Skilled Work Regional Visa (Subclass 491)

Skilled Work Regional Visa Subclass 491 Overview

This Australian visa started in November of 2019. It was to bring skilled workers to Australia’s developing regions. This visa lets you and your family work, live and study in Australia. It is valid for up to 5 years. However, there are certain eligibility criteria that you must fulfil. The next section will talk about them in detail.

Visa Subclass 491 Requirements

Essentially, any visa subclass requires fulfilling the basic requirements.  This increases your chances of getting shortlisted. Whether you apply on your own or through us, it is vital to understand the eligibility criteria associated with the respective visa subclass and fulfil it. Here is an elaborated list of eligibility for the visa subclass 491:

Nomination or Sponsorship

1. The applicant must have a nomination by an Australian state or territory government.
2. You can also be sponsored by a relative who is eligible and resides in that region or area.
3. It is important to note that every state has their separate nomination rules.

Skills Assessment

1. You must qualify as a skilled worker. Your work must be on 491 visa occupation list.
2. A relevant assessing authority can test this skill to prove that you are eligible.
3. These tests and their results are valid for a limited time. Generally, this is three years until specified by the assessing body.

65 Points System

1. This visa subclass works on a point based system. Hence, you have to score at least 65 points to get eligible to get this visa.
2. The points are awarded on the basis of the following parameters:
3. Age  (Max: 30 points)
4. English language skills (Max: 20 points)
5. Skilled work experience outside Australia (Max: 15 points)
6. Skilled work experience within Australia (Max: 20 points)
7. Education qualifications (Max: 20 points)
8. Australian study requirements (Max: 5 points)
9. Regional study (Max: 5  points)
10. Partner skills (Max: 10 points)
11. State or family nomination (Max: 15 points)
12. Specialist education (Max: 10 points)
13. NAATI credentialed community language (Max: 5 points)

 State Specific Nomination Criteria

1. Each Australian state and territory has their own nomination rules.
2. You must have work experience in the occupation you are nominated for.
3. You must have an offer letter from a regional employer.
4. Show a commitment to living in the state or territory.
5. Also, you must meet the residency requirements if you are already in Australia.

Health and Character Requirements

1. All applicants must qualify the medical exams and screenings.
2. The character requirements also include a police clearance certificate.
3. In some cases, a Form 80 or Form 1563 has to be filled. (Personal character Assessment).

Education Qualification

1. If you are an applicant, your degrees must match the occupation you are nominated for.
2. A bachelor’s, master’s, a diploma or doctoral degrees are allowed.

Commitment to Regional Living

1. As an applicant, you must be living, working, and studying in a regional area only.
2. This commitment must last for 3 years only.

Financial Requirements

1. Some states ask for proof of your financial capacity to settle in that area.
2. Applicants will require financial documents to support their claims.

These were the main requirements for applying for an Australian 491 visa subclass. Experts at Nexus Immigration can help you and cater to all your visa application needs. Thus, don’t worry if any of the above mentioned requirements seems tough. Expert help is only a single call away. The application process for the same is elaborated below.

Skilled Work Regional Visa Application Process

The application process of the 491 visa is crucial to understand. Hence, our experts are transparent about each step and strive to follow each one of them with diligence. Here is the step by step process for 491 visa Australia:

Step 1: We tend to check all the eligibility criteria of the state or territory you choose.

Step 2: We ensure you must have the positive skills assessment. This will prove your qualifications and work experience.

Step 3: The next step is about taking your English language test if needed. We can also help you prepare for the same.

Step 4: The online system of Australia’s skilled migration is called SkillSelect. This is where we submit your expression of interest. 

Step 5: Next, you can rely on us for territory or state nomination. However, we will have to apply separately for every state you choose.

Step 6: If required, we can help you obtain the family sponsorship.

Step 7: If your EOI ranks high enough, you will receive the invitation to apply. This will be from the Australian department of home affairs.

Step8: The next step will be arranging the required documents. You will have to give your IDs and bank statements.

Step 9: Finally, we will start to fill your application online. Our experts ensure a careful application without any errors to avoid the scope of rejection or delay.

Step 10: Lastly, we ask you to pay your visa fee, recheck all the documents uploaded and submit the application.

Furthermore, we patiently wait for the visa processing. You can note that the visa application fee for a primary applicant is around 4,770 AUD. The next section will tell you about the 491 visa processing time in detail.

491 Visa Australia Processing Time

The processing time of this visa subclass can differ for person to person. It is because this time depends on the quality of the application as well. After fulfilling all the 491 visa requirements, we can assure you that your application will be processed sooner. As per the available data and statistics, the visa application can take anywhere between a few months to over a year. Here is a list of factors that influence the visa application processing time and results:

1. How complete is your application: We, at Nexus Immigration, make sure that you submit a complete application. Moreover, we try our best to make it accurate and free of any errors.
2. Which state or territory nominated you: Every region has their own processes and timings. Hence, your application can take time depending on regional requirement.
3. Occupation demand: The demand for specific jobs is an additional factor related to the processing time of visa subclass applied for.
4. External Checks: The processing time may get extended if the involved external agencies delay in giving the information

These were the various reasons why the processing time of your application can highly vary. The lesser complicated your application, the smaller the amount of processing time. If you are looking forward to applying for the Australian visa subclass 491, you can approach our experts today! This visa also grants you a lot of rights and benefits in Australia. Refer to the next section to know more.

Rights and Benefits of 491 Visa Holders

This visa specifically attracts skilled workers to certain Australian regions. These are the areas that are still under development and designing. Those who qualify as an overseas skilled worker, have several rights and benefits. Here is a list of them:

Duration of Stay

The ones who hold this visa, get permission to reside in Australia for a period of 5 years. This visa grant also permits the visa holder to live and blend with the regional communities. This means that they can reside their professionally and personally.

Living, Working, and Studying

The 491 subclass visa holders can live, work and study in the Australian region allotted to them. This promotes economic development and growth in these regions. These areas are out of the metropolitan cities. The Australian government targets the less populated regions for development and growth.

Travel Rights

While your subclass 491 visa is valid, you can travel to Australia and from it anytime. In addition to this, you can travel to and from the country as many times as you want. This will help you fulfil the commitments you have abroad.

Inclusion of Family

The subclass 491 visa holders can also bring their family members in Australia. Applicants have to mention them at the time of application or as subsequent entrants. Eligible family members can include the following:

1. Spouses or de facto partners
2. Children dependent on you

Australia visa subclass 491 lets you enjoy multiple benefits and rights making you keen to start your journey to the land of beaches and kangaroos. Do not hesitate to reach out to our experts at Nexus Immigration if you have any queries. We understand that every application is unique and any kind of complexities require special attention. However, our experts try their best to make sure your application shows minimal complex cases. This increases your chances of getting shortlisted.

Required Documents for Visa Subclass 491

For any visa application, the most important element is the documents. Hence, here is a list of documents that our mentors can ask from you for the sake of filling for skilled work regional subclass 491. These documents are to prove your identity and financial capacity. In addition to this, this paperwork will also show that you are eligible and qualified enough for the skilled work in Australia. Here is the list:

1. Passport (bio data page)
2. National ID Card
3. Birth Certificate
4. Name Change Documents (if any)
5. Marriage Certificate (if any)
6. Skills Assessment Report
7. Evidence of Payment for Skills Assessment
8. Skill Assessment Reference Number (if any)
9. English Language Skill Test Reports (Could be IELTS, PTE, TOEFL, OET, or Cambridge C1)
10. Academic Records and Degrees
11. Diploma Certificates (If applicable)
12. Course Completion Letter
13. Overseas Qualification Recognition Proof
14. Reference Letters from Employers
15. Employment Contract
16. Tax Records
17. Declarations from Colleagues and Supervisors
18. Business Activity Statements
19. Payslips
20. EOI Submission
21. EOI Reference Number
22. Nomination Letter from State
23. De Facto Relationship Evidence

These were a few of the documents that can give you an idea what is required. These will prove your nationality, identity, and marital status. In addition to this, all of the documents you submit will confirm if you are qualified to take the skilled work in Australia.

Why Choose Us?

You can choose our services for the 491 visa subclass application. Our experts can give offer you the ease of applying and provide the following services:

Expertise in Immigration Laws

Our experts are well versed in the immigration laws of Australia. This gives us the credibility to help you with the visa journey.

Personalized Service

As noted before, we get that every situation can be different. If you think your case is complicated, let our experts handle it and get ready to work in Australia!

High Success Rates

If you apply through us, the chances of you getting shortlisted increase eventually. It is because we ensure your application is error free and accurate.

These are some of the few reasons why you should choose Nexus Immigration for visa application.

Don’t let your complex visa situation slow you down! Nexus Immigration provides expert services for visa applications. Our team ensures that your visa applications are stress free and seamless. Call us today to get a free one on one counselling!