When your aim is to gain permanent residence in Australia and your nominated occupation is on the current SOL, the Skilled Independent Visa is the first option you should look at, because this visa allows you to remain permanently in Australia to live, work and study and, if you wish, gain Australian citizenship.

Requirements for the Skilled Independent Visa

While the Skilled Independent Visa does not require you to have the sponsorship or support of either a state or regional body or a family member, it does require you to have a score of at least 60 points in the Points Test and that is usually the most difficult condition for people to meet.

The full requirements for the Skilled Independent Visa are that you must be under 50 years of age and have adequate English.You must prove this by providing the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score required for your nominated occupation. You will also need to have formal professional qualifications in your nominated occupation.Your nominated occupation is the occupation for which you have a Skills Assessment. Whether you are, or are not, a professional in your nominated occupation is determined by the assessing body designated by Australia The Skilled Occupations List published by DIAC shows which assessing body you need to approach for your particular occupation. to assess your skills and qualifications.

If you have firmly established

• that your nominated occupation is on the current SOL and
• that you are likely to score at least 60 points on the Points Test,

it is likely that you will meet all the requirements for the subclass 190 Skilled Independent Visa (see below), except perhaps for the requirement that -

1. you must provide a satisfactory IELTS score and
2. you have to have a skills assessment.

IELTS Test

For the former you have to actually sit for the IELTS Test - DIAC does not accept any other test of English at this time - and you should do so well before you start planning your visa application. The timing and the results of the IELTS test are entirely within your control.

Skills Assessment

The Skills Assessment, on the other hand, does create some uncertainty: it is usually the first stage of the visa aplication process and as such the outcome cannot be predicted. In the vast majority of cases, however, if you have scored 60 points on the Points Test and as long as your application follows the rules and the supporting documentation is perfect, it is unlikely that your skills assessment will be negative. In the unlikely event that this should happen, most Assessment Authorities allow an application to be submitted more than once.

Double-check your Eligibility

To be eligible for Permanent Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)

• you must gain at least 60 points in the Points Test
• you must be under 50 when you apply
• you must demonstrate that you have COMPETENT English (minimum score of 6.0 in each component of the IELTS)
• you must have a post-secondary qualification
• you must nominate a skilled occupation which fits your skills and qualifications
• your nominated occupation must be found on the current Skilled Occupations List
• before you apply, you must have your skills assessed by the Australian assessing authority designated to assess your nominated occupation
• you must provide evidence that you have been in paid employment for at 12 months in any occupation found on the Skilled Occupations List within the last 2 years
• you must be of reasonably good health and undergo a medical examination
• you must show that you are of good character (by providing (a) Police Clearance Certificate(s))
• You must sign an Australian Values Statement.This statement is included in your visa application form and all applicants aged 18 years and over will need to sign it to confirm that they will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws. Before signing this statement you are required to have read, or had explained to you, material made available by the government on life in Australia which is contained in the Life in Australia book.