
Your occupation must appear on the medium to long-term skilled list (the narrowest of the program), with a positive skills assessment from its assessing authority.
A competitive points claim
Age, English, skilled employment, qualifications and other factors build your score. The pass mark is 65; invitations are ranked, so real-world marks run higher.
An invitation to apply
Entry is through a SkillSelect Expression of Interest. You can only lodge once the Department invites you, and you must be under 45 at that moment.
Health, character and English
At least competent English at invitation, plus the standard health examinations and police certificates for you and any family included.
The pathway
How we run your 189.
Eligibility assessment
Your occupation, points and prospects, assessed honestly before anything is lodged.
Skills assessment
We prepare and lodge your application with the assessing authority for your occupation.
Expression of Interest
Your EOI goes into SkillSelect with every point claim evidenced and defensible.
Visa application
Once invited, we lodge decision-ready: identity, health, character and every claim documented.
General information only, not immigration advice. Your circumstances matter. Visa requirements, fees and processing times change regularly. Facts on this page last reviewed 15 July 2026. Check current details with the Department of Home Affairs , or speak with us for advice on your situation. Website terms.
Begin with a conversation.
Speak with a MARA-registered migration agent in Melbourne about your pathway. Book a time that suits you.