Australian visa guide · 15 subclasses
Australian visa subclasses, 2026 edition
Australia runs around 100 visa subclasses in the Migration Regulations but only 15 of them carry the great majority of permanent and skilled migration each year. Every one of them is summarised below – eligibility, fees, processing and pathway to PR. Every figure is cross-checked against the Department of Home Affairs.
★Key takeaways
- ✓Australia’s permanent migration program is capped at 185,000 places for 2025–26 (skilled stream 132,200; family stream 52,500).
- ✓The Skills in Demand visa (482) replaced the TSS visa on 7 December 2024 with three new streams: Specialist, Core and Essential.
- ✓Partner visas (820/801 onshore, 309/100 offshore) cost $9,095 and run 12–24 months to first stage.
- ✓Points-tested visas (189, 190, 491) need at least 65 points published; competitive cut-offs run 75–95 depending on subclass and occupation.
- ✓The 188 Business and Investment visa closed to new applications on 31 July 2024.
Side-by-side
All 15 visa subclasses, compared
Tap a row to read the full guide for that subclass. Closed visas remain listed for historical reference.
| Subclass | Name | Purpose | Stream | VAC1 primary | Median processing | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 189 | Skilled Independent | Skilled (points-tested) | permanent | $4,640 | 13 months | Open |
| 190 | Skilled Nominated | Skilled (points-tested) | permanent | $4,640 | 11 months | Open |
| 491 | Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) | Regional | provisional | $4,640 | 9 months | Open |
| 482 | Skills in Demand | Employer-sponsored | temporary | $3,115 | 3 months | Open |
| 494 | Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) | Regional | provisional | $4,640 | 5 months | Open |
| 186 | Employer Nomination Scheme (PR) | Employer-sponsored | permanent | $4,770 | 11 months | Open |
| 187 | Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (closed to new) | Employer-sponsored | permanent | n/a | n/a | Closed |
| 500 | Student visa | Student | temporary | $1,600 | 2 months | Open |
| 485 | Temporary Graduate | Student | temporary | $2,235 | 4 months | Open |
| 600 | Visitor visa | Visitor | temporary | $195 | 20 days | Open |
| 820/801 | Partner (onshore) | Partner | permanent | $9,095 | 18 months (820) | Open |
| 309/100 | Partner (offshore) | Partner | permanent | $9,095 | 15 months | Open |
| 887 | Skilled Regional (PR) | Regional | permanent | $475 | 15 months | Closed |
| 858 | Global Talent / Distinguished Talent | Talent and innovation | permanent | $4,840 | 5 months | Open |
| 188 | Business Innovation and Investment (closing) | Business and investor | provisional | $9,445 | 24 months | Closing |
Group
Skilled (points-tested)
Subclass 189
Skilled Independent
The 189 is Australia’s flagship permanent residence visa for skilled workers who can score the points test without state nomination or emplo…
Subclass 190
Skilled Nominated
The 190 is Australia’s state-nominated permanent residence visa for skilled workers. A state or territory government nominates you against i…
Group
Employer-sponsored
Subclass 482
Skills in Demand
The Skills in Demand visa replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa from 7 December 2024 as part of the Migration Strategy reforms. I…
Subclass 186
Employer Nomination Scheme (PR)
The 186 is the permanent employer-sponsored visa. Three streams: Temporary Residence Transition (TRT, for 482 / Skills in Demand holders), D…
Subclass 187
Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (closed to new)
The 187 RSMS closed to new applications on 16 November 2019 when it was replaced by the 494 (provisional) and 191 (PR) pathway. Existing 187…
Group
Regional
Subclass 491
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional)
The 491 is a 5-year provisional regional skilled visa with a clear PR pathway via subclass 191 after 3 years of regional residence and incom…
Subclass 494
Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional)
The 494 is the regional employer-sponsored counterpart to the 482 Skills in Demand visa. It is 5 years provisional, requires a regional empl…
Subclass 887
Skilled Regional (PR)
The 887 is the PR endpoint for legacy regional skilled visa-holders (subclass 489, 475, 487, 495). It closed to new applications when 491 / …
Group
Partner
Subclass 820/801
Partner (onshore)
The 820 (temporary) and 801 (permanent) form a single 2-stage onshore partner visa application. Lodge once, pay one fee, and the Department …
Subclass 309/100
Partner (offshore)
The 309 (provisional) and 100 (PR) form the offshore counterpart to 820/801. The applicant must be outside Australia at time of application …
Group
Student and graduate
Subclass 500
Student visa
The 500 Student visa is the only Australian student visa subclass. It covers all course levels from ELICOS through to PhD, has work rights o…
Subclass 485
Temporary Graduate
The 485 is the post-study work visa for international graduates of Australian institutions. Three streams: Post-Higher Education Work (repla…
Next step
Speak to a MARA-registered migration agent
Australia’s visa system is technically possible to navigate alone via ImmiAccount on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. In practice, most applicants engage a MARA-registered migration agent or immigration lawyer for cases with even modest complexity. Free first consultations are common.
Common questions
Australian visa subclasses – common questions
How many Australian visa subclasses are there?
Around 100 visa subclasses exist in the Migration Regulations, but most are niche (specific labour agreements, retirement, military, etc.). The 15 main subclasses we cover here account for more than 95% of permanent migration program decisions each year.
What is the cheapest visa pathway to PR?
The 482 Skills in Demand visa is cheapest upfront ($3,115 for the temporary visa, then 2 years later the 186 employer-sponsored PR at $4,770). The 189 Skilled Independent at $4,640 is direct PR but harder to qualify for. Partner visas (820/801) are dearer ($9,095) but include both the temporary and PR stages in a single fee.
Which visa is fastest in 2026?
Specialist Skills 482 has 7-day median processing targets and is the fastest skilled pathway. Tourist visas (600, 651 eVisitor) are usually decided in 1–20 days. Skilled migration (189, 190, 491) runs 6–18 months median. Partner visas remain the slowest at 12–24 months to first stage.
Can I apply for two visas at once?
You can hold multiple Expression of Interest entries in SkillSelect (for 189, 190 and 491) simultaneously, and you can have a substantive visa application and a separate visa held in reserve. You generally cannot hold two substantive visas at the same time – the most recently granted visa supersedes the earlier one.
Where do I apply?
All Australian visa applications are lodged via ImmiAccount on the Department of Home Affairs website (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au). There is no embassy or consulate lodgement for current visas. ImmiAccount is the only valid channel.