AUSTRALIA SC 189 SKILLED INDEPENDENT RESIDENT VISA

Skilled Independent Resident (SC 189) Visa Requirements

To qualify for SC 189 visa, you need to:

• be aged between 18 and 44 years;
• nominate an occupation on relevant skilled occupation list;
• have positive skills assessment for your nominated occupation;
• score at least 65 points on points table;
• submit Expression of Interest (EOI) under SkillSelect;
• be Invited To Apply (ITA) for visa upon selection of your EOI;
• submit your SC 189 visa application within 60 days from receiving ITA;
• meet health, character and English language requirements;

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Expression of Interest (EOI)

All EOIs submitted through SkillSelect are pooled and:

• remain in the pool earlier of selection or 2 years from submission;
• highest scoring EOIs are selected from the pool periodically;
• selection points vary at each selection for each occupation;
• EOI will be withdrawn at the end of 2 years, if not selected;
• applicants can submit a new EOI, if their EOI is withdrawn.

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Invitation To Apply (ITA)

You can apply for Resident Visa only after your EOI is selected and you receive Invitation To Apply (ITA). Scoring 65 points is just the minimum points required to submit the EOI and does not gaurantee selection and ITA. Selection points vary as they are determined for each occupation before each selection draw and are much higher for most occupations. Also, currently there is no scheduled selection draw and selections take place as and when the Department decides, based on the overall requirements.

To find out the occupation-wise selection points in the lastest SC 189 and SC 491 (Family Sponsored) SkillSelect invitation round, check the Latest SkillSelect Invitation Round Result.

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SC 189 Visa Estimated Processing Time

As mentioned, there is no time-frame for selection of EOI, as selection depends on various factors. However after the EOI is selected and residence visa application is submitted, the current estimated processing times are as under:

• 50% applications are processed within 59 days of submission of complete application;
• 90% applications are processed within 4 months of submission of complete application.

Actual processing times may be different as it depends upon:

• the workload at the processing office;
• processing priorities set by the government;
• submission of incomplete application;
• time taken by the applicant to submit additional documents requested, if any;
• time taken by third party for verification of documents, required if any;
• health and/or character issues, if any.

Generally fully complete applications submitted with all documents including medicals and police certificate(s) are processed quickly.

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Visa Application Charges (VAC) and Other Costs

There is no fee to submit EOI for Skilled Independent Visa. Visa Application Charge for resident visa application, is as under:

• Main Applicant - A$ 4,765;
• Each additional applicant aged 18 years and above - A$2,385;
• Each additional applicant aged under 18 years - A$1,195.

VAC is payable at the time of submission of the skilled independent visa application and the Department charges surcharge for credit card payments. Besides VAC, applicants need to factor in the following additional costs, as applicable:

• Skils Assessment fees - Each skills assessing authority has differen fees;
• Qualifications Assessment charges, if required;
• Costs of passport Photo, Medical Examination and Police Certificate;
• Flight Tickets;
• Migration Agent Fees if you engage services of a registered Migration Agent.

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