Australia Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) vs Australia Skills in Demand (SID) Visa (Subclass 482)
A factual side-by-side comparison of two residency programmes. All figures are drawn from the canonical program pages — follow either link in the table header for sources and the full profile.
Key Differences at a Glance
- ›Australia Skills in Demand (SID) Visa (Subclass 482) is faster: 3 months vs 9 months for Australia Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189).
Australia Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) Australia · skilled worker | Australia Skills in Demand (SID) Visa (Subclass 482) Australia · skilled worker | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Australia | Australia |
| Category | Skilled Worker | Skilled Worker |
| Application Fee | $3,000 | $960 |
| Minimum Income | — | $48,000 /mo |
| Minimum Investment | — | — |
| Processing Time | 9 months | 3 months |
| Family Included | Spouse or de facto partner and dependent children can be included; all members must meet health and character requirements | Spouse/partner and dependent children are included as secondary applicants on the same visa application, each subject to an additional visa application charge |
| Path to PR | Yes — 0 years | Yes — 2 years |
| Path to Citizenship | Yes — 4 years | Yes — 4 years |
| Physical Presence | Must be physically present in Australia when the visa is granted; PR holders must reside in Australia for 2 years out of every 5 to maintain travel rights | For citizenship by conferral, the applicant must have been present in Australia as a permanent resident (or eligible visa holder) for the requisite residency period, with no more than 12 months total absence over 4 years and no more than 90 days absence in the 12 months immediately before applying. |
| Dual Citizenship | Allowed | Allowed |
| Tax Impact | Permanent residents are treated as Australian tax residents and taxed on worldwide income from the date of entry | Individuals who reside in Australia for the visa's duration are generally Australian tax residents, taxed on worldwide income at progressive rates, with limited access to the resident tax-free threshold unless residency tests are met; superannuation contribution obligations may also apply depending on the employment arrangement. |
| Tax Residency Trigger | 183 days/yr | 183 days/yr |
| Worldwide Taxation | Yes | Yes |
| Renewal Cost | — | — |
About Australia Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)
Australia's Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189) is a points-tested route that grants permanent residency from day one, with no employer sponsor, state nomination or family sponsor needed. There is no income requirement, but the nominated occupation must be on the MLTSSL skilled list, and the applicant must hold a positive skills assessment, be under 45 at invitation, and have competent English (IELTS 6.0 in each band). Candidates lodge an Expression of Interest via SkillSelect and must be invited based on a points score, a minimum of 65 though real cut-offs are often much higher. The primary applicant fee is about AUD 4,640 (2024), with more for dependents, and processing is long (around 9 months, median near 12). Family can be included. Citizenship is reachable after 4 years, and dual citizenship is allowed. Applicants must be in Australia when the visa is granted, and PR holders must reside two years in every five to keep travel rights. As tax residents, holders are taxed on worldwide income from entry. Watch that points cut-offs and occupation lists can shift between EOI and invitation.
Full Australia Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) profile →About Australia Skills in Demand (SID) Visa (Subclass 482)
Introduced in December 2024, the Skills in Demand (SID) visa (subclass 482) replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa as Australia's primary employer-sponsored skilled work visa. It has three streams: Specialist Skills, for high-earning specialists across most occupations excluding trades, with faster processing; Core Skills, for occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List paid above the Core Skills Income Threshold; and Essential Skills, for lower-paid, essential occupations such as aged and disability care, sponsored under labour agreements. All streams require sponsorship by an approved Australian business and, for many occupations, a positive skills assessment. The reforms shortened the pathway to permanent residency, letting most holders apply through the Employer Nomination Scheme after two years with the same sponsor, down from three.
Full Australia Skills in Demand (SID) Visa (Subclass 482) profile →Gotchas to Watch For
Australia Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)
- ⚠Points cut-offs can rise dramatically between rounds — a score that received an invitation last year may not this year
- ⚠Occupation lists change: your occupation may be removed from MLTSSL between EOI and invitation, invalidating your EOI
- ⚠Employment reference letters must be precise — DHA is strict on format, and inadequate letters are a top rejection cause
- ⚠The 60-day lodgement window after ITA is tight — prepare all documents before submitting EOI
- ⚠Australia taxes worldwide income as soon as you become a tax resident — plan for this if you have offshore income
- ⚠Partner/spouse can be included but adultt dependents add AUD 2,320 to the visa fee
- ⚠Subclass 189 is employer-independent (no sponsorship needed) — a major advantage over 482/186
Australia Skills in Demand (SID) Visa (Subclass 482)
- ⚠Changing employers generally requires a new nomination and, in many cases, a new visa application, since SID visas are tied to the sponsoring business and nominated position
- ⚠The Essential Skills stream is capped in scope, tied to specific sectors and labour agreements such as aged care, and is not available for arbitrary lower-paid roles
- ⚠Occupation lists (Specialist Skills List and Core Skills Occupation List) are reviewed periodically by Jobs and Skills Australia and can add or remove eligible occupations
- ⚠The reduced two-year pathway to permanent residency via subclass 186 applies to the Temporary Residence Transition stream and generally requires continuous work with the same sponsor during that period
- ⚠Income thresholds are indexed and can change annually, so a role that qualified for a stream one year may fall short after indexation
Neutral reference — we don't recommend one programme over another. Programmes change: always verify each detail against the official source linked on the individual program pages.