Subclass 191 Visa
The subclass 191 visa is a pathway for existing regional provisional visa holders (subclass 491 or 494) to apply for permanent residency and eventually Australian citizenship if eligible. This visa is set to come into effect in November 2022; therefore, the details for this visa have not been finalized yet. However, the following information has been released by the Department.
In addition, visa subclass 491 applicants must have a designated occupation on the skilled occupation list, and have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation in question. Along with being invited to apply and meeting the occupation requirements, applicants must also satisfy the SkillSelect points test.
What are the eligibility criteria for applying for a 491 visa?
For becoming eligible for a 491 visa, you need to meet the following criteria:
- Must be committed to living in regional Victoria,
- have had your Registration of Interest (ROI) selected,
- You be under 45 years of age,
- You must have Competent English proficiency
- Must have a valid skills assessmentexternal in an occupation on the eligible skilled occupation list for this visa,
- if you are onshore, you must be living in Victoria at the time of nomination. Please note, that if you are onshore and living in Melbourne, you may need to relocate to a designated regional area of Victoriaexternal after you are nominated. Some outer suburbs of Melbourne are included in the regional zones by the Department of Home Affairs.
- be committed to living in regional Victoria,
- have achieved at least 65 pointsexternal link on the Australian Government’s points test for your Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect.
Documents Checklist for visa subclass 491
- Passport
- Police Clearance Certificate
- Marriage certificate
- Language Competency Report
The following are the documents associated with your claims on EOI that you need to provide:
- Skill Assessment
- Language Assessment
- Australian skilled employment
- Education Qualification (as per Australian standards)
- Specialist education
- Study in regional Australia
- Partner skills
- Work experience in Australia
Visa cost
The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa Subclass 491 is associated with a cost, including AUD$4,045 for the main applicant, and a separate charge for each family member who applies with the main applicant. The overall cost depends on English language competence, along with costs for health checks, police certificates, and biometrics.
The Visa Pricing Estimator
is available through the Home Affairs website, although second installment charges and other costs are not included. An extra payment may be required for all applicants aged 18 years or older who have less than functional English. This charge is known as the second installment, and will cost AUD$4,890.
Visa processing time for subclass 491
Like many Australian visas, there are no standard processing times available for this pathway. You have 60 days from the date of your invitation to apply for visa subclass 491, with a statement given in writing when a decision has been made.
Each application for the subclass 491 visa is assessed on a case-by-case basis, with timing dependent on whether you have lodged a complete form and supporting documents. The time it takes to perform necessary checks can vary widely on a case-by-case basis. Requests to external agencies for additional documents or information about health, character, or national security can also slow down the process.
How to apply for the Regional skilled visa subclass 491?
Step 1: Skilled Occupation List
Check whether your designated profession is in the Skilled Occupation List published every year by the Australian Government.
Step 2: Skills Assessment
Get your skill-set evaluated by the respective Australian organizations.
Step 3: Points System
The Australian Government follows a points system for visa application. The minimum score for these assessments that you need to get an invitation is 65 points.
Step 4: Expression of Interest
Apply by writing an Expression of Interest (EOI) addressed to the Department of Home Affairs using SkillSelect. SkillSelect carefully assesses those 65 points, after which you can start applying.
Step 5: Supporting documents submission
You need to submit these documents by applying on Immiaccount. You also need to pay the necessary fee, all within a time limit of 60 days.
Step 7: Getting accepted
After your visa gets approved, expect to get an email with your visa grant number, the start date of your visa, and visa terms and conditions. If you need any help with the visa application contact us.
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