Dream Australia

General Skilled Migration Visa Subclasses

Skilled Independent (Subclass 189)

This visa is a permanent visa for people with skills in demand in the Australian labour market. Applicants are not required to be sponsored by a relative or a State/Territory Government.

Skilled Sponsored (Subclass 190) 

This a permanent visa which requires nomination by a State or Territory Government. For more information about the South Australian State Nomination process with video podcast: here

Skilled Regional Sponsored (Subclass 489)

The Skilled Regional (Provisional) Subclass 489 visa is a 4-year provisional visa which requires holders to live and work in a regional area to obtain permanent residence. To qualify, you would need be sponsored by either a relative living in a designated area or a State or Territory Government.

Visa Criteria

In order to qualify for a Subclass 489 visa, you would need to:

• Lodge an EOI and be invited by DIAC to apply
• Be sponsored by a relative living in a Designated Area or nominated by a State or Territory Government.
• Meet the pass mark in the skilled migration points test - currently 60
• Be aged between 18 and 49 inclusive
• Pass Skills Assessment in an occupation on the relevant Skilled Occupations List
• Have Competent English or higher (6 minimum in IELTS or holder of approved passports)
• Meet health and character requirements

Skilled Regional (Residence) (Subclass 887)

The visa is for people who have an eligible visa and have lived for at least two years and worked for at least one year in a specified regional area. You must be in Australia when you apply for this visa and when the visa is granted.

Requirements: You might be able to get this visa if:

Skilled Graduate (Subclass 485)

 The visa lets you live, study and work in Australia temporarily after you have finished your studies.

 This visa has two streams:

• Graduate Work stream – for international students with an eligible qualification who graduate with skills and qualifications that relate to an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL). A visa in this stream is granted for 18 months from the date of grant.
• Post-Study Work stream – for international students who graduate with a higher education degree from an Australian education provider, regardless of their field of study. This stream is only available to students who applied for, and were granted, their first student visa to Australia on or after 5 November 2011. A visa in this stream can be granted for up to four years from the date the visa is granted, depending on the visa applicant's qualification.

Skilled Recognised Graduate (Subclass 476)

This is an 18 month temporary visa for graduates of recognised overseas educational institutions who have skills in demand in Australia. This visa allows recent graduates of selected overseas universities to gain up to 18 months of skilled work experience in occupations in demand in Australia.