Skilled Independent Visa (Points-Tested PR)

Absolutely not. This is the defining holy grail of the Subclass 189: it requires zero employer sponsorship and zero state sponsorship. It grants you pure, independent Permanent Residency upon issuance.

If you age past 45 while sitting in the SkillSelect pool waiting for an invitation, your EOI automatically becomes invalid. You cannot apply for a points-based independent skilled migration visa past the age of 44.

The visa grants permanent residency indefinitely *within* Australia. However, the 'travel facility' allowing you to freely exit and re-enter strictly expires after 5 years. After 5 years, if you haven't obtained citizenship, you must apply for a Resident Return Visa (RRV) to fly back in.