The independent skilled visa, Skilled Independent (subclass 189), has been the most sought-after skilled visa for people migrating to Australia for many years. It provides permanent residence and full work rights in Australia without any ongoing conditions.
Applicants with an occupation or qualification that is in demand in Australia can apply for this visa by submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI). Whether an applicant receives an invitation, however, depends on their result in the Skilled Migration points test. In this points test, applicants are awarded points across categories such as age, English language ability, level of qualification, and work experience. The higher the points score, the better the chances of receiving an invitation to lodge a visa application, as the points test is used to rank and prioritise applications.
Under Australian migration law, a minimum score of 60 points is currently required. However, since July 2017, it has been observed that the actual points score needed to receive an invitation has increased. According to figures published monthly on the Department of Home Affairs website, the points score required for an invitation has been above 60 points since July 2017.
This means that access to the highly sought-after Skilled Independent visa is currently more difficult, and applicants should take this into account when planning their migration. In some cases, it may be worth considering a different visa subclass. In particular, a state-nominated skilled visa can be a strong alternative. This is because nomination by an Australian state or territory provides additional points, which can be decisive for receiving an invitation to lodge the visa application. In addition, individual states and territories maintain their own occupation lists, which often include additional occupations that do not appear on the national list. However, a Skilled Nominated visa is generally tied to the requirement to live in the nominating state or territory for at least two years. Other conditions may also apply, such as demonstrating sufficient financial means.
Even if the Skilled Independent visa is currently harder to obtain than usual, there are other ways for skilled applicants to gain additional points under the Skilled Migration points test. For this reason, it is well worth considering state or territory nomination.
