Your skilled visa, organised.

For the points-tested Subclass 189 stream, Home Affairs lists an age requirement: applicants need to be under 45 years of age on the date Home Affairs issues the invitation to apply through SkillSelect. Home Affairs indicates that someone who turns 45 after receiving the invitation can still lodge within the 60-day invitation period, while someone who turns 45 before an invitation is issued is not invited. Track your age against the criteria Home Affairs publishes before relying on an Expression of Interest, especially if you are close to your 45th birthday, and confirm your situation with Home Affairs or a registered migration agent.

For a valid Subclass 189 points-tested application, Home Affairs lists a suitable skills assessment for the nominated occupation at the time of invitation as a requirement, declared and provided as a copy with the visa application. The skilled occupation list is the source Home Affairs publishes for confirming the correct assessing authority for an occupation and ANZSCO code. Home Affairs lists a validity rule: the assessment needs to have been obtained within the 3 years before the invitation date, unless the assessing authority gave it a shorter validity period, and if the stated validity is longer than 3 years, Home Affairs still treats it as valid for 3 years from the assessment date. Some authorities issue different assessment types, so it is worth confirming the version is the one accepted for permanent migration. According to Home Affairs, a provisional assessment issued for a Subclass 485 application is not suitable for a points-tested Subclass 189 application. For doctors and solicitors, Home Affairs may accept specified AHPRA registration or admission to practise law in the relevant state or territory instead of a standard skills assessment letter.

For the Subclass 189 points-tested stream, Home Affairs lists at least Competent English as a requirement unless an applicant can rely on eligible passport-country evidence under a separate requirement. Home Affairs changed the approved English tests on 7 August 2025. For tests taken on or after that date, accepted tests include Cambridge C1 Advanced, CELPIP General, IELTS Academic, IELTS General Training, LANGUAGECERT Academic, Michigan English Test (MET), OET, PTE Academic, and TOEFL iBT. For tests taken on or before 6 August 2025, older approved results may still be accepted within the current Home Affairs transition rules. Home Affairs does not base Competent English on an IELTS average for this visa requirement: for IELTS it lists at least 6 in each of the four components, or the equivalent score required for the relevant test provider and test date. For applicants claiming English points, Home Affairs lists Proficient or Superior thresholds tied to the exact test and test date being relied on, so it is worth confirming the result meets the threshold for that level. Home Affairs does not accept fully online or at-home versions such as IELTS Online, OET@Home, CELPIP Online, MET Digital taken at home, or TOEFL iBT Home Edition. Check that your result is still valid under Home Affairs timing rules when you lodge the visa application, because English test validity depends on the visa subclass and when the test was taken.

Home Affairs assesses age points based on the applicant’s age at the time of the invitation to apply, not the date the visa application is lodged. For subclass 189 points-tested applications, Home Affairs lists ages 18–24 at 25 points, 25–32 at 30 points, 33–39 at 25 points, and 40–44 at 15 points. Home Affairs does not list applicants who were 45 or older when invited as eligible for this visa. Upload the passport biodata page that clearly shows full name and date of birth, and include change-of-name evidence where the current name differs from earlier records.

Provide a clear copy of the bio data page of the passport you are using for this application. It should show your photo, full name, date of birth, passport number, nationality, and expiry date, and the details must match your application exactly. For skilled visas, Home Affairs states that your visa can only be granted if your passport is valid, and processing may be delayed if it is expired or near expiry. If you renew or replace your passport after lodgement, update your passport details in ImmiAccount and upload the new bio data page as soon as possible.

For a Subclass 189 application, all applicants included in the application, including dependent family members who are not migrating, must meet Australia's health requirement and may be asked to complete health examinations. The exact examinations depend on age, country of residence, medical history, and any intended activities in Australia. When Home Affairs issues health examinations, you will receive a referral letter and a Health Assessment Program identifier (HAP ID) through ImmiAccount. In some cases, you may also be able to obtain a HAP ID before lodgement through My Health Declarations if Home Affairs allows upfront medicals for your situation. Use the HAP ID to book with the correct approved provider: in Australia, book through Bupa Medical Visa Services; outside Australia, book with a Home Affairs-approved panel physician or panel clinic. Do not attend a non-approved doctor or radiology provider, because Home Affairs will not accept those results. Complete the examinations only when instructed or when you have properly arranged an upfront medical through the approved Home Affairs process, and keep a copy of your referral details in case the clinic asks for them.

Provide a signed reference or statement of service from each employer for the skilled employment you are claiming. The strongest evidence is a letter on company letterhead from HR, a manager, or your supervisor showing your full name, position title, exact employment dates, whether the role was full-time or part-time, hours worked per week, and a clear description of the duties you actually performed, plus the referee's name, position, signature, and work contact details. The duties should accurately reflect your real work and support the nominated or closely related occupation you are claiming; do not copy ANZSCO wording verbatim. If a standard letter on company letterhead is genuinely unavailable, follow your assessing authority's current rules for alternative evidence and provide strong corroborating documents such as contracts, payslips, tax records, or statutory declarations where accepted.

What Is ImmiAccount?

ImmiAccount is the Department of Home Affairs' online portal for lodging and managing visa applications. For a Subclass 189 points-tested application, you lodge the visa application online through ImmiAccount at online.immi.gov.au after you have received a SkillSelect invitation.

ImmiAccount is the main place you use to submit the application, upload documents, pay the visa application charge, receive messages from Home Affairs, and track the application after lodgement.

ImmiAccount vs SkillSelect

SkillSelect and ImmiAccount are separate systems.

You submit your EOI in SkillSelect first. If Home Affairs invites you to apply, you then complete and submit the visa application in ImmiAccount within 60 days of the invitation date.

Do not assume your SkillSelect login will work for ImmiAccount. Treat them as separate accounts.

How to Create an ImmiAccount

1. Go to online.immi.gov.au
2. Select Create ImmiAccount
3. Register using an email address you will keep long term
4. Create your password and complete the account setup steps
5. Set up any required security features, including multi-factor authentication if prompted
6. Log in and confirm you can access the account successfully

Account creation is free.

What You Will Use ImmiAccount For

For a Subclass 189 application, ImmiAccount is where you:

• complete and submit the online visa application
• pay the visa application charge at lodgement
• upload supporting documents
• receive requests for further information and decision notices
• view your Transaction Reference Number (TRN) and application status
• update details or provide further documents after lodgement when needed
• access health examination referral information in ImmiAccount if health examinations are required

If you need to add an eligible family member after lodgement but before decision, Home Affairs may require a separate process such as Form 1436. If you need to correct an error after lodgement, Form 1023 may be relevant. Follow the current Home Affairs instructions that apply to your case.

Before You Start Lodging

Have the key details and documents ready before you begin, including:

• your SkillSelect invitation details
• passport details for all applicants included
• your skills assessment outcome
• English evidence if required for your case
• work and qualification evidence supporting your claims
• character documents if already available, or a plan to obtain them promptly
• a payment method for the visa application charge

Important: A subclass 189 application is only properly lodged when it is submitted online and the required visa application charge is paid successfully.

Practical Tips

• Use a personal email address that you will continue to control throughout processing.
• Create the account early so you are not dealing with first-time login problems close to the 60-day lodgement deadline.
• Keep your login details secure and make sure you can still access your email and any authentication app tied to the account.
• Save draft progress carefully while completing the application.
• Upload clear, legible files in the format requested by Home Affairs. ImmiAccount commonly accepts formats such as PDF, JPG and PNG.
• Record your TRN as soon as the application is lodged.
• Check ImmiAccount regularly after lodgement because Home Affairs may send time-sensitive requests there.

Key Warning

Creating an ImmiAccount does not lodge the visa application by itself. According to Home Affairs, lodgement still involves completing the online application, attaching the required evidence, and submitting payment within the invitation period. For the points-tested Subclass 189 stream, Home Affairs lists the invitation period as 60 days from the invitation date.

What This Requirement Is

Your Subclass 189 visa grant notice includes two critical travel-related dates you must understand and act on immediately after grant: the initial entry date and the travel facility expiry date. These are different things and confusion between them is one of the most common post-grant mistakes.

Key distinction: The initial entry date is the deadline for your first entry to Australia if you were offshore when the visa was granted. The travel facility is the period during which you can travel in and out of Australia as a permanent resident. After the travel facility expires, you remain a permanent resident if you stay in Australia, but you normally need a Resident Return Visa before you can come back from overseas.

The Initial Entry Date

What it is: The date by which you must first enter Australia on the Subclass 189 visa if you were outside Australia when the visa was granted.

• The initial entry date is set by Home Affairs at the time of grant
• It is often around 12 months from the date of visa grant, but you must rely on the actual date shown in your grant notice
• It is stated in your visa grant notice — check the grant notice carefully
• If you were in Australia at the time of grant, there is no separate first-entry deadline to activate the visa — permanent residence begins from the grant date
• If you were outside Australia at the time of grant, you must make your first entry before the initial entry date shown in the grant notice

Why it matters:

If you do not make your first entry by that date, you can have serious problems using the visa for first arrival. Home Affairs does not automatically extend the date. In limited situations, a visa holder who still has a valid visa and expects to travel within the next 12 months may be able to request a travel facilitation letter, but you should not rely on this as routine relief.

What to do:

1. Locate your initial entry date in the grant notice
2. If you are outside Australia, plan your first entry well before this date
3. If something serious may prevent travel before that date, check Home Affairs options as early as possible rather than waiting until the deadline has passed
4. Record this date in your visa tracker or calendar with a reminder at least 60 days in advance

The Travel Facility

What it is: The period during which you can depart and re-enter Australia as a permanent resident without needing an additional return visa.

• The travel facility lasts for 5 years from the date of your visa grant
• During this period, you may usually travel in and out of Australia as many times as you like
• The travel facility expiry date is listed in your grant notice and can also be checked in VEVO

An important distinction:

The travel facility expiring does NOT mean you lose your permanent residency. If you are in Australia when the travel facility expires, you normally remain a permanent resident. However, if you want to return to Australia after that expiry date, you will usually need a Resident Return Visa (RRV) unless you have become an Australian citizen or hold another valid travel authority.

The travel facility affects overseas return travel, not whether you keep holding permanent residence while you remain in Australia.

After the Travel Facility Expires — Resident Return Visa

If you want to return to Australia after your 5-year travel facility has expired, you will usually need a Resident Return Visa (RRV). If you are in Australia and know you will travel after the current travel facility expires, deal with this before departure rather than leaving it to the last minute overseas.

There are two main RRV subclasses:

Tips for maintaining RRV eligibility:

• The simplest long-term strategy is to apply for Australian citizenship before your travel facility expires — citizens do not need an RRV and can travel on an Australian passport
• If you spend long periods outside Australia, track your days carefully — 730 days in Australia in the last 5 years is the key benchmark for a straightforward Subclass 155 grant
• Do not assume you will automatically qualify for a long-travel-facility RRV if you have spent significant time abroad

Reading Your Grant Notice

The visa grant notice is the official document you receive from Home Affairs when your visa is approved. It contains:

• Your visa grant number (keep this permanently — it is how Home Affairs identifies your visa)
• The date the visa starts
• Any visa conditions (the 189 is generally granted with no conditions)
• Initial entry instructions if you were outside Australia at grant
• Your travel facility details

Keep your grant notice permanently. This is a permanent record of your visa grant. Store it digitally in at least two places and do not delete it even after you become a citizen. It may be required for future visa, citizenship, employer, or residence-history checks.

How to Verify Your Visa Status (VEVO)

The Subclass 189 is a digital visa — there is no physical visa label in your passport. Your visa details are held electronically and can be checked through VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online).

You can use VEVO to check:

• Your current visa status
• Any visa conditions
• Your travel facility expiry date

Important: If you get a new passport after visa grant, update your passport details with Home Affairs through ImmiAccount or the relevant Home Affairs update process, then check VEVO to confirm the new passport is linked correctly before you travel.

Pro Tips

• Note both dates immediately after grant: the initial entry date and the travel facility expiry. Set calendar reminders.
• Do not treat the initial entry date as flexible. If you were granted offshore, plan first entry well before it.
• Do not wait until the travel facility has expired to think about an RRV or citizenship, especially if you travel frequently.
• If you plan significant time overseas, track your days in Australia carefully — 730 days in the last 5 years is the clearest pathway to a strong Subclass 155 application.
• Applying for citizenship is the cleanest long-term solution. Once you are an Australian citizen, you no longer need to manage a permanent resident travel facility.
• If you renew your passport, update Home Affairs before travel. Your visa remains electronic, but your travel document details must be current in the system.

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