Processing a 189 visa involves three phases: skills assessment, waiting for an invitation, and the formal application. Here's what each phase takes and what affects your timeline.
How Long Does a 189 Visa Take to Process?
Planning your migration to Australia requires understanding that the 189 Skilled Independent visa is not a single application — it is a multi-stage process. Each stage has its own timeline, and some stages depend entirely on factors outside your control.
Here is an honest breakdown of what to expect.
## Phase 1: Skills Assessment (4 to 16 weeks)
Before you can submit an Expression of Interest, you need a positive skills assessment from the relevant Australian authority for your occupation. The timeframe varies significantly by assessing body:
- Engineers Australia — 4 to 8 weeks for a competency-based assessment, longer for CDR review - ANMAC (nurses) — 6 to 14 weeks - CPA Australia / CA ANZ (accountants) — 4 to 8 weeks - VETASSESS (various occupations) — 10 to 16 weeks - ACS (IT professionals) — 4 to 8 weeks - TRA (trades) — 12 to 20 weeks
Complex cases, missing documentation, or requests for additional information all extend these timelines. Start your skills assessment as early as possible — it is the critical path item.
## Phase 2: Waiting for an Invitation in SkillSelect (1 to 24 months)
Once you have a positive skills assessment and your English test results, you submit an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect. This places you in a pool. The Department of Home Affairs runs regular invitation rounds — typically monthly for most occupations — and invites the highest-scoring candidates.
How long you wait depends on: - Your total points score relative to other candidates in your occupation - Whether your occupation is under-subscribed or highly competitive - Whether invitation rounds for your occupation happen frequently
Candidates with scores of 90 or above in most occupations receive invitations within 1 to 3 months. Candidates sitting at 80 or below in competitive occupations may wait considerably longer — or may not receive an invitation at all in the current cycle.
## Phase 3: Visa Application Lodgement and DHA Processing (6 to 12 months)
Once invited, you have 60 days to lodge a complete visa application. After lodgement, the Department of Home Affairs processes your application. Current processing times for the Subclass 189 are:
- 75% of applications: within 7 to 10 months - 90% of applications: within 12 to 16 months
Processing is faster when your application is complete and well-prepared at lodgement. Incomplete applications, requests for further information, or health/character issues add time.
## Realistic Total Timeline
| Stage | Timeframe | |-------|-----------| | Skills assessment | 4–16 weeks | | SkillSelect wait | 1–24 months | | DHA visa processing | 7–16 months | | Total | 12–36 months |
Most of our clients with strong applications (85+ points, straightforward occupation) complete the entire process in 18 to 24 months from first engagement with NWI to visa grant.
## What Slows Things Down
- Starting skills assessment late - Incorrect or incomplete documentation - English test results close to or just above the minimum - Points score at the lower end of competitive range - Health or character issues requiring additional review
Getting the process right from the start — particularly the skills assessment documentation — is the most reliable way to avoid avoidable delays. New World Immigration manages the full process on your behalf, from skills assessment preparation through to visa lodgement.