Australia has introduced a new 5 year visa that doesn’t require you to have a job offer to qualify for the visa.
The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa is a visa for skilled people nominated by a state or territory government to live and work in regional Australia.
What's Covered in This Article
With this visa, you can:
- stay in Australia for 5 years
- live, work and study in a designated regional area of Australia
- travel to and from Australia as many times as you want, while the visa is valid
- apply for permanent residence after 3 years from the time your visa is granted
How long you can stay
This is a temporary visa. You can stay in Australia for 5 years from the date you are granted your visa.
Include family
You can include members of the family unit in your application. You can:
- include them when you submit your visa application
- add a dependent child after you submit but before we decide on your visa application.
Family members who apply for the visa must meet our health and character requirements.
Family members not accompanying you to Australia might also need to meet our health and character requirements.
If your partner or dependent children are not included in this application, tell us the reason why (for example, they already hold Australian citizenship or are a permanent resident).
From AUD4,240 for the main applicant.
There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you.
To work out what your visa will cost use the Visa Pricing Estimator. The estimator does not take into account the second instalment or other costs.
You might have to pay an extra charge for any applicant 18 years old or older who has less than functional English. This charge is called the second instalment. Pay it only when we ask you to. We ask for the charge only if we are going to grant the visa.
The second instalment charge for family members is AUD4,890.
The Visa Pricing Estimator does not include the second instalment or other costs. You might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.
Apply from
You can be in or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance when you apply for the visa and when we decide on your application.
If you apply in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa or a subclass 010 Bridging A visa, a subclass 020 Bridging B visa or a subclass 030 Bridging C visa, otherwise your application will not be valid.
- 25% of applications: 5 Months
- 50% of applications: 12 Months
- 75% of applications: 15 Months
- 90% of applications: 20 Months
Applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis, and actual processing times can vary due to individual circumstances including:
- whether you have lodged a complete application, including all necessary supporting documents
- how quickly you respond to any requests for additional information
- how long it takes to perform required checks on the supporting information provided
- how long it takes to receive additional information from external agencies, particularly in relation to health, character and national security requirements.
Travel
You can travel out of Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid.
The time you spend outside Australia does not extend the visa.
Visa label
We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.
How To Find Out If You’re Eligible for the Australian Visa 491…
Basic Eligibility
You must:
- be nominated to apply by a state or territory government agency, or an eligible relative must sponsor you
- have an occupation on a relevant skilled occupation list
- have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation
- be invited to apply
- satisfy the points test
How to apply for the 5 year Australian Visa subclass 491
Before you apply
Step 1 – Search For Your Occupation
This 5 year Australian visa 491 is available to individuals who are qualified to work or train in an eligible skilled occupation in Australia and can meet all other requirements:
Search the Australian Skilled Occupation / Shortage List here.
The combined list specifies:
- the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) code for each occupation. The ANZSCO provides information on the skill level of jobs, qualifications and/or experience needed to work in occupations
- caveats which exclude the use of the occupation in certain circumstances (applies to the ENS and TSS visas only)
- whether the occupation is included on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL), the Regional Occupation List (ROL) or the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) ROL List.
- the assessing authority for skills assessments
A current list of eligible skilled occupations can be found in a legislative instrument for the relevant visa program.
You must submit an expression of interest (EOI) through SkillSelect to let us know you want to apply for this visa.
You will need to provide documents to support the claims you make in your EOI and show you meet the other visa criteria.
When you have your invitation you can apply online. You can be in or outside Australia.
You have 60 days from the date of your invitation to apply for the visa.
Apply for this visa online in ImmiAccount
- Log into your SkillSelect account. In SkillSelect, click on the ‘Apply for visa’ button. This will take you to our online system, ImmiAccount.
- Log in or create an ImmiAccount. Your ImmiAccount login and password will not be the same as your SkillSelect login and password.
- Attach your documents
- Pay the first visa application charge. We will not process your application until you pay this first instalment of the visa application charge.
- Note your transaction reference number (TRN).
Each family member must have their application charge paid and documents attached to their application.
Australia Home Affairs’ will let you know when they have received your application.
If you are granted a bridging visa you will receive notification of your visa grant.
You can be in or outside Australia when we decide your visa application but not in immigration clearance. Home Affairs will let you know their decision in writing.
If they grant your visa, they will tell you:
- your visa grant number
- the date your visa starts
- your visa conditions, if applicable
Keep a copy of the decision.
If they refuse your visa, they will tell you:
- why they refused the visa
- whether you have a right to a review of the decision
They will not refund the application charge if they refuse your application.
