491 Visa – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa Subclass 491
This visa was previously known as a skilled regional (provisional) visa, subclass 489, then replaced by Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa Subclass 491 on 16 November 2019. The 491 visa allows you to stay temporarily in Australia for five years, and you can live, work and study in a designated regional area of Australia.
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa Subclass 491
The Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs also increased the regional migration level to 25.000 on 26 October 2019, and the expansion of the regional areas.
After those changes, this visa has been a favorite to most people around the world who want to work and migrate to Australia.
This visa also updated a new schedule for points where it brings another benefit to the applicant, and here are the updated points:
| Nomination by a State, Territory Government Agency, Sponsorship by a family member residing in Australia, to live and work in regional Australia | 15 Points |
|---|---|
| Applicants without a Spouse or De facto Partner | 10 Points |
| Certain Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Qualifications | 10 Points |
| Skilled Spouse / De Facto Partner | 10 Points |
| Spouse and De Facto with competent English | 5 Points |
This visa allows you to stay temporarily in Australia for five years, and you can live, work and study in a designated regional area of Australia. You can apply for permanent residence, if eligible, through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) – which commences on 16 November 2022.
Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 491) average processing time 2022 – 2023
Processing time for 491 Visa Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) for 2022- 2023 is 8 months for 75% of applications and 17 months for 90% of applications.
Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 491) streams
- You must be nominated to apply by a state or territory government agency, or an eligible relative must sponsor you;
- You must have an occupation on a relevant skilled occupation list;
- You must have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation;
- You must be invited to apply;
- You must be under 45 when you apply for the visa;
- You must be able to score 65 points or more;
- You must have a suitable skills assessment at the time of invitation;
- At the time of the invitation, you must demonstrate at least Competent English, which is at least 6 for each of the 4 components of your IELTS test.
The Conditions Attached In This 491 Visa
- 8515 – You must not get married or in a de-facto relationship before you enter Australia.
- 8578 – You must notify the immigration when there is a change in your passport or contact detail.
- 8579 – You can live, study and work in a designated regional area
- 8580 – You must provide evidence of your stay, study or work.
- 8581 – You must attend an interview if requested.
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa – Subclass 491 Visa Frequently Asked Questions
ONEderland Consulting managing director and also registered migration agent, Indah Melindasari, B.Com (MARN 0961 448) is here to answer your subclass 491 visa Australia questions!
- How to check my occupation? Does my occupation have to be listed?
- You may refer to the Skilled Occupation List from the Department of Home Affairs website, and your nomination has to be listed on the site.
- Is skill assessment mandatory?
- A positive skill assessment is mandatory in order to be invited to apply for this visa. Depending on your nominated occupation, you need to have a skill assessment by an authorized assessing authority.
- This must be done prior to lodging an Expression of Interest (EOI) on SkillSelect.
- How many points do I need to have?
- You may refer to the Points Calculator provided by the Department of Home Affairs.
- You need to reach 65 points, at the minimum. The higher scores you get, the better chances you will get against other migrants.
- How to calculate my points?
- The points may come from your: age, English language requirements, work experience (inside and outside Australia), credentialled community language, recognised qualifications, partner skills, State or Territory nomination or sponsorship by an eligible relative and regional study.
- Is there any minimum age to apply for this visa?
- You must be under 45 years old when applying for this visa.
- Can I include my family in this visa application?
- You can include your family members in your application, either when you lodge the visa application or include them afterwards, but before the Department finalises your application.
- How much does the visa cost?
- Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa Subclass 491 costs AUD $4,640 for the main applicant, and there will be an additional charge if you include your family members.
- The cost is as per July 2023 and will increase every July each year. There may be a second instalment of AUD $4,890 in the case of each applicant who was 18 years or more at the time of application and does not have functional English.
- How long can I stay using this visa?
- Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa Subclass 491 is a temporary visa, which allows you and your family to stay in Australia for 5 years. The visa expires five years after the Department grants it, and you may renew the visa before it expires.
- Is there any permanent visa pathway for me by applying for this visa?
- You may apply for a permanent residency in your third year, if eligible, through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) – which commences on 16 November 2022.
Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 491 Visa) Five Steps Process
Check your occupation, points and eligibility
Understand the process to apply for Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa Subclass 491 is the first thing you need to do.
The first step is to check your chosen occupation, points you score, and other requirements set for this visa.
Submit an Expression of Interest
After you check your occupation, points and eligibility, you must submit an expression of interest (EOI) for the visa to get an estimate of your points score.
Positive skills assessment is mandatory for this visa, and each occupation may have different assessing authorities.
If you indicate in your EOI that you will be sponsored by an eligible relative the Department may invite you to apply for a visa in an invitation round.
Waiting for the invitation
After you submit the EOI, you will need to wait until you are invited by the state or territory government.
Each year the Department issues a different number of invitations. It based on the number of applications they received and processed.
Gather all the required documents
If you are qualified, meet the requirements, and score the highest among all migrants in the same subclass, the Department will invite you to apply for the visa.
This time, you have to gather all the documents to apply for the visa.
Apply for the visa within 60 days of invitation
After you received the invitation to apply for the visa, the Department gives you a timeframe to apply for the visa within 60 days from the date of your invitation.
Once your documents are ready, you may lodge the visa. You can be in or outside Australia at the time you lodge the visa.
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