Australia Subclass 491 Visa: Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Criteria

Visa Overview

The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is a points-tested provisional visa for skilled workers who are nominated by a state or territory government agency or sponsored by an eligible relative to live, work and study in a designated regional area of Australia for up to 5 years.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible, you must meet all of the following requirements.

Age Requirement

• You must be aged under 45 to be invited to apply for the visa
• You can still apply if you turn 45 after we invite you to apply
• If you turn 45 after you submit your EOI but before we invite you to apply you will not receive an invite

Language Requirement

• At the time of invitation, you must have at least Competent English

Minimum Score

• The subclass 491 is a points-tested visa
• When you submit your EOI in SkillSelect you will be given an indicative points score based on your claims
• If you do not obtain a score of 65 points you will not be invited to apply for this visa
• Your invitation will state the number of points that you must score when we assess your application (this score may be higher than 65 points)

Relative Sponsorship Eligibility Requirement

• Your sponsor must be 18 years old or older
• Your sponsor must be usually resident in a designated area of Australia
• Your sponsor must be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen
• Your sponsor must be your eligible relative or your partner's eligible relative if your partner is also applying for this visa
• Eligible relatives include: 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
• We must approve your sponsorship before you can be granted a visa

Residence and Regional Requirement

• You must be either nominated by an Australian state or territory government agency or indicate that you will be sponsored by an eligible relative
• If nominated by a state or territory government agency, each agency has its own criteria for deciding who they will nominate
• Your sponsor must be usually resident in a designated area of Australia

Skills Assessment Requirement

• For your application to be valid, you must declare that you have a suitable skills assessment at time of invitation
• Delegates of the Minister will now accept a suitable skills assessment which has been obtained within the 60 day invitation period
• You will need to provide a copy of this skills assessment with your application
• For medical and legal practitioners, we also accept: full or unconditional or general medical registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency; conditional specialist registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (allowing practice only in your speciality with no further training or supervision); admission to practice law in the relevant state or territory
• Your skills assessment must have been obtained in the 3 years before the date of your invitation (or a shorter period if specified)
• If your skills were assessed on the basis of a qualification you got in Australia when you held a student visa, the qualification must be from studying a course registered on CRICOS

Health and Character Requirement

• You and any family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health requirement
• If requested, family members not accompanying you to Australia might also need to meet our health requirement
• You and family members aged 16 years and over who apply for the visa with you must meet our character requirement
• Family members not accompanying you to Australia must also meet the character requirement

Document and Evidence Requirement

• When you lodge your application you must provide evidence supporting your claims for points
• You will need to provide a copy of your skills assessment with your application

Family Member Requirement

• If a family member 18 years or older is applying for the visa with you, either: they must have functional English or they must pay a second instalment visa application charge
• Family members aged 16 years and over who apply for the visa with you must meet the character requirement
• Family members not accompanying you to Australia must also meet the character requirement and may also need to meet the health requirement if requested

Invitation and EOI Requirement

• You can only apply for this visa if we invite you to apply
• Submit an expression of interest (EOI) in SkillSelect to let us know you would like to apply for the visa
• Indicate if an eligible relative is going to sponsor you for this visa or if you want a state or territory government agency to nominate you
• Submit an EOI for the visa to get an estimate of your points score
• If you score enough points, state and territory government agencies can see your EOI and might nominate you for the visa
• If you indicate in your EOI that you will be sponsored by an eligible relative the Department may invite you to apply for a visa in an invitation round

Work Requirement

• Your occupation must be on the combined list of eligible skilled occupations for a Skilled Regional (subclass 491) visa

Special Policy and Additional Requirements

• If you or any family members (including those who do not apply for the visa with you) owe the Australian Government money, you or they must have paid it back or arranged to pay it back
• If you are 18 years of age or older, you must: have read, or had explained to you, the Life in Australia booklet and confirm you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws when you sign an Australian Values Statement