Australia 489 Visa Sponsorship by State or Relative

Australia 489 visa helps you work and live in Australia. 489 is not a direct PR like 189 or 190 visa. You are eligible to file permanent residency after moving to Australia with 489 visa with some conditions.

489 Visa Sponsorship

489 visa needs sponsorship:

• State OR
• Relative in Australia

489 Visa State Sponsor

You have to file the Australia EOI using the SkillSelect online system and select the option ‘489 visa’. Each state and territory government have their own set of rules and criteria for deciding who they will nominate. If you score enough SkillSelect points with a minimum 65 at this time, state can see your EOI and might nominate you for the visa.

If your EOI is selected by any state for nomination, you will get an invitation email for applying 489 visa. Do not add the state’s nomination points to your total until state really invites you.

You need to check each state’s website to find out their nomination process and what they want from you.

1. New South Wales
2. Northern Territory
3. Queensland
4. South Australia
5. Tasmania
6. Victoria
7. Western Australia

489 Visa Relative Sponsor

If you select the eligible relative for sponsorship in your Australia Expression of Interest, you may get an invite to apply for a visa in the next invitation round.

1. Your sponsor must be 18 years old or older and usually resident in a designated area of Australia.
2. The relative can be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen.
3. The good thing is that the sponsor relative can be related to you or your partner (husband or wife).

Relatives that can sponsor your 489 visa:

• a parent
• a child or step-child
• a brother, sister, adoptive brother, adoptive sister, step-brother or step-sister
• an aunt, uncle, adoptive aunt, adoptive uncle, step-aunt or step-uncle
• a nephew, niece, adoptive nephew, adoptive niece, step-nephew or step-niece
• a grandparent, or
• a first cousin

Second cousins are not eligible for sponsoring your Australia visa at this time.

489 Skills Assessment

You need to have your skills assessment done for the ANZSCO code listed on the Australian Occupation list.

You should also score a minimum of 65 points to be eligible to create your profile in SkillSelect and be added to pool of candidates.

If you do not score the minimum points, there will be no invite sent. State’s usually select the EOI that has highest points in their category. The points requirement changes in every draw that happens monthly on 11th day.

Example:

Job codes in software category have high demand and hence will get 489 state invite with 70+ points only.

489 vs 189 vs 190 Visa

190 visa also requires state nomination just like 489 but 190 cannot be sponsored by a relative.

189 is completely a skill based permanent residency and does not need any sponsor if you have enough points to score an invite.

Both 189 and 190 give your direct PR for 5 years. 489 is not a PR and hence, you will need to either file 189 or 190 later to get PR. There are other PR options as well when you are living in Australia using your subclass 489 visa.

Reference: Australia Immigration