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The Skilled Work Visa (subclass 491) is for skilled people nominated by a state or territory government to live and work in regional Australia. Introduced in 2019, the Skilled Regional visa (subclass) 491 replaced the already existing subclass 489.
Skilled Work Visa (subclass 491) allows skilled workers to live and work in regional & designated parts of Australia and get the benefits that come with an Australian PR visa. The designated area of Australia includes Newcastle, Wollongong and the NSW Central Coast except for Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne.
There are two visa categories available under this subclass:
It is a provisional visa for skilled workers who want to live and work in regional Australia. Eligible candidates can:
To be eligible under this category, the applicant must:
An applicant who is a family member of someone who already holds a Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) can apply under this category. The visa remains valid until your family member with a Skilled Work Regional (subclass 190) visa enjoys visa validity.
You can enjoy the following benefits with this visa type you can:
There are many benefits of the Skilled Work Regional Visa (subclass 491). Some of them are listed below:
The application process for a subclass 491 visa entails several steps, from verifying if your occupation is listed in the Skilled Occupation List, gathering your documents, undergoing skill assessment, to finally submitting your visa application.
Let’s walk through each stage of the process systematically:
Step 1: Check Skilled Occupation List Verify if your occupation is included in the Skilled Occupation List, which is annually published by the Australian Government.
Step 2: Skills Assessment Have your skill set evaluated by the relevant Australian organizations.
Step 3: Points System The Australian Government employs a points system for visa applications. You must score a minimum of 65 points to receive an invitation.
Step 4: Expression of Interest (EOI) Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the Department of Home Affairs via SkillSelect. SkillSelect meticulously evaluates those 65 points before you can proceed with the application.
Step 5: Submission of Supporting Documents Upon acceptance of your EOI, the Department of Home Affairs will invite you to apply formally. Within 60 days, submit your supporting documents. It’s advisable to collect these documents beforehand. Apply through ImmiAccount and ensure payment of the required fee within the stipulated time frame.
Step 6: Application Status Verification Once your application is lodged, you’ll receive an email. Log in to your ImmiAccount to monitor the progress of your application.
Note: All applicants must undergo medical examinations and biometric scans.
Step 7: Visa Approval Upon approval of your visa, anticipate receiving an email containing your visa grant number, start date, and terms and conditions. If you encounter any challenges during the application process, don’t hesitate to reach out for assistance.
You are allowed to remain in Australia for 5 years with a visa under subclass 491. There are no provisions for extending the Skilled Regional visa. However, following the completion of the third year, if you wish to continue residing there, you can commence the process of applying for a Permanent Residency (PR) visa, provided you have met the requisite conditions over the initial three years.
To be eligible for a 491 visa, you must satisfy the following criteria:
The Australian Department of Immigration prioritizes applications in the following order of hierarchy:
Skilled Work Regional Visa (subclass 491) operates as per a points system. Once the applicants submit their EOI, they get indicative points based on the information provided like age, language proficiency, work experience, educational qualification etc. To be eligible applicant must achieve 65 points in the point calculator for Skilled Work Regional Visa (subclass 491).
Eligible applicant receives an Invitation to Apply which will state the number of points required to score when your application will be evaluated for granting of the said visa.
Planning to settle in Australia permanently, but unaware of the right visa pathway for your profile? Discover your chances of attaining an Australian PR visa with expert immigration advice from Universal Adviser counsellors for Australia.
Experienced in Australian PR Visa, Universal Adviser is one of the best immigration consultants in India. We believe in rendering reliable immigration solutions to clients throughout the country and have managed to garner a huge clientele across India.
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