The new 491 visa, Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) subclass 491 visa will enable eligible skilled workers and their families to live, work and study in designated regional areas of Australia for 5 years. Visa holders will be eligible to apply for a Permanent Residence visa after three years.
Other features include:
STATE | AREAS | POSTCODE |
---|---|---|
New South Wales | Everywhere except Sydney, Newcastle, the Central Coast and Wollongong | 2311 to 2312, 2328 to 2411, 2420 to 2490, 2536 to 2551, 2575 to 2594, 2618 to 2739, 2787 to 2898 |
Northern Territory | Everywhere in the territory | All postcodes |
Queensland | Everywhere except the greater Brisbane area and the Gold Coast | 4124 to 4125, 4133, 4211, 4270 to 4272, 4275, 4280, 4285, 4287, 4307 to 4499, 4515, 4517 to 4519, 4522 to 4899 |
South Australia | Everywhere in the state | All postcodes |
Tasmania | Everywhere in the state | All postcodes |
Victoria | Everywhere except the Melbourne metropolitan area | 3211 to 3334, 3340 to 3424, 3430 to 3649, 3658 to 3749, 3753, 3756, 3758, 3762, 3764, 3778 to 3781, 3783, 3797, 3799, 3810 to 3909, 3921 to 3925, 3945 to 3974, 3979, 3981 to 3996 |
Western Australia | Everywhere except Perth and surrounding areas | 6041 to 6044, 6083 to 6084, 6121 to 6126, 6200 to 6799 |
You may work in any occupation and for any employer in line with the work and residence conditions attached to your visa. Holders of the new provisional visas will also be unable to apply for most other skills based visas in Australia unless they have completed at least three years in a designated regional area, unless exceptional circumstances exist. Additionally, similar to current arrangements for the subclass 457 and 482 visa program, holders of the new provisional visas can be negatively impacted by sponsor non-compliance.
The 491 visa permanent pathway will be:
A list of postcodes that specify designated regional areas is available and applies to the following visas:
Regional visas:
Note:
# additional 5 points (from 10 -15) under the Skilled Migration Points Test if nominated to live and work in a designated regional Australia.
* 5 points if study completed in a designated regional area and meets the Australian Study Requirement