Subclass 189 Visa Processing Time and Fees Explained

The official sources do not publish a processing time specific to the Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa, nor do they publish the current fee for that visa. What the sources do show is that the subclass 189 visa is covered by Ministerial Direction 119, which sets processing priorities, and that the median processing time across the skilled permanent category was eight months in July 2026. The fee for a subclass 189 visa is not stated in the official guidance, so you must check the Visa Pricing Table on the Department of Home Affairs website for the current amount. This page explains what the official material does establish, what it does not, and what you need to verify before you rely on any figure.

What the official sources say about subclass 189 processing

The official guidance does not give a processing time for the subclass 189 visa as a standalone figure. It does give a median processing time for the skilled permanent category, which includes the subclass 189 visa, and it explains the priority rules that affect how quickly applications are decided.

The median processing time for the Skilled (Permanent) visa category was eight months in July 2026. The source notes that this figure is a median, meaning it reflects the time it took for most applications to be finalised, but that times vary between different visas within the category. Some applications may be decided more quickly than others, and applications are not always processed in the order they are received.

Visa category	Median processing time (July 2026)
Skilled (Permanent)	8 months
Partner (Provisional/Temporary)	23 months
Skilled (Temporary)	98 days
Student	21 days
Visitor	Less than 1 day
Working Holiday Maker	5 days

The source also lists the factors that affect processing times generally. These include whether the application has all necessary supporting documents, whether it was lodged online or on paper, how quickly responses to requests for further information are provided, how long it takes to receive information from external agencies on health, character and national security, the number of places available in the migration program for permanent visas, the complexity of the application, changes to Ministerial Directions, and the volume of applications received.

For the skilled permanent category specifically, the source says processing times are affected by Permanent Migration Program planning levels, Ministerial Directions related to skilled visa processing priorities, application completeness, and the volume of applications received and on-hand. Lodging a complete application helps avoid delays.

Ministerial Direction 119 and subclass 189 priority

The subclass 189 visa is one of the visas covered by Ministerial Direction 119, which came into effect on 25 July 2026 and replaced the processing priorities under Ministerial Direction 105. The Direction applies to all on-hand applications, including for the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) program, which was not previously included under Ministerial Direction 105.

Prioritisation under Ministerial Direction 119 is based on both occupation and the location of the applicant at the time of application. The source sets out five priority levels:

1. Nomination and visa applications supporting Australia’s law enforcement or defence interests, where the applicant is in Australia at the time of application.
2. Nomination and visa applications supporting Australia’s law enforcement or defence interests, where the applicant is outside Australia at the time of application.
3. Nomination and visa applications relating to construction, healthcare, and teaching occupations, where the applicant is in Australia at the time of application.
4. All other nomination and visa applications where the applicant is in Australia at the time of application.
5. All other nomination and visa applications where the applicant is outside Australia at the time of application.

This means that if you are applying for a subclass 189 visa and your occupation is in construction, healthcare or teaching, and you are in Australia at the time of application, your application falls into the third priority group. If your occupation is not in one of those areas and you are in Australia, you fall into the fourth group. If you are outside Australia, your application falls into the fifth group unless it supports law enforcement or defence interests.

The source also notes that Ministerial Direction 114 covers Business Innovation and Investment (subclass 188) visa and Business Talent (Permanent) (subclass 132) visa applications, and that Ministerial Direction 120 covers Class BX (subclass 858) visas, Distinguished Talent, Global Talent and National Innovation (subclass 858) visa applications. These do not apply to the subclass 189 visa.

What the sources do not say about subclass 189 fees

The official guidance does not state the fee for a subclass 189 visa application. It does not give a base application charge, a subsequent temporary application charge, or any other figure that would let you calculate the total cost of a subclass 189 application. You must check the Visa Pricing Table on the Department of Home Affairs website to find the current fee.

The subsequent temporary application charge is explained in detail in the official guidance, but it is not stated to apply to the subclass 189 visa. The charge applies to certain temporary visas, and the source explicitly says it is not paid for permanent visa applications. Since the subclass 189 visa is a permanent visa, the subsequent temporary application charge does not apply to it. However, the base application charge for the subclass 189 visa is not given in the official guidance, and you should not assume it is the same as any other visa.

What the subsequent temporary application charge is, and why it does not apply to subclass 189

The subsequent temporary application charge is a charge that applies to certain temporary visas. It is payable by each person in the application and is based on their individual visa history. If applicable, it is payable in addition to any other visa charges that apply at the time of lodgement.

The source states that the charge is not paid for bridging, criminal justice or enforcement visa applications, and is not paid for permanent visa applications. The subclass 189 visa is a permanent visa, so the subsequent temporary application charge does not apply to it.

The source also lists exemptions. The charge will not be charged where the base application charge is nil, where the visa pricing table does not show a subsequent temporary application charge, where the table shows it as nil, where the table shows it as N/A, where the applicant is outside Australia while making their substantive temporary visa application, where the applicant is making their first substantive temporary visa application in Australia, or where the formula evaluates the charge to nil.

The calculation involves four steps. First, you check whether you are in Australia applying for a visa specified in Table 1. If not, the charge is zero. Second, you check whether you hold, or last held, a visa specified in Table 2. If not, the charge is zero. Third, you check whether you applied for a Table 2 visa while in Australia. If not, the charge is zero. Fourth, you check whether any of five situations apply, including whether the Table 2 visa was for a new-born child, was granted by operation of law, was granted as a result of ministerial intervention, was granted without an application, or was a student visa required because an education provider defaulted. If any of those apply, the charge is zero; if none apply, the charge applies.

Table 1 lists the temporary visas being applied for, including subclasses 408, 407, 482, 500, 590 and 600. Table 2 lists previous visas applied for in Australia, including subclasses 402, 407, 408, 417, 426, 442, 457, 462, 482, 500, 590, 576, 600, 602 and 685. The subclass 189 visa does not appear in either table.

How to check processing times for your specific application

The official guidance says that if you have made a visa application, you can check processing times using the visa processing times guide tool. This tool shows processing times for recently decided applications. It is a guide only and is not specific to your application.

The source also says that processing times are available for most visas, except visas that are closed to new applications, family visas that are capped and queued, and visas that have too few decisions in the month to provide a reliable indicator of processing times. The subclass 189 visa is not closed to new applications and is not a family visa, so it should be covered by the guide, but the source does not state a specific figure for it.

The source notes that the Department strives to maintain global consistency in processing times, but some processing locations are currently experiencing delays. As a result, your application may take longer to be finalised than the published times. The source also says that while the Department strives to maintain global consistency, some processing locations are experiencing delays, and your application may take longer than the published times.

What to do next and what to verify

The first thing to do is to check the Visa Pricing Table on the Department of Home Affairs website for the current subclass 189 fee. The official guidance does not give this figure, and you should not rely on any number that is not from that table.

The second thing to do is to use the visa processing times guide tool to see the processing times for recently decided subclass 189 applications. The tool will give you an indication, but it is not specific to your application. The source says the median for the skilled permanent category was eight months in July 2026, but your application may take longer or shorter depending on the factors listed above.

The third thing to do is to ensure your application is complete before you lodge it. The source says that lodging a complete application helps avoid delays, and that for employer-sponsored visas, submitting complete nomination and visa applications at the same time can support more efficient processing. For the subclass 189 visa, which is not employer-sponsored, the key is to include all necessary supporting documents at the time of applying.

The fourth thing to do is to be aware of the priority rules under Ministerial Direction 119. Your occupation and your location at the time of application will affect where your application sits in the priority order. If you are in Australia and your occupation is in construction, healthcare or teaching, you have higher priority than if you are outside Australia or in a different occupation.

Finally, do not contact the Department if your application is still within the standard processing time. The source says the Department cannot provide further updates on an application’s progress while it is within that time. You can check the status of your application and whether you have provided all supporting documents through ImmiAccount.

The official sources are clear on one point: the subclass 189 visa is a permanent visa, so the subsequent temporary application charge does not apply to it. They are also clear that the median processing time for the skilled permanent category was eight months in July 2026. They are not clear on the fee, because the official guidance does not state it. Verify the fee on the Visa Pricing Table before you rely on any figure.