Skilled Visas Australia
— Permanent Residency Based on Your Qualifications
Australia’s General Skilled Migration program invites qualified workers to apply for permanent residency based on their age, English ability, qualifications, and work experience. No employer or sponsor required — your skills get you there.
Good Price Visa Services helps you understand your points score, select the right visa stream, and lodge a competitive Expression of Interest.
- Skilled Independent — Subclass 189
- State/Territory Nominated — Subclass 190
- Skilled Work Regional — Subclass 491
The Three Skilled Visa Pathways
Subclass 189 — Skilled Independent
Australia’s fully independent skilled visa. No employer, state government, or relative required. You must score at least 65 points and receive an invitation through SkillSelect. Highly competitive — actual invitation scores in many occupations are considerably higher than 65.
Subclass 190 — State/Territory Nominated
Permanent residence visa requiring a state or territory government nomination. Nomination adds 5 bonus points and requires you to live in the nominating state for at least 2 years. A practical option if your points score is close but not competitive for the Subclass 189.
Subclass 491 — Skilled Work Regional
Points-tested regional visa with a 15-point nomination bonus. Temporary for 5 years, leading to permanent residency (Subclass 191) after 3 years of regional living. Often the fastest real-world pathway to both entering Australia and achieving permanent residency.
The Points Test — At a Glance
You need a minimum of 65 points to submit an Expression of Interest. Key scoring factors include:
- Age (maximum points for 25–32 years)
- English language ability
- Work experience — overseas and in Australia
- Educational qualifications
- State/territory nomination (+5 for Subclass 190, +15 for Subclass 491)
Step One — Skills Assessment
Before lodging an Expression of Interest, your qualifications and work experience must be formally assessed by the relevant Australian skills assessing authority for your occupation. This is mandatory and must be completed before any EOI is submitted. We advise on the correct assessing body and help you prepare the strongest possible skills assessment submission.
Common Questions
Points tested skilled visas, such as the 189, 190 and 491, are for qualified workers whose skills are in demand. Your eligibility is assessed on a points system based on factors like age, English, qualifications and work experience.
You generally need a minimum of 65 points to lodge an Expression of Interest, but in practice many occupations require a higher points score to receive an invitation to apply for a skilled visa.
The 189 visa is a skilled independent visa with no state nomination requirement, while the 190 visa is a skilled nominated visa that requires nomination from a state or territory government but gives you extra points.
Yes. Most skilled visa applicants must obtain a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for their occupation before lodging an Expression of Interest or visa application.
A recognised English language test can significantly increase your points, especially if you achieve a “proficient” or “superior” score, even if English is your first language.