How we will help you get your 491 visa!
Understanding and applying for a Skilled Work Regional Visa subclass 491 isn’t an easy process. You are required to complete a Skills Assessment, provide proof of visa eligibility and then be invited to apply for the visa by one of the Australian states or territories.
Visa Jobs has partnered with experienced MARA Registered Migration Agents who will simplify the process for you. They will assess your point score, explain the 491 visa requirements, help you gather all of the required documents and complete your skills assessment. Then when ready they can submit your Expression of Interest and visa application.Â
Learn about the state sponsored 491 visa
What is the 491 visa
The Skilled Work Regional 491 visa is a provisional visa that allows you and your family to live, study and work in regional areas of Australia for up to five years. After three years, and as long as you are eligible, you will be able to apply for Permanent Residency (PR) through the Skilled Regional Visa subclass 191.Â
Unlike employer-sponsored visas, the 491 visa is a state sponsored visa. This means you will need to be nominated by either an Australian state or territory government, or by an eligible family member residing in a designated regional area.
Points based visa
The state sponsored 491 visa like the 189 and 190 visa, is a points tested visa, which means in order to be eligible you will need to score the minimum pass mark, which is currently 65 points. The pass mark could increase for certain occupations if there are a large number of high-quality applicants. If applying for a 491 visa you will get an additional 15 points which is not available for the 189 or 190 visa. This is great for anyone struggling to score the required 65 points or get invited through the 189 or 190 visa.
Occupations must be listed by a state or territory
In addition to passing the points test, your occupation must be on the relevant Skilled Occupation List as well as on one of the state or territory occupation lists. Each Australian State and territory will publish a list of occupations that they struggle to find skilled workers for, in their region. Not only will the occupation list vary for each state or territory but specific requirements such as your level of English, experience or skills may also vary. It’s therefore recommended to check the occupation lists and requirements for each state or territory before submitting your Expression of interest (EOI).
Visa application by invite only
When you submit your EOI through SkillsSelect, your point score will be calculated. As long as you pass the points test, Australian states and territory government agencies will be able to view your EOI and point score and decide if they wish to nominate you. They generally have an allocated number of invitations they can issue per month or period. They therefore allocate their invitations according to occupations they have skill shortages for and then to applicants with the highest point score.
When applying for a 491 Visa you can include dependent family members in your visa application either at the time of lodgement or once approved. Applying for this visa can be lodged whilst you are onshore in Australia or if you are offshore.
With this visa you can
- Live and work in a regional area within your nominated state or territory for 5 years
- Study
- Work for any employer located in a regional area within your nominated state or territory
- Bring your partner and family
- Transition to Permanent Residency (PR) - if eligible
491 visa requirements
It’s important that as well as calculating your point score, you make sure you meet all of the other 491 visa requirements.Â
The 491 visa requirements include:
- Be under the age of 45 at the time of being invited to apply for the visa
- Your chosen occupation must be on the relevant Skilled Occupation List and on one of the state or territory occupation lists
- Have a positive and valid Skills Assessment in your nominated occupation*
- Be nominated by an Australian state or territory government
- Lodge an EOI and be invited to apply for the visa
- Qualify for the points test (currently 65 points)
- Meet the health and character requirements
*There are some exemptions for applicants who are legal or medical practitioners, contact us for more information.
Calculate your points to see if you're visa eligible!
To be invited to apply for the state sponsored 491 visa, you will need to score a minimum of 65 points and meet all of the other 491 visa requirements. Points are awarded based on various factors such as age, English language ability, work experience, qualifications, and more. Calculate your points and learn more about the 491 visa with Visa Jobs
State/territory occupation lists & requirements
You can learn more about each state or territories current occupation list, any additional requirements and other helpful information about living and working in each state or territory, through their websites linked below:
Visa Jobs 491 visa process
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Calculate your point score 01 Understand the visaThe first step is to understand the 491 visa requirements and calculate your point score. Our friendly team is here to answer any questions and help.
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Complete your Skills Assessment 02 Gather your documentsThere are a number of documents you will need to gather for the visa application and to complete the skills assessment. Our experienced Registered Migration Agent (RMA) partners will explain everything.
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Check State lists
Check elegibility
Lodge EOI
03 Submit your EOIYou will need to first make sure your occupation is listed in one of the State or Territory lists, and that you meet any additional requirements. Our RMA partners will do all of this for you and then lodge your Expression of Interest (EOI).
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04 Lodge your visa applicationOnce your chosen state or territory has invited you to apply for the visa, it's time to lodge your visa application using all of the documents you gathered in step 2. Our RMA partners will take care of all of this so all you have to do is start planning your new life.
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Disclaimer
All of the information provided has been gathered and written based on general information that is available at the Department of Home Affairs website.
This information is not legal advice and should be used for general information purposes only.Â
We strongly recommend you engage a Registered Migration Agent who can complete a full assessment and advise you accordingly. If you would like to be connected with a Registered Migration Agent, please contact us and we will find an agent to help you. Â
Let Visa Jobs help you get your 491 visa
If you are interested in the state sponsored 491 visa then get in contact with us today. We can help explain the 491 visa requirements, process, and documents you will need to gather.
When you are ready, we can connect you with our Registered Migration Agent partners who will guide you through the process and lodge your EOI.
