The short answer: the government charge for the subclass 189 (Skilled Independent) visa starts at AUD 6,135 for the main applicant, and there is an additional second-instalment charge of AUD 4,885 for any family member aged 18 or over who does not have functional English. Everything else on this page — skills assessment, English test, health and police checks — is charged by separate providers and varies.
Note that fees are set by the Department of Home Affairs and are indexed, usually from 1 July each year, so the figure above can change. Always confirm the current amount with the department's Visa Pricing Estimator before you budget.
The steps, in order
- Skills assessment with the authority for your occupation (ANMAC for nursing, ACS for ICT, EA for engineering, TRA for trades, CPA/CAANZ for accounting). The assessment must generally have been obtained in the 3 years before you are invited.
- English test — at least Competent English is required, which is CELPIP 7 in each of the four abilities, or the equivalent in IELTS, PTE Academic, MET, OET, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge C1 Advanced or LANGUAGECERT Academic. Tests must be taken at a secure test centre (online/at-home versions are not accepted).
- Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect, where you declare your occupation, points claims and English level.
- Invitation to apply — only invited applicants may lodge. For 190 and 491 you must also be nominated by a state or territory.
- Lodge the visa and complete health examinations, police certificates and character checks.
- Visa grant — permanent residence for 189/190; the 491 is provisional (5 years) with a permanent pathway after 3 years.
What it costs
| Item | Cost | Who charges it |
|---|---|---|
| 189 visa charge — main applicant | From AUD 6,135 | Department of Home Affairs |
| Second instalment — family 18+ without functional English | AUD 4,885 | Department of Home Affairs |
| Spouse/partner and dependent charges | Additional per person | Department of Home Affairs — check the Visa Pricing Estimator |
| 190 / 491 visa charges | Set separately per subclass and indexed | Department of Home Affairs — confirm current amounts |
| English test | Provider-dependent (CELPIP-General is published at $290 + tax) | Test provider |
| Skills assessment | Varies widely by assessing authority | Assessing authority |
| Medical examination | Per person, by clinic | Panel physician |
| Police certificates | Per country, per person | Each issuing authority |
Two things people forget to budget for. First, the second instalment applies to adult family members who do not have functional English — it is not a penalty, it funds English tuition, but it lands as a lump sum at grant. Second, skills assessment and English test costs are usually paid twice if you end up retaking either, so it is worth being certain of your points strategy before you book.
How English changes the maths
Competent English is only the floor for points-tested visas (189, 190, 491) — and being eligible is not the same as being competitive. The points test rewards higher English:
| DHA level | CELPIP (Listening / Reading / Writing / Speaking) | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Superior English | 10 / 10 / 12 / 10 | +20 |
| Proficient English | 9 / 8 / 10 / 8 | +10 |
| Competent English | 7 / 7 / 7 / 7 | 0 (eligibility only) |
So a candidate who tests to Proficient rather than merely Competent may add 10 points for the cost of one test fee — which is by far the cheapest points available to most applicants. CELPIP General can reach both Proficient and Superior; MET cannot, because DHA publishes those levels only for CELPIP, IELTS, PTE Academic, C1 Advanced, LANGUAGECERT Academic, OET and TOEFL iBT. Check your own score against the thresholds with our CELPIP to CLB calculator (it covers the Australian levels as well as Canada's).
Timeline, honestly
There is no fixed processing time you can rely on. The sequence that matters is: skills assessment and English test first (both take time and must be valid at invitation), then the EOI, then the wait for an invitation (which depends entirely on your occupation, points and the round), then lodging, health and police checks, and the decision. The department publishes processing times per subclass based on recently decided applications — use its processing time guide rather than forums, and do not book travel or resign a job until you have the grant.
Fees on this page are the department's published charges at the time of writing and are indexed annually. Confirm current amounts at the Visa Pricing Estimator. PrepSettle is not a migration agent and this is not migration advice.