Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)

Points are awarded on the basis of the factors listed in the following table. All factors are assessed as they are at the time you are invited to apply for this visa.

You can receive up to 30 points based on the age you were on the day you were invited to apply.

You must have been younger than 50 years of age when you were invited to apply for this visa.

You must be able to demonstrate that you have at least competent English language ability at the time you are invited to apply and when you lodge your application.

No points are awarded for competent English.

You can receive 10 points for proficient English or 20 points for superior English.

The results of one of the following English language tests, undertaken not more than 36 months prior to the time you were invited to apply for this visa, can be used to evidence your English language ability:

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
• Occupational English Test (OET)
• Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT)
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic

Cambridge Advanced English (CAE) test results will only be considered if the test was undertaken on or after 1 January 2015. A CAE test undertaken before 1 January 2015 cannot be accepted.

IELTS has an academic test and a general training test. You need only take the general training test unless your assessing authority tells you otherwise. You are only required to provide the test report form (TRF) number or the test registration number that is on your English language test certificate.

You can receive up to 20 points for skilled employment.

To claim points for skilled employment you must have, in the 10 years before you were invited to apply, at least 20 hours of paid work per week in your nominated skilled occupation and/or a closely related occupation.

Skilled employment is where:

• the relevant assessing authority provides an opinion in your suitable skills assessment that your employment is skilled (you must use the date that skilled employment commenced stated in your skills assessment)
• your employment experience meets the standards for skilled employment set by the relevant assessing authority on their website.

Assessing authorities that have publicly available standards on their website that we will refer to for assessing skilled employment are:

•  The Australian Computing Society (ACS):  Migration Skills Assessment – see ‘Summary of Criteria’

If the relevant assessing authority standards for assessing skilled employment does not have publicly available standards that we refer to, your employment experience must meet at least the minimum indicative skill level set by the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO). This may apply to occupations which require registration as evidence of a suitable skills assessment.

What is a Closely Related Occupation?

Any periods of employment in a closely related occupation must be undertaken at the equivalent skill level of your nominated occupation.  This means that any employment that you claim as ‘closely related’ to your nominated occupation should be:

• in the same ANZSCO Unit Group. For example, the occupations of Management Accountant and Taxation Accountant are in the same group, or
• consistent with a career advancement pathway. For example, Accountant to Chief Financial Officer, or
• where the relevant assessing authority has determined that the employment is closely related to the nominated occupation.

Working at least 20 hours a week 

‘Working for at least 20 hours a week’ means 20 hours paid work each week.  You may also meet this requirement where your employment provides for variable hours of work that extend beyond a week such as some shift workers and fly in fly out workers.

You can receive up to 20 points based on your educational qualifications at the time you were invited to apply.

Points can be awarded for your highest tertiary qualification.  For example, if you have completed a Bachelor degree and a Doctorate degree, you can receive points for the Doctorate degree.

The relevant assessing authority for your nominated occupation can usually determine whether your qualifications are of a standard that is comparable to a relevant Australian qualification.

If the relevant assessing authority that conducts your skills assessment cannot give you an opinion about your qualifications, contact Vocational Education Training and Assessment Services.

Doctorate Degree

To receive 20 points for a Doctorate you must have met the requirements for an award of doctorate by an Australian educational institution or the award of a Doctorate, by another educational institution, that is comparable to a Doctorate at Australian standards.

A Doctorate generally comprises more than 4 years of study, involving extensive research, coursework, exams and the writing of a thesis/dissertation.

Bachelor Degree

To receive 15 points for having at least a Bachelor degree, you must have met the requirements for an award of Bachelor degree by an Australian educational institution or your qualification must be considered as at least comparable to a Bachelor level at Australian standards.

Note: To receive 15 points for a Masters degree, you must also have a Bachelor degree completed in Australia or overseas, or the Masters degree must be considered as at least comparable to Bachelor degree level at Australian standards.

Australian Diploma or Trade qualifications

You can receive 10 points for an Australian Diploma or Australian trade qualification.

Any other qualification

You can receive 10 points for any other qualification or award which is recognised as suitable for your nominated occupation in your skills assessment by the relevant assessing authority.

You can receive five points if you have completed one or more degrees, diplomas or trade qualifications for award through a course or courses taken at an Australian educational institution.

Your course or courses must:

• be registered through the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Course for Overseas Students (CRICOS)
• have been completed in a total of at least 16 calendar months
• have been completed as a result of at least two academic years of study
• have given all instruction in English
• have been completed while you were physically in Australia
• have been completed while you held a visa authorising you to study in Australia.

A course can be counted only once towards the Australian study requirement. Any failed course subject cannot be counted.

As evidence that you completed the course or courses, you need to provide:

• a certified copy of a completion letter from your educational institution, including
  • the dates the course began and ended
  • the date the course requirements were met
  • the location of the campus where you studied
• certified copies of course transcripts.

Two academic years of study is defined as 92 weeks of study in a course or courses registered by CRICOS. CRICOS determines a standard duration (number of weeks) for each course.

This is a measure of the amount of study you have completed, rather than of how long it took you to do it. The study does not have to be full time.

You can take longer to complete course work, but you will be credited with the number of weeks that CRICOS determines as a standard duration. For example, if it takes you 92 weeks to complete a course that CRICOS says should take 78 weeks, you will receive credit for 78 weeks only.

If you are given credit for prior learning, you could be exempt from taking a relevant course. An exempted course cannot be counted towards the Australian study requirement. Credit cannot be counted on the basis of study done either overseas or within Australia in a non-CRICOS registered course.

The 92 weeks of study could contribute towards the award of one of more acceptable qualifications. In this instance, the courses of study need not have been done within a 24-month period. It is possible to have a break between completing the first course and beginning the second.

The points test awards five additional points for Doctorate or Masters by research-level qualifications gained from Australian universities in Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) or specified information and communication technology (ICT) fields in Australia.

Provide evidence that you have received a Post Graduate Degree by Research through a course or courses taken for at least two academic years at an Australian educational institution.

The following fields of education qualifications will be accepted under this new measure and are defined by CRICOS.

Field of Education:

• Biological Sciences
• Chemical Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Mathematical Sciences
• Natural and Physical Sciences
• Other Natural and Physical Sciences
• Physics and Astronomy
• Computer Science
• Information Systems
• Information Technology
• Other Information Technology
• Aerospace Engineering and Technology
• Civil Engineering
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Technology
• Engineering and Related Technologies
• Geomatic Engineering
• Manufacturing Engineering and Technology
• Maritime Engineering and Technology
• Mechanical and Industrial Engineering and Technology
• Other Engineering and Related Technologies
• Process and Resources Engineering.

To determine whether your qualification is eligible, see the CRICOS website.

If your qualification is at Doctorate or Masters by research-level and your field of education is listed in the above list, then you could be eligible for five additional points towards your points test.

Credentialed community language

You can receive five points for having a credentialed community language when you are invited to apply. The language must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.

To receive points, you must provide evidence that the authority has accredited you as a translator or interpreter at the paraprofessional level or above.

Study in regional Australia

You can receive five points if each of the following applied:

• you met the Australian Study requirement
• if you have lived and studied in regional Australia or a low population-growth metropolitan area
• none of the study undertaken constituted distance education.

Evidence that you have lived and studied in these areas can include:

• documents that prove where you lived, such as rental agreements and gas, power and phone bills
• documents that prove where you studied, such as your academic transcript or letters from educational institutions.

Partner skills

You can receive five points if, when you are invited to apply for this visa, your partner provides evidence that they:

• were under 50 years of age
• had at least competent English
• had nominated an occupation on the same skilled occupation list as your nominated occupation
• had been assessed by the relevant assessing authority as having suitable skills for the nominated occupation.

Professional year in Australia

You can receive five points for having completed a professional year in Australia in the four years before you were invited to apply.

Your professional year course must have been in your nominated skilled occupation or a closely related skilled occupation. The course must have lasted for at least 12 months.

Qualifying professional year courses are offered by:

• Australian Computer Society
• CPA Australia
• Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia
• Institute of Public Accountants (formerly the National Institute of Accountants)
• Engineers Australia.