Skilled Independent
Permanent · lives anywhere in Australia
No nomination needed. Invitation is based purely on your points score and occupation.
Australian Skilled Migration
Skilled Visas AustraliaYour Proven Pathway to PR Success
Subclasses 189 · 190 · 491
Points-tested visas for skilled workers who want to live and work in Australia — independently, with state nomination, or in regional Australia. No employer sponsor required.
✓ Permanent residency (189/190)
✓ Full work rights
✓ Medicare access
✓ Pathway to citizenship
Three pathways, one points system
The Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) and Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) all run through the Department of Home Affairs’ SkillSelect system: you lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) and wait to be invited to apply.
Skilled Nominated
Permanent · nominated by a state or territory
A state or territory nominates you and adds points to your score. You commit to living in that state.
Skilled Work Regional
Provisional 5 years · regional Australia
Nominated by a state/territory or sponsored by an eligible relative in a regional area. Leads to permanent residency through the Subclass 191 visa.
Which subclass fits your situation?
Advantages, trade-offs and the profile each visa suits best.
189 · Skilled Independent
Best for high-scoring applicants in strong national-demand occupations who want full freedom.
Advantages
- Permanent residency from day one
- Live and work anywhere in Australia
- No nomination, no obligations to a state
Trade-offs
- The most competitive pathway — invitation rounds favour the highest scores
- Narrower occupation list than 190/491
190 · Skilled Nominated
Best for solid scores in occupations a state or territory actively needs.
Advantages
- Permanent residency from day one
- Nomination adds points to your score
- Broader occupation options via state lists
Trade-offs
- Two-step process: state criteria plus the visa
- A commitment to live in the nominating state (usually two years)
491 · Skilled Work Regional
Best for applicants who need the biggest points boost — or whose occupation is only open regionally.
Advantages
- The largest points boost of the three
- Often the most realistic invitation chances
- Clear pathway to permanent residency (Subclass 191)
Trade-offs
- Provisional for five years — PR comes later via the 191
- Must live, work and study in a designated regional area
- Income and residence conditions apply before the 191
Have an employer willing to sponsor you instead? Compare the employer-sponsored visas (482 · 186 · 494).
The points table
How your score is built. Minimum to lodge an EOI is set by law — competitive scores are usually well above it.
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Age at invitation | |
| 18–24 years | 25 |
| 25–32 years | 30 |
| 33–39 years | 25 |
| 40–44 years | 15 |
| English language | |
| Competent English | 0 |
| Proficient English | 10 |
| Superior English | 20 |
| Skilled employment — outside Australia (last 10 years) | |
| 3–4 years | 5 |
| 5–7 years | 10 |
| 8+ years | 15 |
| Skilled employment — in Australia (last 10 years) | |
| 1–2 years | 5 |
| 3–4 years | 10 |
| 5–7 years | 15 |
| 8+ years | 20 |
| Qualifications | |
| Doctorate | 20 |
| Bachelor degree or higher | 15 |
| Diploma or trade qualification | 10 |
| Other factors | |
| Australian study requirement | 5 |
| Specialist education qualification (research Masters/PhD in STEM) | 10 |
| Study in regional Australia | 5 |
| Credentialled community language (NAATI) | 5 |
| Professional Year in Australia | 5 |
| Partner status | |
| Partner with skills assessment & competent English | 10 |
| Partner with competent English | 5 |
| Single — or partner is an Australian citizen/PR | 10 |
| Nomination | |
| State or territory nomination (Subclass 190) | 5 |
| State/territory nomination or family sponsorship (Subclass 491) | 15 |
Points factors are set by migration law and can change. Your realistic, evidence-backed score — which is what actually matters — is confirmed in your consultation.
Key eligibility requirements
The essentials the Department assesses before and after your invitation.
Occupation & skills
- Your occupation is on the relevant skilled occupation list
- A positive skills assessment from the authority for your occupation
Age & points
- Under 45 when the invitation is issued
- Meet the minimum points score — competitive scores change round to round
English language
- At least Competent English (IELTS, PTE or equivalent)
- Higher English scores earn additional points
Health & character
- Meet Australian health requirements
- Police clearances for you and included family members
How the process works
- Strategy & points reviewWe assess your occupation, points and the state options that fit your profile.
- Skills assessmentApplication to the assessing authority for your occupation.
- Expression of InterestYour EOI is lodged in SkillSelect — and state nomination is applied for where it strengthens your case.
- Invitation & applicationOnce invited, we prepare and lodge a complete, decision-ready visa application.
- GrantWe manage Department requests until the decision.
Which occupation list applies to you?
Australia runs several skilled occupation lists — and the list your ANZSCO occupation sits on decides which of the three subclasses are open to you.
| List | What it is | Opens the door to |
|---|---|---|
| MLTSSL Medium & Long-term Strategic Skills List | Occupations in sustained long-term demand — most engineering, IT, health and trade occupations sit here | 189 · 190 · 491 |
| STSOL Short-term Skilled Occupation List | Occupations needed for shorter-term shortages, accessed through state or territory nomination | 190 · 491 |
| ROL Regional Occupation List | Occupations needed specifically in regional Australia | 491 |
Every occupation is identified by its ANZSCO code and tied to a designated assessing authority — Engineers Australia, ACS, VETASSESS, AHPRA, TRA and others — and your skills assessment must come from that authority. Don't confuse these lists with the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL): the CSOL applies to the employer-sponsored pathways, not the points-tested visas on this page. If your occupation only appears on the CSOL, compare the employer-sponsored visas instead. Not sure where your occupation sits? That's the first thing we check in a free assessment.
State nomination — why the state you choose matters
For the 190 and 491, the Commonwealth sets the visa rules — but each state and territory runs its own nomination program, with its own occupation list, criteria and streams. Two applicants with identical points can have completely different options depending on the state.
Separate state lists
- Each state publishes its own occupation list — an occupation closed in one state is often open in another
- State lists open, close and change during the program year as allocations fill
State-specific criteria
- Common requirements include living or working in the state, a job offer in your occupation, or committed funds
- Many states run separate streams for onshore residents, offshore applicants and recent graduates
The regional advantage
- For the 491, "regional" covers everywhere outside Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane — including the whole of South Australia and Adelaide itself
- The 491 adds 15 points to your score, versus 5 points for a 190 nomination
Strategy, not luck
- Choosing where to lodge is a strategic decision — we track every state's criteria as they change through the year
- With offices in Melbourne and Adelaide, we work daily with both Victorian and South Australian nomination programs
| State / Territory | Nomination fee | What the program is known for |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Fee charged — set per program year | Australia's largest allocation; highly competitive, favours high points scores and in-state connection |
| Victoria | No fee (2025–26 program) | Second-largest allocation; Registration of Interest (ROI) system; strong on health, education, ICT and new energy |
| Queensland | Fee charged — set per program year | Accessible for trades and construction; strict 14-day window to lodge after invitation |
| South Australia | Fee charged — set per program year | Among the most accessible programs; the whole state — including Adelaide — counts as regional for the 491 |
| Western Australia | Confirmed per program year | Demand driven by mining, resources, construction and health |
| Tasmania | Confirmed per program year | Small-state advantage with graduate and skilled-employment pathways; 2025–26 places fully allocated as at July 2026 |
| ACT | Confirmed per program year | Unique Matrix ranking system rewarding Canberra residence and employment |
| Northern Territory | Confirmed per program year | Currently focused on established onshore NT residents; limited pathway for offshore applicants |
State nomination fees and criteria are set by each state government for each program year (1 July – 30 June) and change as allocations fill — several 2026–27 programs had not yet published their settings when this page was updated in July 2026. We confirm the current fee, occupation list and criteria for your target state in your consultation.
Our professional fees
Fixed fees, payable in two instalments. Consultation fees are credited towards our agreement if you engage us.
| Service | AUD (incl. GST) |
|---|---|
| Initial consultation & assessment — online | $190 |
| Face-to-face consultation — Melbourne or Adelaide | $290 |
| Skills assessment — all authorities | $1,350 |
| SkillSelect EOI — new client | $750 |
| SkillSelect EOI — existing client | $375 |
| State & Territory nomination (190/491) | $1,350 |
| Visa application — Subclass 189 / 190 | $3,900 |
| Visa application — Subclass 491 | $3,300 |
| Subclass 191 (PR after 491) — existing / new client | $2,250 / $3,300 |
Professional fees only. Government Visa Application Charges, skills-assessment authority fees, English tests, health checks and police clearances are additional and change from time to time — current government charges are confirmed in your consultation and on the Department of Home Affairs website.
Government costs & processing times
Visa Application Charges are paid to the Department of Home Affairs and are separate from our professional fees.
Visa Application Charges (VAC) — from 1 July 2026
| Applicant type | Subclass 189 | Subclass 190 · 491 |
|---|---|---|
| Primary applicant | AUD $6,135 | AUD $6,140 |
| Dependent (18+ years) | AUD $3,070 | AUD $3,070 |
| Dependent (under 18) | AUD $1,540 | AUD $1,535 |
| SkillSelect EOI lodgement | No government charge | |
| State or territory nomination application fee (190 / 491) | Varies by state — some states charge a lodgement fee, others are free; confirmed for your state in consultation | |
Current processing times (estimated) — as at July 2026
Subclass 189 — Points-tested
50% processed in6 months
90% processed in8 months
Subclass 190 — State nominated
50% processed in13 months
90% processed in17 months
Subclass 491 — State/Territory nominated
50% processed in15 months
90% processed in23 months
Subclass 491 — Family sponsored
50% processed in3 months
90% processed in6 months
Government charges change every 1 July and processing times change monthly — figures above are based on the Department's published rates and processing times as at July 2026, and are confirmed at your consultation against the Department of Home Affairs. You can calculate the exact charge for your own family composition with the official Visa Pricing Estimator. Additional costs apply for skills assessment, English tests, health checks and police clearances. See our full fee schedule.
Subclass 191 — the PR pathway after your 491
The 491 is provisional, but it is not a dead end — it is a structured, legislated route to permanent residency through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa, Subclass 191. Understanding the 191 requirements from day one shapes how you should live and work on your 491.
Hold your 491 for 3 years
- You must have held the 491 for at least three years before lodging the 191
- Secondary applicants on the 491 can apply for the 191 in their own right
Live & work regionally
- You and your family must have lived, worked and studied only in designated regional areas
- Compliance with every 491 condition — including condition 8579 — is assessed
Show your income record
- There is no minimum income threshold for the 191
- You must provide ATO Notices of Assessment for three income years while holding your 491
Full permanent residency
- Once granted, you can live and work anywhere in Australia — the regional condition ends
- The 191 counts towards Australian citizenship and gives full Medicare access
The decisions you make in year one of your 491 — where you live, how you are employed, how your tax is lodged — determine whether year three goes smoothly. We plan the 191 transition with our 491 clients from the start, and our fee for existing clients reflects that ($2,250 — see the fee table above).
Frequently asked questions
Is Adelaide really classified as regional for the 491?
Yes. For skilled migration purposes, designated regional Australia covers everywhere outside Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane — so the whole of South Australia, including Adelaide, qualifies. You can live in a state capital, earn the 15-point regional boost, and still be on the pathway to permanent residency through the Subclass 191.
What happens after three years on the 491?
Once you have held the 491 for three years, complied with its conditions and can provide three ATO Notices of Assessment, you can apply for the Subclass 191 — a full permanent residency visa with no minimum income threshold and no further nomination required. After the grant, the regional condition ends and you can live anywhere in Australia.
What is the difference between the 189, 190 and 491?
The 189 is fully independent and permanent. The 190 is permanent but requires nomination by a state or territory, which adds points and a commitment to live in that state. The 491 is a five-year provisional visa for regional Australia with the strongest points boost, leading to permanent residency through the Subclass 191.
Do I need a job offer?
No. None of these visas require an employer or a job offer — they are assessed on your occupation, points and nomination. If you do have an employer willing to sponsor you, the employer-sponsored visas may be worth comparing.
How many points do I need?
There is a legal minimum score to lodge an Expression of Interest, but invitations are competitive — the score that actually receives an invitation changes with each round and varies by occupation and state. We assess your realistic score and the fastest pathway in the consultation.
Can my family be included?
Yes — your partner and dependent children can be included in the application, and a skilled partner can add points to your score. All included family members must meet health and character requirements.
What if my occupation is not on the list?
Occupation lists differ between the 189, 190 and 491, and each state runs its own criteria that change during the year. If one door is closed, another is often open — this is exactly what we map out in a consultation.
Not sure which skilled pathway fits you?
Tell us your occupation, age and experience — we will tell you honestly which pathway is realistic, and how to strengthen your score.
The information on this page is general in nature and does not take your personal circumstances into account. It is not migration advice. Sam Lotfollahi · Registered Migration Agent · MARN 0901704 — verify on the OMARA register.