491 Visa - Skilled Work Regional (Provisional)
The 491 visa is a temporary residence visa which will allow you and your family members an opportunity to live, work or study in designated regional areas in Australia for a period of 05 years. But don’t worry as this visa will lead you to permanent residency after just 03 years of residence in a designated regional area.
To qualify for this visa, you must be a skilled worker and be nominated by an Australian state or territory government, provided you satisfy their requirements. You can also apply if you are sponsored by an eligible family member residing in a designated regional area.
The 491 visas are given priority processing as they are intended to address the skills shortage in regional areas of Australia. Interested in building a life in Australia? Consider the SC 491 visa for a quick entry to your Australian Permanent Residency dream.
Making your skill assessment
Our team of experts will undertake a thorough review of your education and background and recommend to you the best occupation to obtain a skill assessment in.
We will carefully review the eligibility criteria of the relevant skill assessing body and advise you on the steps you must take to be qualify for the skill assessment. We will prepare your skill assessment application and submit it together with all the required documents.
Lodging your Expression of Interest and Registration of Interest
We will support you by preparing a complete and accurate Expression of Interest to declare to the Australian federal government your intention to obtain the SC 491 visa. We will advise you on ways to maximize your points to stand a better chance of being invited.
Thereafter, we will also submit a Registration of Interest with the relevant state to increase your chances of receiving a nomination.
Making your visa application
MJ Legal will prepare your visa application that is compliant with the current laws and regulations. We ensure to make a timely submission of your application.
491 Visa Requirements
It is important that you meet the Department of Home Affairs criteria first to be eligible to receive a state nomination. These include:
- Be under 45 years of age at the time of invitation
- Have an occupation on the relevant skilled occupations list
- Obtain a suitable skill assessment
- Score at least 65 points
- Demonstrate competent English i.e. IELTS 6.0 in each band or PTE 50 in each component
- Be nominated by a state or territory government or sponsored by an eligible family relative residing in a designated regional area
- Receive an invitation to apply from the federal government
- Meet the Australian health and character requirements
491 visa state nomination requirements
You must be nominated by an Australian state or territory to apply for this visa.
The federal government publishes the annual allocations and the spots available for the SC 491 visa in all Australian states. Subsequently, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory publish their state nomination requirements. These can include specifications on employment, residency and number of points.
Meet the skills requirement
What should a prospective SC 491 applicant be mindful about? You should first check if your nominated occupation is on the list of eligible skilled occupations. You should also ensure that your occupation is on the relevant state’s skilled occupation list.
Thereafter, check if you meet the eligibility criteria to obtain the skill assessment for your nominated occupation. Skills for different occupations are assessed by various skill assessing bodies.
Calculating your points
You must have sufficient points for a state or territory government agency to nominate you for this visa.
You must have a minimum of 65 points to meet the Department’s (Federal government) requirements. Additionally, different states may have separate requirements for points. You can check your points score on the Australian points test calculator. If you are nominated by a state or territory government, you can claim an extra 15 points.
491 visa fees
Department fees for the SC 491 visa:
- Main applicant: AUD 4,240.00
- Secondary applicant over 18 years: AUD 2,120.00
- Secondary applicant under 18 years: AUD 1,060.00
- Second instalment charge: AUD 4,890
Skill assessment fees
You must make an additional payment to the relevant skill-assessing body to obtain your skill assessment.
Skill assessments can cost from AUD 600.00 upwards.
Other fees
Be prepared to incur additional costs for English language tests, health assessments, and other requirements to make your application.
Our costs
Want to find out our costs? Call us now.
What can you do with the SC 491 visa?
There are several benefits to obtaining the SC 491 visa.
- You can stay in Australia for a period of 05 years and work or study in a designated regional area
- After 03 years of residence, you are eligible to apply for permanent residency through the SC 189 or 190 visas
- You can also apply for permanent residency through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) Subclass 191 visa provided you meet the requirements
- You can bring your partner and children to join you in Australia
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FAQs
After 03 years of residence in a designated regional area on the SC 491 visa, you are eligible to apply for the following visas in addition to the SC 189, 190 and 191 visas:
- SC 132 (Business talent)
- SC 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme)
- SC 188 (Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional)
- SC 858 (Distinguished talent)
After being granted the SC 491 visa, the visa holder and their family unit must live and work in a designated regional area of Australia for a period of 03 years. You may be requested to provide evidence of your life in the designated regional area such as the addresses of your residence, workplace and school or university.
Designated regional areas include areas other than Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The designated regional areas are categorized into two types:
- Category 2 - Cities and Major Regional Centres
- Category 3 - Regional Centres and Other Regional Areas