Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) allows skilled migrants to live, study and work in designated regional areas for a period of 5 years, with a pathway to permanent residency. This is a provisional visa that allows you to live, work and study in a designated regional area of Australia. After 3 years, subclass 491 visa holders may be eligible to apply for the subclass 191 visa which provides permanent residency.
Applicants for this visa must be nominated by:
an Australian state or territory government agency. Regional areas are defined as any area excluding Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Important change: Perth and Gold Coast are classified as regional areas. Or
Sponsored by an eligible family member residing in a designated regional area and be invited to apply for the visa, following submission of an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect.
Who can apply for visa 491?
The 491 visa can be applied for from within or outside of Australia. Applicants within Australia must hold a substantive visa or a Bridging A, B or C. To be eligible to apply for Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) nomination, you must:
You must have a skilled occupation on the relevant Medium and Long Term Strategic Skilled List (MLTSSL), Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) or Regional Occupation List (ROL),
You must be nominated by an Australian State or Territory agency or sponsored by an eligible relative living in a designated area.
You must obtain an invitation to apply for the visa. To be invited you will have to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect and meet the required points test on a competitive basis.
You must be aged under 45 to be invited to apply for the visa. If you turn 45 after you submit your EOI but before we invite you to apply you will not receive an invite.
You must have a suitable skills assessment from the relevant skills assessing authority in relation to your nominated occupation.
You must have at least Competent English.
You must have achieved at least 65 pointsexternal link on the Australian Government’s points test for your Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect.
How to apply for 491 visa?
The visa process consists of four steps:
Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairsexternal link using SkillSelectexternal link.
Using the EOI number received from SkillSelect, you will submit a Registration of Interest (ROI) for Victorian nomination via the Live in Melbourne portalexternal link.
If you are invited, you will submit a nomination application in the Live in Melbourne portal.
If your nomination application is successful, you will submit a visa application for your selected visa with the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs.
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