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491 VISA (SKILLED WORK REGIONAL VISA) – PROVISIONAL
A visa for skilled people nominated by a state or territory government to live and work in regional Australia. It was introduced on 16 November, 2019 to replace the Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) invited pathway.
There are currently 2 streams that fall under this subclass-
- Main applicant, which is for the main applicant who wishes to live and work in regional Australia, and
- Subsequent entrant, which is for the member of a family unit of someone who holds a Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
To be eligible for either stream, applicants must:
- be nominated to apply by a state or territory government agency, or an eligible relative must sponsor you
- have an occupation on a relevant skilled occupation list
- have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation
- be invited to apply
- satisfy the points test
Refer to the tables below for information on each stream.
Main Applicant
| Overview | This is a provisional visa. It is for skilled workers who want to live and work in regional Australia |
| Visa type | Temporary |
| Cost of application | AUD4,045 for the main applicant |
| Duration of visa | 5 years from grant date |
| Uses of this visa |
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| Eligibility | Applicants must meet the following requirements-
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Effect on current 489 visa to 887 visa pathway:
The Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 489) is now closed to new applicants. Transitional arrangements are put in place for applications which have been lodged and are undecided, as well as applicants whose pathway currently targets the permanent Skilled Regional Visa (subclass 887).
Nomination
Nomination by an Australian state or territory government agency
If you are nominated for the visa, we will invite you to apply. All state and territory government agencies have their own criteria for deciding who they will nominate.
Contact the state or territory agency directly to find out more about their nomination process and what they want from you.
Sponsorship by an eligible relative
Your sponsor must be:
- 18 years old or older
- usually resident in a designated area of Australia
- be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen
- be your or your partner’s eligible relative
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, or
- a first cousin
Your sponsorship must be approved before you can be granted the visa.
Subsequent Entrant
| Overview | This visa is for a member of the family unit of someone who holds a Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) |
| Visa type | Temporary |
| Cost of application | AUD4,045 for the main applicant Does not include other costs such as health checks, police certificates and biometrics |
| Duration of visa | Until the 491 visa that your family member holds ends. |
| Uses of this visa |
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| Eligibility | Applicants must meet the following requirements-
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Regional definitions
Major Cities
Sydney
Melbourne
Brisbane
Cities and major regional centres
- Perth
- Adelaide
- Gold Coast
- Sunshine Coast
- Canberra
- Newcastle
- Lake Macquarie
- Wollongong
- Illawarra
- Geelong
- Hobart
Regional Incentives
– Access to the dedicated 25,000 regional places.
– Priority processing on regional visas.
– Access to the Regional Occupations List – more jobs compared to non-regional lists.
– International students studying at regional universities will be eligible to access an additional 1 year in Australia on a post-study work visa.
Regional centres and other regional areas
All other locations
Regional incentives
– Access to the dedicated 25,000 regional places.
– Priority processing on regional visas.
– Access to the Regional Occupations List – more jobs compared to non-regional lists.
– International students studying at regional universities will be eligible to access an additional 2 year in Australia on a post-study work visa.
– Priority in negotiating region-specific Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs).
Sponsorship by an eligible relative
Your sponsor must be:
- 18 years old or older
- usually resident in a designated area of Australia
- be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen
- be your or your partner’s eligible relative
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, or
- a first cousin
Sponsorship must be approved before you can be granted a visa.
