Subclass 491- Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa
| The subclass 491 visa allows invited skilled workers to live and work in designated regional areas of Australia (specified by postcode) for up to five years. You must first obtain a positive skills assessment for your nominated occupation and then lodge an Expression of Interest. If this is successful, you will be invited to lodge a visa application. The minimum requirements of subclass 491 visa are set out below: |  |
At the time that you are invited to apply for this visa, you must:
- be under 45 years of age
- nominate an eligible skilled occupation that is included on the relevant Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) or Regional Occupation List (ROL)
- have your skills assessed by the appropriate Australian skills assessing authority as suitable for your nominated occupation (must not be a subclass 485 skills assessment). If your skills assessment is based on an Australian qualification while holding a student visa, that qualification must have been CRICOS registered
- have competent English i.e.
- hold a valid passport issued by the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland (and you are a citizen of that country) OR
- an IELTS test score of at least 6 in EACH test component OR
- an OET test score of at least B in EACH test component OR
- a TOEFL iBT test score of at least 12 for listening, 13 for reading, 21 for writing and 18 for speaking OR
- a PTE Academic test score of at least 50 in EACH test component OR
- a CAE (C1 Advanced) test score of at least 169 in EACH test component
| NOTE: In each case, the test must have been undertaken within the three years PRIOR to lodging the visa application. |
- score at least 65 on the relevant points test (which takes into account your age, English competency, qualifications and work experience, amongst other factors)
- be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency OR be sponsored by an eligible relative who resides in a designated area of Australia
NOTE: In order to be an ‘eligible relative’, your (or your partner’s) relative must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible NZ citizen; at least 18 years old; and a close family member (i.e. a parent, child, sibling, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or first cousin)
