Skilled Independent (subclass 175)
- Skilled - Independent (Migrant) Visa (Subclass 175)
- Skilled - Sponsored (Migrant) Visa (Subclass 176)
- Skilled - Regional Sponsored (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 475)
The following visas are closed to new applications from 1 January 2013:
- Skilled - Sponsored (Residence) Visa (Subclass 886)
- Skilled - Independent (Residence) Visa (Subclass 885)
- Skilled - Regional Sponsored (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 487)
Skilled visa options are now available under the SkillSelect program.
Overview
The Skilled - Independent (subclass 175) visa is the preferred visa for those who wish to immigrate to Australia and do not have a family member or Australian state or territory government to sponsor them.
This visa replaced the Skilled - Independent (subclass 136) visa and the Skilled - Independent New Zealand Citizen (subclass 861) visa on 01 September 2007. New Zealand citizens can apply and wait for a decision about this visa category whether they are outside or within Australia.
The offshore Skilled - Independent visa is assessed on a points based system, with 65 points required to pass. Those who are granted a Skilled - Independent visa can live and work in any part of Australia and take up any employment they wish.
Eligibility
To be eligible to apply for a Skilled - Independent (subclass 175) visa, applicants must meet certain requirements.
The person applying must be 50 years of age or under.
Applicants must meet the English language requirement threshold of competent English. This is a level of 6 on all four components of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
The applicant must nominate an occupation listed on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) and have a suitable skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for the nominated occupation.
The applicant must meet the points test threshold of 65 points and pass all health and character requirements.
