Why consider a Skilled Work Regional Provisional Visa (Subclass 491)?
What is a Skilled Work Regional Provisional visa?
A Skilled Work Regional Provisional (subclass 491) visa allows for temporary residence in Australia for a period of 5 years. An individual will need to reside and live in an area classified as a ‘designated regional area’. A designated regional area will typically be located outside of Australia’s capital cities, and the purpose of the visa is to incentivise migrants to support Australia’s regional communities and bolster their labour force. After an individual has held a subclass 491 visa for a period of 3 years, they can apply for permanent residency under a Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) (Subclass 191) visa, which will allow them to live and work anywhere in Australia.
What are the advantages of a regional visa?
As part of the federal government’s efforts to encourage growth in regional suburbs and cities under its Migration Strategy, it has committed to maintaining a high planning level of regional visas. Other visa streams, such as Skilled Independent (subclass 189), have experienced a significant decline in planning levels this year, whereas the planned number of regional visas has increased.
A subclass 491 visa also has the widest list of applicable ‘skilled occupations’ compared to other subclasses, allowing for more individuals from a range of different occupations to successfully obtain a visa. Additionally, an application made for a subclass 491 visa will receive priority processing over most visa applications, and an employer-sponsored regional visa under subclass 494 has the highest priority.
All applicants for a skilled migration visa will need to satisfy the requirements of the points test, which awards various points to applicants based on the number of desirable skills or qualities they possess. As part of the points test, if you receive an invitation to apply for a regional visa under Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa subclass 489 or subclass 491, then you will be eligible to receive an additional 15 points. The more points that an applicant has, the more likely they are to be selected for an invitation, so by choosing a regional visa, you can stand out from other applicants.
How can you apply & What are the Requirements for a Subclass 491 visa?
You will need to be invited by a state or territory government instead of applying directly for a visa.
At the beginning of the process, you will need to undergo a skills assessment based on your nominated occupation. You will also need to have a proficient level of English, be under the age of 45 and hold at least 65 points under the points test prior to receiving an invitation from a state or territory government. As 15 points are awarded for applying for a regional visa, it will be easier to meet the minimum point requirement.
You will be able to lodge an expression of interest (EOI) and are placed into a pool of skilled applicants. If you are selected for an invitation, you will have 60 days to lodge an application for the visa.
Client Testimonials
….we call it Support Network
As navigating through the immigration law process may be difficult, our former clients have agreed to share their experiences through telephone chats, emails and meetings in person.
These are their stories…
How Can Agape Henry Crux Help
At Agape Henry Crux, we specialise in Immigration Law, and our team of Accredited Specialist Immigration Lawyers, immigration lawyers, and migration agents are experts in handling highly complex matters. To seek professional advice on your next visa pathway, you may schedule an appointment with one of our lawyers or agents by calling 02-8310 5230 or emailing us at info@ahclawyers.com.
We speak fluent English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Malay. If this isn’t your language, we can also help you arrange an interpreter.
This article/presentation (“publication”) does not deal extensively with important topics or changes in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you find this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances, please contact our office.
