The Australia subclass 491 visa is for skilled workers to live and work in the country for up to 5 years. This visa is valid for 5 years, and after working in the country for 3 years, an individual can apply for a permanent residency visa if they meet the eligibility criteria. 

The skilled regional visa (provisional ) was introduced in 2019. It is a point-based visa for skilled workers who are sponsored by an Australian state or territory or an eligible family member residing in the Australian regional areas. However, an applicant needs to receive a nomination before applying for an Australia PR visa.

Points allocation for subclass 491 Visa

The Skilled Regional Visa is similar to the general skilled migration program, which evaluates an individual's profile through a point test. The assessment takes factors such as age, education, work experience, language proficiency, and Australian education. Lately, the point system for skilled migration visas has been updated, allowing individuals to earn extra points in numerous new categories.

• 15 points given to those who are nominated by a state or territory government or sponsored by a family member living in an Australian regional area.
  
• Individuals can earn 10 points if they have a skilled spouse or de facto partner. 
  
• Applicants can earn 10 points if their partner is an Australian citizen or holds a PR, or if they are without a spouse or de facto partner.
  
• Can gain 5 points if an individual demonstrates English language proficiency and is neither an Australian citizen nor a permanent resident. 
  
• Individuals can earn an additional 10 points for qualification and select STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
  
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Benefits of Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa

Individuals get the advantage to immigrate to Australia through the Subclass 491 visa.

• An individual can live and work in any rational or designated area of Australia for 5 years.
  
• An applicant can travel in and out of the country as many times as they want till their 491 visa is valid. 
  
• Individuals can transition their Australian PR visa if they meet the eligibility requirements.
  
• Applicants get an incentive for staying in regional or designated areas for a longer term.
  
• Priority processing of regional visa applications.

Eligibility Requirements for Subclass 491 visa

The requirement for Australia subclass 491 is that an individual has to be nominated by the government of a state or territory or sponsored by a family member who is living in an Australian regional area.

How to apply for a Skilled regional provisional visa?

The process to apply for the Australia PR visa through the subclass 491 involves several key steps:-

1. An applicant must receive a nomination from an Australian state or territory government. 
   
2. Applicants need to get an assessment report from the relevant authority, which must be added to the application. 
   
3. Submit an expression of interest via SkillSelect.
   
4. Once an immigration authority has all the relevant information of an individual, they will be given points based on their qualification and skills. 
   
5. After submitting the expression of interest, candidate profiles will be ranked against each other, and the highest-ranking applicant will receive an invitation.
   
6. Once an individual receives an invitation, they will have 60 days to submit their application with the required documents.

Subclass 491 Visa cost

The fee for a Subclass 491 Visa is AUD 4,240 for the primary applicant. This is approximately £2,250. Additional charges will be incurred for any extra dependents included in the application.

How long does the visa take to process?

The processing duration for a Subclass 491 Visa can vary based on the number of applications received by the Australian Department of Home Affairs.

Typically, it takes between six to twelve months to process this visa application. However, this period may extend if the Department of Home Affairs requests further information or if there are delays in the processing of the application.

Summary

The Skilled Work Regional visa, known as subclass 491 visa, permits the international applicant and their family members to reside in a specified regional area of Australia while engaging in work and study. To qualify for this visa, you must be nominated by an Australian state or territory government agency or sponsored by an eligible relative.

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