Skilled Independent Visa
(Subclass 189 - New Zealand Stream)

 

Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189 - New Zealand Stream) is an Australian permanent residence visa which allows New Zealand citizens to remain indefinitely in Australia; study and work; enroll in Medicare; sponsor eligible relatives; travel in and out of the country for five years, and apply for Australian citizenship after a period of 12 months. This is in addition to the five years as an eligible Special Category visa holder.

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Visa assessment Eligibility

At the time of last entry to Australia, the New Zealand citizen would meet health and character checks and:

  • The holder of a Subclass 444 (Special Category) visa
  • Usual resident in Australia on or before 19 February 2016 for a continuous period of 5 years immediately before the application was made
  • Have a taxable income at or above an income threshold for each income year in the four years prior to lodging an application (unless exempted)
  • Meet the mandatory health and character checks
  • Has no outstanding debts to the Australian government

Currently, the income threshold for Skilled Independent 189 (New Zealand) Stream is AUD$53,900.

Under Visa 189 (NZ stream), eligible New Zealand citizen can:

  • sponsor family members
  • access certain social security payments
  • obtain Australian citizenship

Exemption

Applies to Subclass 444 (Special Category) visa holder prevented by an Australian authority from leaving Australia to return to New Zealand, including:

  • Family Court of Australia assigning primary care of a child to a New Zealand citizen placing restrictions from removing the child from Australia; or
  • New Zealand citizen is receiving compensation for an injury preventing to continue earning at or above the income threshold, and if will be returning to New Zealand the ongoing rehabilitation and/or compensation will be discontinued.

Waiver of the income requirement applies for periods of:

  • Maternity leave;
  • Paternity leave; or
  • Carers leave during the qualifying period.

Assessment of the waiver will be undertaken on a case to case basis and will take into consideration whether the applicant intends to resume earning an income at, or above the income threshold within a reasonable period.

Independent Migration:

Yes.

Employer Nomination:

Not required.

State/Territory Government Nomination:

Not required.

Family/Relative Sponsorship:

Not required.

Permanent Migration Pathway:

Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189 - New Zealand Stream) is a permanent residence visa.

Contact us so we can connect you to one of our in-house Registered Migration Agent for your case to be assessed.