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Amit Taya (Perth): +61 426 488 909 | Harmandeep Kaur (Adelaide): +61 8 8120 4199
Amit Taya (Perth): +61 426 488 909 | Harmandeep Kaur (Adelaide): +61 8 8120 4199
If you are a working professional with relevant skills and are looking for a way to migrate to Australia, the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa, or subclass 491 visa, might be one of the better options for you. The visa is for people who are ready to reside, work, and study in regional Australia. It also has an open route to permanent residence if you are eligible.
In this guide, we’ll explain the main 491 visa requirements, go through the step-by-step application process, and outline your obligations after your visa is granted. By the end, you’ll know what is required and how to give yourself the best chance of securing this visa.
Also Read: Australia Skilled Worker Visa: Eligibility, Steps & Advantages
The visa subclass 491 is a mid-tier visa for skilled individuals who want to build their life in regional Australia. It is a 5-year visa and allows you and your family members to live, work, and study in a given regional area.
Once you maintain this visa for 3 years and are meeting the visa conditions, you can apply for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191), which allows you to remain in Australia indefinitely. You can apply for the 491 visa in Australia in two ways:
State or Territory Nomination, where your Australian state or territory nominates you according to their eligibility criteria.
Family Sponsorship, where a suitable relative residing in a regional area sponsors you.
The procedures you must undertake depend on whether you apply under state/territory nomination or family sponsorship.
The Australian government has established what “regional” means for migration purposes.
Category 2 – Cities and Major Regional Centres: Embodies cities such as Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, and Geelong.
Category 3 – Regional Centres and Other Regional Areas.
Regions not included as regional are Greater Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.
The government maintains a list of postcodes that indicate which areas are officially defined as “designated regional areas.” Always consult this list before choosing where to live or work.
Also Read: Visa 190 vs 491: Which One Matches Your Australian PR Goals
You must have a sponsor who is one of the following and is eligible to sponsor you:
An Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen, usually living in a designated regional area. Eligible relatives include:
Obtaining the visa subclass 491 is just the beginning. If it is granted, you and your family members need to:
For example, if you were nominated by Victoria, you would also have to reside and work in a designated regional area of Victoria for a minimum of 2 years, since this is part of your 491 visa requirements when applying for state nomination.
Failure to meet the above may risk your visa.
You must pass the base points score to qualify for the subclass 491 visa. The system prioritises factors like age, education, and work experience, with additional points for state nomination or sponsorship by family members.
You must also achieve the minimum points score as stipulated by the Department of Home Affairs. Points for:
Also Read: Top Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for Australian PR
An application for the 491 visa comes with costs and processing times. Knowing the costs in advance and average processing times enables you to prepare. The approximate cost for the main applicant and subsequent entrant starts from AUD4,910.00.
Significant cost heads are:
Approximate processing time: 8 to 18 months, depending on pathway and completeness of documents. Early submission of documents decreases delays. Budgeting for additional costs (translations, certifications) is recommended.
Taking the help of an immigration agent Adelaide can make sure that you do not make any mistakes and get your visa on time.
Here are some tips that you can follow to make sure you are successful in getting your visa.
The subclass 491 visa is a solid route to Australian permanent residency, particularly for skilled migrants who are willing to settle in regional Australia. The success lies in fulfilling the state or territory nomination criteria, and most importantly, in the case of Victoria. You can even seek the assistance of a visa agent in Adelaide to streamline the entire process.
By investing in regional Australia and fulfilling all the visa 491 requirements, you not only enhance your prospects of achieving the visa, but you also establish a secure path to permanent residency in the future based on the subclass 191 visa.
