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Subclass 491 visa (5 years validity)

Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa

• Must be nominated by State/Territory Government 

• Must be sponsored by a family member who is over 18 and is an Australian Citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen
• Sponsor must be usually resident in a designated regional area
• Sponsor must be related to the primary applicant or their spouse or defacto partner
• Family member is defined as parent, child or step-child, brother, sister, adoptive brother, adoptive sister, step‑brother or step‑sister; or an aunt, uncle, adoptive aunt, adoptive uncle, step‑aunt or step‑uncle; or a nephew, niece, adoptive nephew, adoptive niece, step‑nephew or step‑niece; or a grandparent; or a first cousin.

Criteria include:

• Revised points test applies (see above)
• Must not have turned 45 at time of application
• Must have skilled occupation on an applicable list and have a valid, suitable skills assessment 
• Primary applicant must have competent English at time of application
• Must declare genuine intention to live, work and study in designated regional area
• Must meet various health and character requirements

Subclass 494 visa (5 years validity)

Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa

Similar nomination, application and sponsorship obligations to the Subclass 482 visa apply

• Position must genuine, full time and likely to exist for five years
• Annual market salary rate (AMSR) must not be less than TSMIT $53,900 unless nominated under the Labour Agreement stream; and terms and conditions no less favourable than for Australian employees must be provided 
• Skilling Australian Fund charges: $3000 for businesses with turnover of less than $10 million, or $5000 for others 
• If nominating an existing Subclass 494 visa holder, the new sponsor is expected to assume the sponsorship obligations for family members who already hold a Subclass 494 
• Will be provided with 90 days to find another employer, if visa holder ceases employment with their sponsor

Allows employers to source skilled workers in accordance with a labour agreement with the Commonwealth. 

Criteria include:

• Must not have turned 45 at time of application
• Employer sponsored stream - must have skilled occupation on an applicable list and have valid, suitable skills assessment; Labour agreement stream - may be required to demonstrate has necessary skills to perform tasks of nominated occupation
• Nominated occupation to be specified by corresponding ANZSCO code
• Must have been employed in the nominated occupation for at least 3 years on a full-time basis and at level of skill required for the occupation; Labour agreement stream - unless Minister considers it reasonable not to require this
• Employer sponsored stream - applicant must have competent English at time of application, unless specified in a legislative instrument by the Minister; Labour agreement stream - English language skills suitable to perform the nominated occupation
• Must meet various health and character requirements

Subclass 191 visa (5 years validity)

Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa

Criteria include:

• Must have held the Subclass 491 or 494 for at least 3 years and substantially complied with the conditions of the visa
• Must have met a minimum threshold taxable income level for at least three years while holding the Subclass 491 or 494 (threshold to be specified by legislative instrument)
• Dependent children included as members of family unit for the Subclass 491 or 494 visas, may be included in Subclass 191 application, even if no longer able to meet the definition of dependency
• Must meet various health and character requirements