Skilled independent visa
This visa is for invited workers, eligible New Zealand citizens and eligible Hong Kong or British National (Overseas) passport holders with skills we need, to live and work permanently anywhere in Australia.
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At a glance
- Base application charge
- A$6,135
- Checked with the Department on 22 October 2026
- Primary applicant only. The Department publishes five further charges per row.
- 90% decided within
- 5.1 years
- Slowest of 2 streams - see below
- Age limit
- Under 45
- English
- Competent English (IELTS 6.0 each band, or equivalent PTE/TOEFL/CAE/OET)
Processing times
How long the Department took to decide recently finalised applications. Each figure is a percentile, not an average or a promise.
| Stream | 50% decided within | 90% decided within |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 4.5 years | 5.1 years |
| Points-Tested | 61 days | 8 months |
Captured from the Department of Home Affairs on 16 October 2026. The Department does not state a reporting period for this source. Check the Department's tool for the figure as it stands today.
Streams
Each stream has its own eligibility, duration and charge. Read them alongside the Department's page before lodging.
| Stream | Duration | Base fee | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|
Points Tested This visa lets invited workers with skills we need, to live and work permanently anywhere in Australia. | Varies | A$6,135 Primary applicant | MLTSSL Competent English (IELTS 6.0 each band, or equivalent) |
New Zealand This visa lets eligible New Zealand citizens who have demonstrated commitment and contribution to Australia, live and work in Australia permanently. | Varies | Not published No published charge DHA lists this stream (card 189-62, 'New Zealand stream') and publishes its cost as N/A. GetPriceList prices only the points tested and Hong Kong streams of subclass 189. | Not required (NZ passport holders exempt) |
Hong Kong stream This visa lets eligible Hong Kong or British National (Overseas) passport holders who have demonstrated commitment to Australia, live and work in Australia permanently. | Varies | A$6,135 Primary applicant |
As published by the Department of Home Affairs on 22 October 2026
Data verified from immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. Charges and processing times are published by the Department of Home Affairs and change from time to time. Each figure on this page carries its own capture date - the page has no single “as at”, because the charge and the processing times are captured separately.
Running subclass 189 applications for clients?
ImmiIQ keeps each case on one client record, with its documents, the Department's forms and a portal the client signs in to.
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