The Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is a temporary residency visa for skilled workers who want to live and work in designated regional areas of Australia. It is a points-based visa, with applicants being awarded points for factors such as age, education, work experience, and language proficiency.

Features

• It allows skilled workers who are nominated by an Australian state or territory government.
• You can live and work in designated regions of Australia.
• You can travel to and from Australia as many times as you want, while the visa is valid.
• You can apply for permanent residence, if eligible, through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) – which startedon 16 November 2022. You can’t apply for other permanent visas until you have held your subclass 491 visa for 3 years.
• You and all members of your family unit who are also holders of the visa, will need to live work and study in a designated regional area of Australia. Your nomination must not be withdrawn, or you will not be granted the visa.
• You can sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence.
• You or your partner must earn a minimum annual income ($53,900 / year) for state-sponsored streams for these three years. He can practice in any profession, but if promoted by his employer, he must work in the nominated profession.

Eligibility

• You will need to meet all skills requirement under 491 Visa.
• You will need to be nominated by a state or territory government agency.
• You will need an Australia-recognised skills assessment of your occupation.
• You will need to meet the points test pass mark of 65 points (as of 20 Dec 2022).
• You will need to submit a letter of Expression of Interest and be invited by the related authorities to apply.
• You will have to be between the age of 18 to 44 years.
• You will need to prove your English language ability.
• You will need to meet all health and character requirements.

Benefits

• These visas are Priority processing of regional applications.
• Incentives for immigrants to stay longer in the area by building connections through the workforce and community engagement.
• Additional points are awarded to subclass 491 visa applicants.

The visa is valid for five years and allows the holder to live and work in designated regional areas of Australia, along with their family. After three years, holders of the subclass 491 visa may be eligible for permanent residency through the Skilled Regional (Residence) visa (subclass 887).

The subclass 491 visa is a popular option for skilled workers who want to live and work in regional Australia, as it provides a pathway to permanent residency. The state or family nomination adds extra points to the applicant’s score on the points test, increasing their chances of being granted the visa. Additionally, the visa is designed to support economic development and population growth in regional Australia.

Start your application and Book your free consultation to assess your eligibility for 491 Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa application.