Everything You Need To Know About Subclass 491 Visa

If you want to work in Australia and are thinking about settling in Australia, there are many options available for you and one of them is the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Subclass (SC) 491 visa. Without further ado, this is some information you need to know.

1. To be eligible for SC 491 visa, you must be:

- Nominated by a state/territory government or be sponsored by an eligible relative in a designated regional area - Most of the Regional State/territory governments require the applicants to study in that regional area for at least 12 months and/or work there for a certain period of time which may range between 3 to 12 months depending on each of the state/territory government’s requirements. - You are also required to meet the DHA (Department of Home Affairs) points test. However, it is much easier to meet the points test for the SC491 visa (compared to SC189 and SC190) as you will be awarded 15 points once you meet the state/territory requirements.

2. Allowed to live, study, and work in some period of time.

As a temporary visa holder of SC491, you are allowed to stay in Australia for 5 years in a designated region of Australia and you will be eligible for Medicare benefits. As long as your visa is still valid, you are still able to travel to and from Australia whenever you want to. Go to your registered migration agent and ask for their advice on what kind of visa you should apply for and the requirements in detail. One of the best-registered migration agents in Sydney is Pace Migration & Education Consultancy which you can book for a quick chat or a full consultation.

2. Brings Families to Australia

When you are eligible for a Skilled Work Regional Subclass 491 visa, you can have your family members included on your visa application provided they were declared on the EOI (Expression of Interest) Application. However, there are some rules and requirements you have to follow when you are planning to add your family. If your partner or dependent child is not included in your visa application, you need to explain it to the immigration officer whether it is because your partner or child already has Australian citizenship or a permanent resident or for other reasons.

3. Able to apply for PR (Permanent Residence)

If you wish to extend your stay in Australia, you may consider applying for a PR (Permanent Residency) visa subclass 191 which requires you to have lived for at least 3 years in a designated regional area and have had a taxable income at or above a specific income threshold (at least $53,900 per year ) for at least three years while holding the 491 visas. Please note that if you already have your subclass 491 visa for 3 years, you will not be able to make a Subclass 820 (Partner) visa, or granted Subclass 132 (Business Talent), Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme), Subclass 188 (Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional)), Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent), Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated), and Subclass 858 (Distinguished talent) visas.

4. The cost and language requirements

If you decide to apply for Subclass 491 visa, you will need to pay certain things for the main applicant, second instalment, other costs that will be used for a health check, police certificates and biometrics, and you may have to pay for extra charges too. You will have to pay AUD 4,045 for the main applicant and AUD 2,025 for the secondary applicant (your spouse) and $1,010 (child under 18) if your family members are going with you. Another fee you need to pay will be given to you if you have a member of your family at the age of 18 years old or older that did not meet the minimum score of English requirement. Before the visa application, make sure that you meet the DHA English requirements and your family members scored at least functional English. You can take IELTS, TOEFL CBT, PTE Academic, or CAE English test. If you are still unsure about the cost, you may get in touch with Pace Migration & Education Consultancy so they can help you with the Subclass 491 visa.

5. Meet the skills requirements

During your application, you should also declare and ensure that you have the occupation and skills that the state/territory government needs. You will be required to provide the skills assessment outcome that you have obtained within the last 3 years before your invitation. If your skills were assessed based on a qualification you got in Australia when you held a student visa, the qualification must be from studying a course registered on CRICOS. Please note that your nominated occupation must be listed on MLTSSL or STSOL in addition to being listed on your preferred state/territory governments' list. If you have a relative in Australia who is willing to sponsor you for the SC491 visa in the regional state/territory then the relative/family member needs to meet the following criteria/requirements: The eligible relative Sponsor must be: - 18 years old or older - usually resident in a designated area of Australia for at least 12 months. - be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen - be your eligible relative or your partner’s eligible relative if your partner is also applying for this visa An eligible relative can be: - a parent - a child or step-child - a brother, sister, adoptive brother, adoptive sister, step-brother or step-sister - an aunt, uncle, adoptive aunt, adoptive uncle, step-aunt or step-uncle - a nephew, niece, adoptive nephew, adoptive niece, step-nephew or step-niece - a grandparent If you have any questions about Australian Visas, do not hesitate to contact us. Pace Migration & Education Consultancy ☎️ (612) 9267 8008 0416570818 / 0452 003 944 [email protected] / [email protected] www.pacemigration.com.au Source: immi.homeaffairs.gov.au, liveinmelbourne.vic.gov.au.