The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is for skilled workers, nominated by a state or territory government who want to live and work in regional Australia. The state will then invite you to meet the eligible criteria. You may also include family members in your application that meet health and character requirements.

To apply for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491), you must meet several assessments and requirements. There are different types of occupation lists with each state having different occupations. You must have an occupation on a relevant skilled occupation list. There are short term lists and medium to long term lists that show jobs that are currently in demand.

You can only apply for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) if you are invited to do so. For this to happen, you must be nominated by an Australian state or territory government. Every state and territory government has its own criteria for deciding who they will nominate. E-Help consultants can help you look at the requirements for the 491 Visa in Brisbane or your desired location in Australia. Alternatively, you can be sponsored by an eligible relative. Eligible relatives must be 18 years or older, a resident of a designated area in Australia, either an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen, and must be you or your partner’s relative.

An eligible relative includes:

• Parent
• Child or stepchild
• A brother, sister, or adoptive/step sibling
• An aunt, uncle, or adoptive/step aunt or uncle
• A nephew, niece, or adoptive/step nephew or niece
• A grandparent
• A first cousin

Any sponsorship must be approved before the visa is granted to the applicant/s.

When obtaining the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa, you and all members of your family that are attached to the visa must live, work, and study in a designated regional area. Most locations in Australia outside of major cities are classified as designated regional areas for migration reasons.

To be eligible for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa, you must:

• Be nominated to apply by a state or territory government agency or be sponsored by a suitable relative
• Have an occupation on a relevant Skilled Occupation List
• Have suitable skill assessment results for the occupation (this must have been obtained in the 3 years before the date of your invitation)
• Be invited to apply for the visa
• Successfully pass the points test (65 or more)
• Be under the age of 45 when invited to apply
• Have competent English skills
• Meet health and character checks

To obtain a Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa, you must pass the points test with a minimum score of 65. Our immigration agents can take you through what this means and where the points come from. The points criteria are assessed at the time of invitation. It includes areas such as age, English language skills, skilled employment experience (both in Australia and overseas), and educational qualifications.

Similarly, anyone applying for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491), must be able to maintain the appropriate health standards required in Australia before you are granted a visa. For some visas, your family members may have to meet these health standards even if they are not planning to migrate to Australia with you. To pass the health requirements you must be free of any disease or condition that is a significant healthcare and community service cost to the Australian public, or any disease/condition that threatens communal health.

Likewise, you and the family members that are attached to the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa application, must be of good character to visit or live in Australia. To satisfy this condition, you and your family must pass a standard character test and remain of good character throughout your stay in the country. To pass the character test, the Australian Government considers a range of criteria such as the overall protection of the Australian community – especially children, the impact that a visa refusal would have on your family in Australia, or any impact on Australian businesses and community interests. Once these have all been considered, you and your family will have successfully passed health and character checks.

With the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa you can stay in Australia for 5 years starting from the date the visa is granted. You cannot extend this visa and therefore, if you want to stay in Australia, you will have to consider other visa options.

With the 491 Visa in Australia, you can also live, work and study in a designated regional area of the country, as well as travel in and out of Australia as many times as you want, while your visa is valid. If you wish to stay in Australia permanently and both you and your partner have successfully fulfilled the work and residence requirements, then you can also apply for permanent residence through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191).