Australia has introduced a new visa with a validity of 5 years to attract skilled and talented individuals to promote growth and development in the country’s regional areas.
The newly introduced visa aims to grant entry to 42,000 new entrants every year, specifically to applicants who have no trouble living, working, and studying in the Australian regional areas for a short period. Over 500 occupations are eligible under the visa route. Plus, every applicant will get 15 additional points for their points test.
What makes it even more exciting is that this visa category offers priority processing to applicants.
More About The 491 Visa
The new 491 visa, also known as the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) subclass 491 visa, was recently introduced by Australia. Many regard this visa to be one of the easiest immigration pathways for aspiring applicants.
It’s true that applicants have to meet specific conditions to apply for the 491 visa, but this route provides a golden opportunity for international workers to migrate to Australia. Don’t forget this visa allows holders to live and work in specific areas of Australia for 5 years. They include less populous regions identified as potential growth zones by the government of Australia.
For those who are confused, regional Australia covers most of the areas in the country, with the exception of metropolitan cities like Brisbane, Perth, Sydney, and Melbourne.
A Pathway To Australian Permanent Residency
Yes, the 491 visa allows workers to only live and work in regional Australia for 5 years. However, such visa holders can easily apply for Australian permanent residency via the 191 visa after living and working in a regional area for only three years at an annual salary of AU$ 53,900. As a result, they can live and work anywhere in Australia without any restrictions after securing Australian permanent residency. Moreover, they will get access to various social benefits, including state-funded education and access to Medicare.
To sum it up, the 491 visa allows the primary applicant and their immediate family members to live, study, and work in designated regional areas for a maximum of 5 years. However, 491 visa holders can apply for Australian permanent residency via the 191 visa after finishing the first three years in Australia.
How Can You Qualify For The 491 Visa?
You can apply for the 491 visa if you are nominated by an Australian state or territory government agency for state nomination. Plus, your occupation should be on the skilled occupations list for the state that nominates you. As far as family sponsorship is concerned, one of your family members must have lived permanently in a regional area for 2 years. Moreover, your occupation should be mentioned on Australia’s MLTSSL list.
You are advised to consult a professional immigration solicitor to execute the application process accurately.
We hope you found this information helpful. Follow our blogs for the latest updates and informative content on Australian immigration.
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