189 Skilled Independent.
No sponsor. Just points.
The 189 is Australia's most competitive skilled migration visa. No employer needed, no state sponsor - just your skills, your English, and your points score. Visafold tracks every document and deadline from EOI to grant.
Confirmed changes for 2026–27
132,240 skilled places. onshore priority
The 2026–27 budget kept the migration cap at 185,000 with 132,240 skilled places. Critically, 129,590 are reserved for migrants already in Australia. strong signal for 189 holders already onshore.
Points test will be refined
The government has flagged the points test will be 'optimised' to target younger, higher-educated applicants. Specific changes not announced yet. watch for updates before your next EOI.
Sources: 2026–27 Federal Budget papers. Not migration advice.
Processing time
7–14 months
50% to 90% range, March 2026
Minimum points
65 pts
Plus invitation points cutoff
Documents
12 items
Across 5 categories
Visa type
Permanent
Granted direct to PR
The process
From skills assessment to PR grant
Skills assessment
Get a positive assessment from your relevant authority (VETASSESS, Engineers Australia, ACS, etc). Takes 3–6 months.
English test
IELTS, PTE, TOEFL, or Cambridge. Higher scores give more points - aim for Superior English (20 pts vs 10 pts).
Submit EOI in SkillSelect
Lodge an Expression of Interest. Invitations are issued in rounds based on points score and occupation demand.
Invitation and application
Once invited, you have 60 days to lodge your full application. This is when documents need to be complete.
Points calculator
Are you maximising your 189 points?
Most recent 189 invitations have required 85–90 points. Visafold includes a built-in points calculator that shows your score and where you can improve.
Track your 189 application in Visafold
EOI to grant - checklist, processing tracker, points calculator, milestone timeline.
Create free account →No credit card. Not migration advice.