Before digging into visa subclasses and routes, there are a few foundational things you need to know because without a job offer, your case hinges heavily on them:
Australia uses a points-based skilled migration system for many PR visas.
Your occupation must usually be on one of the lists of skilled occupations (e.g. MLTSSL / STSOL / regional skilled lists) depending on the visa.
You’ll need a skills assessment by the relevant assessing authority for your nominated occupation.
Strong English test scores (IELTS, PTE, etc.) make a big difference. More than just the “minimum” English level is better for higher points.
Age matters: being younger (say mid-20s to early 30s) gives more points. The upper limit is usually about 45.
Here are the visa categories or pathways you can use without needing an employer’s job offer.
| Visa Subclass / Pathway | Key Features | Requirements / Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent Visa) | Permanent visa. No job offer needed. No state nomination needed. You can live & work anywhere in Australia. | • Your occupation must be on a “relevant” skilled occupation list. • Achieve required minimum points (officially 65, though competitive occupations may need much more) • Skill assessment, English proficiency, health, character checks. • Be under 45 at time of invitation. |
| Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated Visa) | Also leads to PR. Requires nomination by an Australian state/territory, but no direct job offer requirement. Getting nominated gives bonus points. | • Your occupation must be on the state’s (or national) list of in-demand occupations. • Submit an EOI via SkillSelect. • Meet the minimum points + other usual criteria (age, English, skills) • Sometimes obligations: you might have to live/work in that state/territory for 2+ years. |
| Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional (Provisional)) | Provisional visa for regional Australia. Can lead to PR after fulfilling regional work/stay requirements. No job offer needed in many cases. Also provides extra points for regional nomination or sponsorship. | • Nomination by a state or territory or relative in eligible regional area. • Occupation on relevant lists. • Meet points, skills/English etc. • Commit to live/work in regional area for specific period (often ~3 years) after which you may apply for permanent visa (Subclass 191) if eligible. |
| Family & Partner Visas | If you have close family ties, e.g. spouse, partner, parent etc., to an Australian citizen / permanent resident, you may apply under family stream visas. Job offer not needed. | • Must prove relationship, good health, character. • Must meet financial & other obligations. • Not always “fast”, depends on subclass. |
| Student → Graduate Work → Skilled Migration | This is an indirect route: study in Australia, get work rights through Post-Study Work visas, build relevant work experience / credentials, then apply for skilled migration (189, 190 or others). While job offer may help, it’s not strictly required in many skilled migration streams. |
Since you don’t have that “employer support / offer” boost, your profile has to compensate in other areas. Below are proven levers you can pull to raise your chances.
Maximize your points
Education: Higher qualifications (Master’s, PhD) or credentials that are well recognized. If you can get qualifications in Australia, that helps more.
Experience: More years of relevant skilled work experience, especially overseas. Even small differences in experience can add up.
English proficiency: Try to get “Proficient” or “Superior” English levels. e.g. IELTS 7+, high PTE scores etc. This is often a deal-breaker.
Age: If you are younger, you get more points. So applying earlier helps. <45 is required.
Choose an occupation in demand
Check the Medium- and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), or whatever updated “skilled occupation” list relevant to your visa. If your occupation is in high demand, competition is lower & chances are better.
Consider occupations in regional areas, or ones for which states are offering nominations. These often give bonus points.
State nominations / regional options
Subclass 190 and 491 allow you to gain extra points via state nomination or regional commitment. Align with state priorities. Sometimes state lists differ from national; some states have weight-lifted needs in certain occupations.
Regional offers more bonus points and possibly lower competition.
Skills Assessment
Get your skills assessed. This usually means comparing your qualifications + work experience to Australian standards via relevant bodies. Do this early. It takes time.
Make sure your documents, certifications etc. are valid, verifiable. Any gaps or issues here can delay or kill your application.
Improve English scores & other “bonus” attributes
If possible: e.g. partner skills, regional study, specialist education, community language accreditation (if applicable) can add small bonus points.
Stay updated if there are “specialised” bonus points for certain things (e.g. studying in regional Australia, NAATI language accreditation, etc.).
Submit a strong EOI (Expression of Interest) via SkillSelect
Be precise: choose the right occupation(s), states (for nomination), visa subclass(es). <br> – Keep your profile updated (if you gain more work experience / better English / additional qualifications after submitting, then update).
Monitor trends: what are the cut-offs or point-levels for invitations in recent rounds, for your occupation or similar occupations. That gives you a realistic idea of how “high” your score has to be.
Backup & alternatives
While working on your main path (e.g. 189 / 190), think about alternative plans: e.g. family visas if applicable, post-study work, or even temporary visas that allow you to live in Australia, gain local experience, and then apply for PR. <br> – Some people may consider doing further studies (in Australia) so that they get “Australian study requirement” points. <br> – Or consider occupations or states with lower competition.
Points requirements are somewhat “fluid”: while the official minimum is often 65 points, in many rounds the effective cut-off (the score you actually need to get an invitation) is much higher. So, targeting “just meeting the minimum” may not be enough.
Visa subclass rules, state occupation lists, regional incentives often change, so always check the latest from Australia Dept of Home Affairs and relevant state websites.
English test requirements / acceptable score bands sometimes updated. Also, more test types may get accepted or conditions may change.
There has been increased scrutiny of qualifications & credentials, documentation, and background checks (health, character). Make sure these are clean and verifiable.
| Pros | Cons / Challenges |
|---|---|
| You are not dependent on finding an employer willing to sponsor you, which can be difficult especially from outside Australia. | Because you don’t have that employer guarantee, you likely need higher points or more “bonus” components to be competitive. |
| More flexibility in choosing where you live/work (especially with 189) rather than being tied to an employer/sponsor. | There may be more competition (many applicants apply under 189, 190 without job offers) which drives up the “bar” in terms of points, especially for popular occupations. |
| State or regional paths can add extra incentives (extra points, relaxed criteria). | Getting nominated (for 190 or 491) may have additional conditions (commitment to stay in that state/region, live/work there for some years). |
| If successful, PR gives almost same benefits as any other PR route. | Processing times can still be lengthy. Also, upgrading your profile (better English, more work experience) takes time & expense. |
Here’s how you might plan your path:
Check your occupation status
Find out whether your current qualification + experience map to an occupation on the MLTSSL or other relevant list. Use official sources. If not, see if a related occupation might work.
Get a skills assessment done early
Identify which assessing authority for your occupation (e.g. Engineers Australia, VETASSESS, etc.), prepare documents, get them evaluated. Make sure any foreign degrees are appropriately recognized.
Prepare your English test
Choose a test (IELTS / PTE / TOEFL etc.), set a target higher than minimum so you can get bonus points (Proficient / Superior English). Practice, perhaps take coaching.
Calculate your points accurately
Use official calculators (or several) — factor age, education, work experience, English, spouse factors (if applicable), and possible bonus points (state nomination, regional, specialised qualifications, etc.). Identify weak spots and plan to strengthen them.
Decide on which visa subclass(es) to aim for
Likely 189 (if you can get high points without needing state nomination), or 190 (if a state needs your occupation and nomination is possible), or 491 (if you are comfortable in regional location).
Research state nomination / regional options
Look for which Australian states/territories currently nominate your occupation. See what their additional criteria are (some may want you to commit to live in that state for a period).
Submit EOI via SkillSelect
Once you have your profile (skills assessment, English scores etc.), lodge an EOI. Choose the subclass(es) you want. Select states if needed.
While waiting, strengthen your profile
Gain more work experience
Improve English + try to get higher bands
If possible, get more qualifications / specialisation (online, or even further study)
Consider studying in Australia (if feasible) for bonus points
Receive invitation, apply for visa
If you’re invited, collect all required documents (health, character, curriculum vitae, proof of experience, degree etc.), lodge the application.
After visa grant, satisfy any conditions
Especially for 190 / 491, states or regional requirements like residing or working in designated areas etc.
Avoid relying only on the minimum point threshold. If many others in your occupation have higher scores, you may not get selected/invited if you’re just hovering around the minimum.
Don’t delay skills assessment; sometimes authorities change rules about what they accept.
Keep your EOI updated if things change in your profile (new qualification, improved English, more experience).
Make sure your documents are well prepared, with translations if needed, proof of experience, reference letters.
Be sure to check “state nomination requirements” thoroughly—they vary a lot. Some states may require a certain minimum score or additional criteria.
Case A: 28-year-old software engineer, 5 years of work experience, Master’s degree, English IELTS 8. If her occupation is on MLTSSL and she has a good skills assessment, she could fairly competitively apply for Subclass 189 without needing a job offer.
Case B: 35-year-old mid-level nurse with 8 years’ experience, English good score, Bachelor’s degree. She might need state nomination (Subclass 190) or accept a regional pathway (Subclass 491) to get enough bonus points.
Case C: Someone with fewer years of experience (say 2-3), maybe a Bachelor, standard English. They might first consider further work experience, or study (possibly in Australia) to improve credentials, then apply.
