The Subclass 491 Visa is a temporary residency option for skilled workers who are willing to live and work in regional Australia. This visa allows you to stay in Australia for up to five years and may provide a pathway to permanent residency. To be eligible, you must nominate an occupation on Australia's Skilled Occupation List and express your interest through SkillSelect. If you receive an invitation to apply, you can then submit a formal visa application.
Australia uses a point-based system to assess candidates. This system considers factors like age, English proficiency, education, work experience, and other relevant criteria to gauge an individual's potential contribution to the local economy and adjustment in non-metropolitan areas. You'll need to achieve at least 65 points to be eligible for the visa, although invitations are often issued to candidates with higher point scores.
Obtaining a positive skills assessment is a crucial step for the Subclass 491 visa. This assessment, conducted by the relevant authority for your chosen occupation, verifies your qualifications, expertise, and experience to meet Australian employment standards in your field. Each profession has its designated assessing body that evaluates your credentials against industry benchmarks. Remember, these skills assessments have an expiration date, so ensure yours is current when applying for the Subclass 491 visa.
You need to lodge an expression of interest via SkillSelect.
You must submit documentation to back up the statements in your EOI and demonstrate that you meet the visa requirements.
Once you receive your invitation, you have the option to submit your application online. Whether you are located within or outside of Australia, you will be given a 60-day window from the date of your invitation to complete the visa application process.
Applicants will be informed by the Department of Home Affairs once their application has been received. If a bridging visa is approved, applicants will receive an official notification about the visa grant. Updates on the status of the application and any additional information required will be given to keep applicants informed throughout the process. For travel plans after submitting the application, it is recommended that applicants review any specific instructions or restrictions through their ImmiAccount.
If the visa application is approved, the applicant will be given:
In case of a refusal, the Department will provide:
Please note that if a visa application is denied, no refund will be provided for any application charges.
The Subclass 491 visa offers temporary residency in Australia for up to five years for you and your family. While this visa cannot be directly extended, it can serve as a stepping stone to permanent residency. After meeting residency requirements and other criteria for three years, you can apply for a Permanent Residency (PR) visa. This PR visa pathway involves maintaining residence in a regional area, reaching specific income thresholds, and adhering to visa conditions. Fulfilling these requirements allows you to pursue permanent residency and build a long-term future in Australia.
The Subclass 491 visa grants successful applicants and their eligible family members the chance to live, work, and study in regional Australia for up to five years. This visa serves as a pathway to permanent residency through the Subclass 191 visa, which became available in November 2022. By fulfilling specific requirements for regional residence, income thresholds, and visa conditions over three years, you can transition to permanent residency and build a long-term life in Australia.
To qualify for the Subclass 191 visa, individuals must fulfill specific criteria including:
The Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa targets skilled workers seeking temporary residency in regional Australia. It tackles skill shortages and boosts regional growth by enabling visa holders and their families to live, work, and study in designated areas for up to five years. After meeting specific criteria over three years, applicants can pursue Permanent Residency. While factors like occupation nomination, skills assessment, and state/territory nomination require attention, this visa pathway allows individuals to contribute to regional development and enjoy the benefits of temporary residency in Australia.
The Subclass 491 visa is designed for skilled workers and their families to reside and work in specified regional areas of Australia.
State nomination involves a state or territory government agency nominating skilled workers for the Subclass 491 visa depending on their occupation and their willingness to reside and work in a particular regional area.
The Subclass 491 visa requires applicants to have a suitable occupation listed in the skilled occupation list, receive a favorable skill assessment, satisfy the minimum points needed on the points test, obtain state nomination, and be within the age limit.
The points-based system allocates points depending on factors such as age, proficiency in English, work history, qualifications, and other pertinent criteria. To qualify for the Subclass 491 visa, candidates need to obtain at least 65 points.
The Subclass 491 visa includes requirements for visa holders to reside, work, and attend school in a specified regional area for at least three years. Visa holders must also adhere to all relevant Australian regulations and visa terms.
The Subclass 491 visa offers a route to permanent residency via the Subclass 191 visa. Upon holding the Subclass 491 visa for at least three years and fulfilling certain criteria, like achieving a minimum taxable income and abiding by visa terms, individuals can seek permanent residency.