The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Subclass 491 Visa is part of Australia's 'General Skilled Migration' program, allowing skilled workers and their families to live, study, and work in regional areas of Australia for 5 years. Recipients of this visa have a pathway to permanent residency through the Subclass 191 visa.
Key Features:
Provisional visa that leads to permanent residence: Live and work only in regional Australia for 3 years to become eligible for permanent residence via the 191 visa.
Requires nomination from an Australian state or territory.
Priority to applicants with high point scores.
Allows you to add partners and dependent children to the visa application.
Adds 5 points to your points score, just by getting state/territory nomination.
Requires a minimum of 65 points.
Access to Medicare immediately upon applying for the visa.
491 Visa Requirements:
Eligibility: Must not have any previous Australian visa cancelled or refused, no outstanding debts to the Australian government, below 45 years of age, and possess skills listed on the eligible occupations list.
Points: Score at least 65 on the points test (though sometimes higher scores may be needed). Points can be accrued based on age, English proficiency, work experience, and education among others.
Skills Assessment: Ensure your skills are verified by a relevant assessment authority, specific to your occupation.
English Proficiency: Prove your English competency through tests like IELTS, PTE, or TOEFL.
Medical Test: Conducted by a clinic approved by the Australian immigration department.
Police Check: You may be asked to provide a police certificate from every country you lived in. You will usually only be asked if you are over 17 and lived in any of the listed countries, including Australia, for at least 12 months in the past 10 years.
State/Territory Nomination or Sponsorship: You must be nominated by a state/territory, or by an eligible family member residing in regional Australia to be eligible for the 491 visa.
Cost & Processing Times:
Visa Application Fee: Starts at AUD $4,640
English Language Exam: AUD $330 - $363
Police Check: AUD $222.50 - $265.70
Processing Time: 90% of state/territory nominated 491 visas are processed within approximately 16 months on average, and 90% of family sponsored 491 visas are processed within approximately 29 months on average, but refer to the home affairs processing page for up to date processing times.
Health Examinations: Starts at AUD $441.70
Budget: Approximately $200 for translations or other costs relating to official documents
Steps to Follow:
Step 1 - Before You Apply:
#1 – Check Your Eligibility for the 491 Visa:
Begin by confirming you meet the eligibility requirements for the 491 visa. If you're uncertain about your eligibility, book a consultation with us here, so we can help you through the process.
#2 – Determine Your Occupation’s Status: Verify if your profession is on the relevant skilled occupation list, as this is a key requirement for the 491 visa, which necessitates a state or territory nomination.
#3 – Calculate Your Point Score: You must have at least 65 points to secure a nomination from a state or territory. Skylark Migration offers assistance in ensuring you can rightfully claim all the points you’re eligible for.
#4 – Submit Your Expression of Interest (EOI): Your EOI is not a visa application, but instead a request to be invited to submit a visa application. It should also indicate the states or territories you are interested in or open to being nominated by. You must meet all the eligibility requirements for your EOI to be successful, and receiving an invite can take up to 2 years. To submit your EOI, it must be provided through the SkillSelect website.
#5 – Gather Evidence and Documents: Upon receiving your invite, you must back your EOI claims with concrete evidence. This includes identity proofs, relationship and character documents, English competency proof, partner documents, dependents' documents, and skills assessment documents. Skylark Migration simplifies this for you with a comprehensive document assistance service.
#6 – Submit your ROI:
You will need to submit a registration of interest to the relevant states/territories you are considering moving to. If you are eligible, you can apply directly for state/territory nomination.
Step 2 - When You Apply:
#7 – Fill in the Visa Application Online: To fill out your visa application online, first, log into your SkillSelect account. Once you're in SkillSelect, click on the 'Apply for visa' button. This will take you to an online system called ImmiAccount. Create/log in to your ImmiAccount and attach your documents. Once you have attached your documents, you will need to pay the application charge. Be sure to note down your transaction reference number (TRN) for future reference.
Step 3 - After You Apply:
#8 – Await Response from the Department: Patience is key. If you feel that this process sounds overwhelming, the Skylark team has a combined 57+ years of experience helping people apply for the 491 skilled work regional (provisional) visa, and proudly maintains a 100% success rate for 491 visas since 2015. Contact us to book a consultation so we can help you with your 491 visa application.
For unparalleled service and affordable rates in Australian migration assistance, choose Skylark Migration. We're here to support you on your journey to making your Australian migration dreams a reality!
Why Choose Skylark Migration for Your 491 Visa Application?
Former-Department of Immigration With a former Immigration officer on our team, we have unique insight into what a strong application looks like and red flags you should avoid.
100% 491 Visa Success Rate Yes, every single Subclass 491 Skilled Visa application of ours since 2015 has been successfully granted.
100% Money-back guarantee Which is why we are confident enough to offer you 100% Money Back Guarantee - We get your visa, or you get your money back*
Competitive, all-inclusive fees We are transparent with our pricing and are fiercely against charging exorbitant fees.
100s of 5-star reviews Nothing beats hearing it from our customers. See what our customers have said 👇
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