Where do you stand against the 65-point threshold?
For skilled professionals seeking permanent residence in Australia without sponsorship. SC189 Skilled Independent is a points-tested visa with no state, employer, or family requirement — your eligibility is determined by your own profile. Calculate your indicative points below, then decide your next move with us.
Age
Your age at the time of invitation to apply
English Language Level
Based on IELTS or accepted equivalent test results
Overseas Skilled Work Experience
In your nominated occupation, outside Australia
Australian Skilled Work Experience
In your nominated occupation, in Australia
Educational Qualifications
Your highest recognised qualification
Australian Study Requirement
Completed an Australian qualification meeting the 2-year study requirement
Designated Regional Area Study
Studied and lived in a designated regional area while completing your Australian qualification
Professional Year Programme
Completed an approved Professional Year in Australia
Accredited Community Language
NAATI accredited as a translator/interpreter
Partner Skills
Your partner's contribution to your skilled migration application
Specialist STEM Qualification
Master's by Research or PhD in a Specialist STEM field from an Australian institution
Want a personalised assessment of your strongest pathway?
Your indicative score tells you where you stand. A consultation tells you where you can get to — including which points are realistically achievable for your profile, and whether SC189, state nomination, or another pathway is your strongest option.
Book a ConsultationWho this is for
- Skilled professionals with a positive skills assessment in a CSOL (Core Skills Occupation List) occupation
- Candidates who have (or can achieve) 65+ points on the SkillSelect points test
- Applicants who don't have or don't need state nomination or employer sponsorship
- Offshore or onshore candidates seeking direct permanent residence without regional residence requirements
Understanding your skilled migration options
There isn’t one ‘best’ skilled visa for everyone. SC189 is the most flexible — but most points-competitive nationally. SC491 is often more accessible at lower points totals but requires regional commitment. SC190 sits in between, with points thresholds that vary significantly by state. The right choice depends on your specific profile.
SC189 Skilled Independent (this page)
- Direct permanent residence
- No state nomination required
- No employer sponsorship required
- No regional residence requirement
- 65+ points minimum (highly competitive — successful applicants typically score higher)
SC190 / SC491 (Check our State Nomination page)
- SC190: state-nominated permanent residence (additional 5 points)
- SC491: state-nominated provisional regional visa with permanent residency pathway (additional 15 points)
- Both require state government nomination and may have employment or regional residence requirements
- Effective points thresholds vary significantly by state and occupation
- Different state programs have different priorities — covered on our State Nomination page
How we prepare your skilled visa application
Whether you’re applying for SC189, SC190, or SC491, the same fundamentals matter — skills assessment, points strategy, EOI preparation, and decision-ready lodgement. The state nomination layer for SC190 and SC491 adds steps; it doesn’t change the foundation.
01
Skills assessment and ANZSCO alignment
We start by confirming your nominated occupation matches the first 3 digits of your ANZSCO code, and that your duties align with the assessing authority’s definition. Many SC189 refusals begin with skills assessment issues that could have been caught earlier.
02
Points optimisation strategy
The calculator gives you a starting score. We work out where additional points are realistically achievable — English upgrades, partner skills inclusion, regional study credit, professional year completion — and what’s worth the time investment.
03
Expression of Interest preparation
We prepare your EOI for SkillSelect lodgement, ensuring every claim is supported by evidence ready at the time of invitation. For SC190 and SC491 candidates, we also prepare your Registration of Interest with the relevant state government. Invitations don’t wait for evidence — your file must be complete before EOI submission.
04
Post-invitation lodgement
After invitation, you have 60 days to lodge your visa application with the Department of Home Affairs. For SC190 and SC491 candidates, the state nomination is issued first and triggers the DOHA invitation. We have your application decision-ready and waiting from the moment your invitation arrives — not scrambling once the clock starts.
Timeline & cost
SC189 processing depends on multiple factors: the strength of your points score (higher scores receive invitations faster), the occupation’s current invitation pattern, and Departmental processing capacity. Some applicants receive invitations within 1-2 months of EOI lodgement; others wait significantly longer based on occupation competitiveness.
After invitation, you have 60 days to lodge your visa application. Application processing typically takes several months from lodgement to decision, varying by occupation and individual circumstances.
The total cost spans your skills assessment fee (varies by assessing authority), the Department of Home Affairs visa application charge, and any additional dependent fees. English tests, health checks, and police clearances add separate costs. We’ll walk you through the full current cost during your consultation.
What’s worth understanding strategically: 65 points is the minimum. The number of points needed to actually receive an invitation in most occupations is significantly higher. Your real chance of selection depends on where your score sits relative to other candidates in your occupation pool.
Why decision-ready matters
Skilled visa applications have two stages — the Expression of Interest in SkillSelect, and the visa application after invitation. Mistakes at the first stage cost time; mistakes at the second stage cost money and visa eligibility. The risk is the same whether you’re applying for SC189, SC190, or SC491.
The most common avoidable issues we see:
- Skills assessments that expire before visa lodgement (positive assessments are valid for 3 years from issue)
- Claimed points that can't be evidenced once the invitation arrives (the 60-day window is unforgiving)
- ANZSCO duty mismatches that surface during visa assessment but weren't caught at skills assessment stage
- English test results older than 3 years at the time of visa lodgement
- Partner skills points claimed without the partner having an in-time positive skills assessment
A skilled visa invitation is rare. Wasting one because the application wasn’t ready when the clock started is a mistake the system doesn’t forgive.
Take the next step
Get a personalised assessment
The calculator gives you an indicative score. A consultation gives you a strategy — including where additional points are realistically achievable for your profile, and whether SC189, SC190, SC491 or another pathway is your strongest option.
Compare your options
SC189 isn’t the right pathway for everyone. If your score is below the competitive threshold, or if state nomination would suit your profile better, our State Nomination page covers SC190 and SC491 pathways including the Queensland program.
Frequently asked questions
SC189 is a direct permanent residence visa requiring no state nomination — your eligibility is determined entirely by your skills assessment and points test result. SC190 also grants permanent residence but requires state government nomination, which adds 5 points to your total and may require employment or residence in the nominating state. SC189 is more flexible but more points-competitive; SC190 is more accessible at lower point totals but requires state commitment.
65 is the minimum threshold to be eligible to lodge an EOI. The points needed to actually receive an invitation are typically much higher — often 85+ depending on the occupation. The Department issues invitations to the highest-scoring candidates in each occupation, so your real chance depends on where your score sits relative to others in your occupation pool. The calculator on this page gives you your score; the consultation helps you understand your competitive position.
SkillSelect is the Department of Home Affairs’ online platform where skilled migration candidates submit their EOI — a profile containing your points claims, occupation, work history, English level, and other relevant details. Once lodged, your EOI sits in SkillSelect for up to 2 years, during which time you may be invited to apply for a visa if your score meets or exceeds the cut-off for your occupation. SC189 invitations are issued through SkillSelect on a competitive basis.
After receiving an invitation, you have 60 days to lodge your visa application with the Department of Home Affairs. The application must include all supporting evidence for the points you’ve claimed in your EOI — payslips for work experience, transcripts for qualifications, partner’s skills assessment if claiming partner points, and so on. If the evidence doesn’t match the claims, the application can be refused. This is why decision-ready preparation matters — the 60-day window is not the time to start gathering documents.
Yes — and this matters. Points can change for several reasons: aging into a different age bracket (your age points may decrease), an English test result expiring, a skills assessment expiring, or a work experience milestone being reached (gaining you additional points). If your circumstances change, you need to update your EOI immediately. Outdated claims can lead to refusal at invitation time.
This page provides general information about Australian visa programs. It does not constitute migration advice. Your individual circumstances may affect eligibility, processing, and outcomes. Book a consultation for personalised advice from a registered migration agent (MARN 2418399).