Proof of Funds for the Skilled Visa (189/190): Is There a Dollar Figure?
Australia's points-tested skilled visas have no published proof-of-funds threshold. This video covers what a case officer actually assesses, how a job offer changes the case, and what happens with your money once the visa's granted. Figures as at September 2026.
Read the full guide, with official sources →
Watch
Chapters
- 0:00 189/190 proof of funds:
- 0:13 What a case officer
- 0:26 Unlike the student visa,
- 0:40 A job offer changes
- 0:51 Evidence that
- 1:03 Funds can stay overseas
- 1:14 Subclass 491 regional:
- 1:25 No TFN within 28 days
- 1:38 No $10,000 threshold
- 1:52 There's no magic number.
- 2:05 Where to read more
Transcript
How much money do you need to show for a subclass 189 or 190 visa? There's no published figure — unlike the student visa.
Home Affairs asks whether you have adequate means to support yourself and your dependants. Case officers look at your declared savings, your employment history, whether you have a job offer, and how many dependants you're bringing.
That's different from the student visa, which does have a specific published living-costs figure. For the 189, the 190, and the 491, there is no dollar minimum published anywhere.
A confirmed job offer changes the assessment. It turns the question from can this person survive while job-hunting, into can they cover costs until their first payday.
The strongest applications combine several kinds of evidence: recent bank statements, payslips or an employer letter, your most recent tax return, and a job offer or contract if you have one.
You don't have to move your money to Australia before the visa is granted. Bank statements from your overseas accounts are accepted as evidence, in whatever currency they're held.
For the subclass 491 regional visa, the approach is the same, but lower living costs in regional areas can work in your favour if you don't have a job lined up yet.
Once the visa's granted, a few financial steps move fast. If you start work before you have a Tax File Number, your employer withholds tax at the top rate unless you give them one within 28 days of starting.
Moving your funds is a separate step from proving they exist. Every international wire is reported to AUSTRAC automatically, at any amount — there's no AUD $10,000 threshold for wires, and nothing for you to file.
The single biggest misconception is that there's a magic number to hit. There isn't. What matters is the overall picture: savings, employment, and family size, together.
The full guide, with the official sources, is on migratio.com.au. The link is in the description.
Short versions
- Is there a dollar figure for the 189 or 190? (0:30)
- Got a job offer in Australia? It changes your case (0:32)
- You don't need to move your money before the visa's granted (0:33)
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