Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (SC 491)
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491)
The Skilled Work Subclass 491 Regional visa holders must reside, work, and attend school in a regional area of Australia.
It is a temporary General Skilled Migration visa. Possessors are eligible to apply for a permanent Regional visa if certain residency conditions have been satisfied.
Visa Criteria
To Be eligible for this visa, the applicant must
- Be in the age range of 18 to 44, inclusive.
- Have at least Functional English, and dependent family members over the age of 18 have Competent English or above.
- Obtain a favorable skill evaluation for a job on the applicable Skilled occupation list.
- This is the Medium-Long Term Skills Shortage List for applicants who are sponsored by their families (MLTSSL).
- This includes the MLTSSL, the STSOL, the ROL, and a State/Territory Occupations List for applicants who have been nominated by their State or territory.
- Pass the skilled migration points test with a score of at least 65.
- Apply by submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) through the SkillSelect system.
- Being sponsored by a qualified family member or having a State or Territory government nominate you.
- Meet health requirements.
- Meet character requirements.
If granted, the applicant can
- Stay in Australia for 5 years.
- Live, work and study in a designated regional area of Australia.
- Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want, while the visa is valid.
- Apply for permanent residence after 3 years from the time your visa is granted.
- Work in any occupation.
After receiving an invitation to apply for a skilled visa, you have 60 days (about 2 months) to submit your application, or the invitation expires. As a result, it is crucial that you have the necessary papers ready to submit as soon as you receive the invitation.
Nomination by a State or Territory Government
A list of the professions in demand in each State and Territory is made public. There can be certain standards for job experience, proficiency in the English language, or specialised talents that are different from those set by the Department of Immigration. Checking the State/Territory requirements is crucial before beginning an application.
Sponsorship from an Eligible Family Member
Only jobs listed on the MLTSSL are eligible for nomination by applicants through the family sponsored pathway.
- 18 years old or older.
- An eligible New Zealand citizen, an Australian citizen, or an Australian permanent resident.
- An eligible relative is someone who is a parent, child, sibling, aunt, uncle, grandparent, nephew, or first cousin.
Where can I be when I apply?
When you apply for a Subclass 491 Visa, you may be in Australia or abroad. You would need to possess either a substantive visa or a Bridging A, B, or C visa to lodge from within Australia (i.e., onshore). You would automatically be granted a bridging visa, allowing you to stay in Australia while your visa application was being processed, after submitting an onshore application.
You can include the following types of family members in your application:
- Spouse or de facto partner (including a spouse or partner of the same sex).
- Dependent children.
If for some reason they cannot be included at the time of lodgement, partners and dependent children may be added to an application after it has been submitted.
Duration and Conditions
The visa is transitory in nature and allows applicants to stay in Australia for up to five years after it has been granted. In addition to having full employment rights, visa holders will have access to Medicare. All visa holders of the Subclass 491 visa must reside, work, and attend school in a regional area of Australia. In order to qualify for a visa through the State/Territory nominated stream, applicants must live in the State or Territory that nominated them. Your family must enter Australia for the first time before your police and health clearances expire if you are outside of Australia when the visa is granted.
Conversion to Permanent Residency
After residing and working in a regional area for at least three years, it is possible to apply for a permanent Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa. The applicant must demonstrate that they have lived in a regional area of Australia for the past three years and meet specific income standards. The 189, 190, or 820 Partner visas, as well as other permanent visas, cannot be applied for until the applicant has had the 494 for the required three years.
The Regional Areas of Australia are shown below, according to postcode.
The following visa types are relevant for immigrants who desire to apply for or already possess them:
- Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional Provisional visa.
- Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Provisional Visa.
- Subclass 482 Temporary Skills Shortage visa.
- Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Regional) visa.
- Subclass 485 Graduate Temporary (Post-Study) visa (longer validity period).
- Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa (points for regional study).
- Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated visa (points for regional study).
| State or Territory | Category | Postcodes |
| New South Wales | Cities and major regional centres. | 2259, 2264 to 2308, 2500 to 2526, 2528 to 2535 and 2574. |
| New South Wales | Regional centres and other regional areas. | 2250 to 2258, 2260 to 2263, 2311 to 2490, 2527, 2536 to 2551, 2575 to 2739, 2753 to 2754, 2756 to 2758 and 2773 to 2898. |
| Victoria | Cities and major regional centres. | 3211 to 3232, 3235, 3240, 3328, 3330 to 3333, 3340 and 3342. |
| Victoria | Regional centres and other regional areas. | 3097 to 3099, 3139, 3233 to 3234, 3236 to 3239, 3241 to 3325, 3329, 3334, 3341, 3345 to 3424, 3430 to 3799, 3809 to 3909, 3912 to 3971 and 3978 to 3996. |
| Queensland | Cities and major regional centres. | 4207 to 4275, 4517 to 4519, 4550 to 4551, 4553 to 4562, 4564 to 4569 and 4571 to 4575. |
| Queensland | Regional centres and other regional areas. | 4124 to 4125, 4133, 4183 to 4184, 4280 to 4287, 4306 to 4498, 4507, 4552, 4563, 4570 and 4580 to 4895. |
| Western Australia | Cities and major regional centres. | 6000 to 6038, 6050 to 6083, 6090 to 6182, 6208 to 6211, 6214 and 6556 to 6558. |
| Western Australia | Regional centres and other regional areas. | All postcodes in Western Australia not mentioned above |
| South Australia | Cities and major regional centres. | 5000 to 5171, 5173 to 5174, 5231 to 5235, 5240 to 5252, 5351 and 5950 to 5960. |
| South Australia | Regional centres and other regional areas | All postcodes in South Australia not mentioned above |
| Tasmania | Cities and major regional centres. | 7000, 7004 to 7026, 7030 to 7109, 7140 to 7151 and 7170 to 7177. |
| Tasmania | Regional centres and other regional areas. | All postcodes in Tasmania not mentioned above |
| Australian Capital Territory | Cities and major regional centres. | All postcodes in the ACT |
| Australian Capital Territory | Regional centres and other regional areas. | None |
| Northern Territory | Cities and major regional centres. | None |
| Northern Territory | Regional centres and other regional areas. | All postcodes in the NT |
| Norfolk Island | Cities and major regional centres. | None |
| Norfolk Island | Regional centres and other regional areas. | All postcodes in Norfolk Island. |
| Other Territories | Cities and major regional centres. | None. |
| Other Territories | Regional centres and other regional areas. | All postcodes in a Territory other than the ACT, NT, or Norfolk Island. |
Existing Subclass 489 visa holders are required to stay within the designated regional areas in effect at the time of visa issuance.
