3. Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491)

What You Can Do with a Skilled Work Regional Visa

With a valid Skilled Work Regional Visa (Subclass 491), you may live, work, and study in designated regional areas of Australia, stay in Australia for up to five years, travel in and out of Australia while the visa remains valid, include eligible family members in your visa application, and apply for permanent residency through the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) Visa if eligible.

• State or Territory Nominated Stream: Applicants may be nominated by an Australian state or territory government. Each state or territory has its own nomination requirements and occupation lists. These requirements may include occupation availability on the state nomination list, relevant work experience, minimum English language proficiency, and commitment to living and working in the nominating state.

• Family Sponsored Stream: Applicants may also be sponsored by an eligible relative who lives in a designated regional area of Australia. Eligible relatives may include parents, children, siblings, aunts or uncles, nephews or nieces, grandparents, or first cousins. The sponsoring relative must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen who usually resides in a designated regional area.

• Occupation Requirement: Applicants must nominate an occupation that appears on the relevant Skilled Occupation List. The nominated occupation must match the applicant’s qualifications and work experience.

• Skills Assessment: Applicants must obtain a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for their nominated occupation. The skills assessment must be valid at the time of invitation.

• Expression of Interest (EOI): Applicants must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through the SkillSelect system. If the applicant meets the criteria and receives state nomination or family sponsorship, the Department of Home Affairs may issue an invitation to apply for the visa. Applicants typically have 60 days to lodge the visa application after receiving the invitation.

• Points Test: The Subclass 491 visa is a points-tested visa. Applicants must score at least 65 points based on factors such as age, English language ability, skilled work experience, educational qualifications, Australian study, and partner skills or other additional factors.

• Nomination or Family Sponsorship: Nomination or family sponsorship for this visa provides an additional 15 points toward the points test score.

• Age Requirement: Applicants must be under 45 years of age at the time of invitation.

• English Language Requirement: Applicants must demonstrate competent English or higher. Accepted English tests may include IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, and Cambridge English. Higher English scores may contribute additional points under the migration points test.

• Health and Character Requirements: Applicants and any included family members must meet Australia’s health and character requirements, which may involve medical examinations, police clearance certificates, or background checks conducted by relevant authorities.

• Family Members: Applicants may include eligible family members, such as partners and dependent children, in their visa application. Family members included in the application will receive the same visa status as the primary applicant.