What Is The Difference Between Skilled Independent 189 Visa And 190 Visa Australia?

Are you a skilled worker aspiring to live and work in Australia? It’s a fantastic decision to take as Australia provides an excellent environment for skilled experts that greatly value the country. What you need is a visa which will give you the necessary permission. There are generally two types of visas under the skilled visa category. There is not much difference between the two as both of them are part of the Australian Skilled Migration Program, and both allow skilled workers to apply for permanent residency.

What is Skilled Independent Subclass 189?

189 Visa Australia is a point-based visa. This is applicable for skilled workers who are not sponsored by employers, family members, or even state or territorial authority. This is a permanent visa that will allow you to live and work in Australia permanently.

What will this visa allow you to do?

There are several advantages which you can take from this visa. There are as follows:

  1. Permanent living and work: As mentioned in the previous point, you will be allowed to live and work permanently in Australia with this visa. Sounds exciting, isn’t it?
  2. Study: Not just living and working there, you can also enrol yourself in a desired academic or training program at a chosen institute.
  3. Health insurance benefits: With a 189 visa Australia, you can enrol in Medicare, which is the health insurance scheme in Australia that can help you with health-related care and expenditure. This will be much relieving because this will help you focus more on your study and work.
  4. Social security payments: You’re coming from a foreign country to work in Australia, and social security must be an essential point to think about. This visa will enable you to access social security payments.
  5. Application for Australian citizenship: As you will live and work in Australia for an indefinite period, you will definitely want to become an Australian citizen also to enjoy rights that other citizens do, right? Well, that will not be impossible, either. You can apply for Australian citizenship based on your residency criteria.
  6. Sponsor for family members: As you get your permanent residency, you can easily sponsor your beloved family members for their permanent residency.

Who can apply for this visa?

To apply for this 189 visa in Australia, you should meet the following requirements.

  1. You must have fluency in the English language.
  2. Your age must range between 18 and 45 years.
  3. You should possess an eligible skilled occupation.
  4. You should at least obtain the pass marks of 65 in the skilled migration test.
  5. You have to pass the necessary skills assessment test.
  6. You must get an invitation letter from the Government of Australia.
  7. You must obtain the essential health and character certifications.
  8. If you have any debts to the Australian Government, you must clear all those before applying or have at least arranged for a repayment.
  9. You must not have any visa cancelled or refused previously.

What is Skilled Nominated Visa Subclass 190?

Visa 190 is also a point-based visa, which is also applicable for skilled workers who want to live and work permanently in Australia. And here lies the main difference between the two visas. For skilled nominated visa 190, you will be sponsored by a state or territorial Government, which is unlikely in the case of visa 189. 

What will this visa allow you to do?

The benefits of visa subclass 190 are similar to that of visa 189. These include:

  1. Permanent living and work: Like a 189 visa, you can permanently stay and work in Australia. It sounds exciting, isn’t so?
  2. Study: Study opportunity is also available with visa 190. You can enrol in any of your desired study programmes in an Australian institute.
  3. Health insurance benefits: This visa will also allow you to enrol in Medicare, which is the health insurance scheme offered by the Australian Government that can help you with health-related care and expenditure. This will reduce much burden so that you can focus more on the study and your work.
  4. Social security payments: For a foreign national like you, social security should have the utmost importance. This visa will enable you to access social security payments.
  5. Application for Australian citizenship: As you will live and work in Australia for an indefinite period, you will definitely want to become an Australian citizen also to enjoy rights that other citizens do, right? Well, that will not be impossible, either. You can apply for Australian citizenship based on your residency criteria.
  6. Sponsor for family members: As you get your permanent residency, you can easily sponsor your beloved family members for their permanent residency.

Who can apply for this visa?

The application requirements for this visa are as follows.

  1. Before you apply, you must make sure that you are equipped with the skilled occupation present on the Australian Government’s skilled occupation list.
  2. Like a 189 visa, you need to obtain at least the pass marks of 65 in the skilled migration test. 
  3. Here also, your age must be between 18 and 45 years.
  4. The skills assessment test is another test you have to go through. 
  5. English language proficiency is the common requirement for any visa application in Australia as English the official speaking and working language. Any internationally recognized test like TOEFL iBT or IELTS or PTE Academic.
  6. The Government will require necessary health and character certificates at the time of application.
  7. At the same time, you should have all your debts cleared and no history of visa cancellation and visa refusal.
  8. Last but not least, you should be sponsored by any State or Territorial Government of Australia.

Ending note

You should consult with Immigration Agent Perth to know which visa will be applicable for you. They will provide you with skilled Migration Agents Perth who can appropriately guide you.