What is subclass 491 Visa?

The Subclass 491 visa officially known as the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491), is a temporary visa designed to encourage skilled workers and their families to live and work in regional areas of Australia.

Why choose subclass 491 Visa?/Benefits of subclass 491 Visa

Subclass 491 visa allows individuals to live, work, and study in regional areas of Australia for up to 5 years. Regional Australia offers great incentives for skilled workers, such as low costs of living.

Beautiful landscape and good quality of life. As a Subclass 491 visa holder, you can work for any employer in the regional area.

This gives you flexibility in employment. You can also include your family members (spouse, children, etc.) on your application. After holding the Subclass 491 visa for 3 years, you may be eligible to apply for permanent residency through the Subclass 191 (Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional)) visa.

Eligibility to apply for Subclass 491 Visa

• You must have a nominated occupation that is on Australia’s relevant skilled occupation list.
• Be invited to apply for the visa through SkillSelect.
• Your Age must be under 45 years of age at the time of invitation.
• You must have a skills assessment for the nominated occupation.
• You must meet the English language proficiency requirements.
• You must score at least 65 points on the points test (key factors for points include age, education, experience, English language proficiency, etc.).
• You must be nominated by an Australian state or territory government or be sponsored by an eligible family member living in a designated regional area.

Steps to apply for subclass 491 Visa

• Before applying for a subclass 491 visa, make sure you meet the requirements for a subclass 491 visa. 
• You must submit an EOI through Skill Select stating your intention to apply for a visa. 
• You will be invited to apply for a subclass 491 visa if registered or sponsored. 
• You can apply for a visa after receiving the invitation. 
• Once your application has been sent. It will be processed and you will be notified of the decision.

Can 491 Visa Holders lodge other Visas?/ Eligibility for Other Visas as a 491 Visa Holder

Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Area) visa holders generally have the flexibility to apply for other visas.

However, there are some visa categories that 491 visa holders cannot apply for while on this visa such as Subclass 189 – Skilled Independent Visa, Subclass 190 – Skilled Nominated Visa, Subclass 485 – Temporary Graduate Visa (Post-Study Work Stream), Subclass 820/801 – Partner Visa (Temporary/ Permanent), Subclass 101 – Child Visa, Subclass 187 – Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) Visa, Subclass 173 and 143 – Contributory Parent Visas and more.

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