A thorough step-by-step guide to applying for the subclass 189 visa

If you are considering moving to Australia, the Subclass 189 visa may be the most direct way to achieve your goal since applicants do not have to be sponsored by an Australian employer, State/Territory, or relative. This visa allows skilled workers to live and work in Australia permanently and include their family members in the application.

However, the Subclass 189 visa application process can be complex and time-consuming. In this guide, we will take you through the steps of the subclass 189 visa to help get you started.

At Open Visa Migration, we offer advice and assistance with all stages of the Subclass 189 visa process. From determining your eligibility to submitting your visa application, we can provide you with all the necessary information to help you successfully navigate the visa application process. 

These steps have been designed to optimally achieve your goals and submit the Subclass 189 visa application in a stress-free way. 

Step 1: Confirm your eligibility

The first step is to arrange a free initial consultation with our migration agent to understand your background and confirm if the Subclass 189 visa is a possible pathway for you.

To proceed after the initial consultation, a detailed eligibility assessment will be required, where we will review your work experience, qualifications, English language, and other circumstances to assess if you will meet the legislative requirements, and skills assessment requirements, and pass the points test.

If eligible, we will provide comprehensive advice regarding your ability to meet each of the legal requirements and design your step-by-step plan for the Subclass 189 visa.

We will advise you of the fixed fee options for our services to either assist with the entire visa application process (Complete Service) or review the EOI/visa application (Application Support). Where appropriate, we can offer a split fee payment arrangement to assist you financially.

After the detailed eligibility assessment and advice, you will understand in-depth how you can qualify for the visa and gain clarity of the anticipated process, so you can continue with the skilled migration journey with peace of mind.

Step 2: Submit your skills assessment

If you engage us to provide complete service, we will prepare your skills assessment application with the relevant skills assessing authority.

We will advise you of the specific documents or information you will need to submit in your skills assessment application, guide you through steps 3 and 4 below, and answer any questions you have about the rest of the visa process.

Step 3: Apply for the Expression of Interest (EOI)

After receiving a positive skills assessment result, we will prepare and submit your Expression of Interest (EOI) through the Department’s SkillSelect portal. While this is not a visa application, it is a necessary step to receive an invitation for the Subclass 189 visa.

The Department will assess your score and rank your EOI against other EOIs received in the system. If your EOI is successful, you will receive an invitation to apply for the Subclass 189 visa. 

We will advise and support you in collating your supporting documents in anticipation of the invitation. A tailored document checklist will be prepared for you, so you can start collecting all the required documents for the visa application such as the skills assessment result, English language test result, qualification, work references, and other relevant information.

Your EOI will remain in the Department’s system for 2 years. During this time, you can update the EOI if your circumstances change and can claim more points. Based on your ranking, an invitation may be issued at any time during this period.

Step 4: Apply for the Subclass 189 visa

Once you are issued an invitation, we will prepare and submit your Subclass 189 visa application and supporting documentation within the specified time.

We will complete all the necessary application forms for your review, before lodgement.

To ensure that your application is strong and has the highest chance of success, we will review all your supporting documents again and submit a decision-ready application on your behalf. We will only lodge your visa application once we are satisfied that it has been prepared correctly and meets all the regulatory requirements.

You will be informed after the application has been lodged and as soon as the Department decides on the visa application.