The regional visa might be the solution to your immigration problem
The Federal Government’s new regional visas were launched on 16 November 2019. The highly anticipated visas are meant to provide a more flexible pathway for many prospective migrants to live, work and hopefully obtain permanent residency in Australia. If you’re one of those who either don’t have enough points to be invited to apply for a skilled visa or you have an occupation that doesn’t provide a current pathway to permanent residency, your solution to this dilemma might well be one of the two new regional visas.
What are the regional visas?
The two new regional visas that were released on 16 November 2019:
Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional visa
Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa
The visas are valid for five years and allow you to live, work and study in a designated region in Australia. These visas also permit unlimited travel in and out of Australia.
Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional visa
The subclass 491 visa is a points based tested visa, which means you will need to score at least 65 points to have a chance of being invited to apply for this visa. Your points score will be based on factors such as your age, English skills, qualifications and experience. You will need to be nominated by a state or territory government agency or sponsored by an eligible relative, be under the age of 45, have competent English skills and have a positive skills assessment for your occupation.
Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa
The subclass 494 visa is an employed sponsored visa, which means you will need to be sponsored by an approved employer in a designated regional area in Australia. No points testing is required but you will still need to be under the age of 45, have competent English skills and at least 3 years of full-time experience in your occupation and have a positive skills assessment.
How does it lead to permanent residency (PR)?
Regional visa holders will be eligible to apply for permanent residency through the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa. This visa is for those who have lived, worked and studied in designated regional area in Australia for at least 3 years on a regional visa. They must also have complied with the conditions of their regional visa and have been paid above the minimum income threshold for at least 3 years. The visa allows you to stay in Australia permanently and to renew your unlimited travel rights in and out of Australia after 5 years.
How are the regional visas more flexible?
Expanded occupation list and permanent resident pathway
The regional visas offer greater flexibility compared to other skilled and employer sponsored visas through an expanded occupation list. More occupations are eligible for both the subclass 491 and 494 visas and this was designed to fill the labour market shortages in certain regions within Australia. For instance, if your occupation did not have a pathway to permanent residency through the subclass 482 visa, then your occupation may be eligible for the subclass 494 visa which does have a permanent visa pathway.
Obtain additional points
The subclass 491 visa also gives applicants the chance to obtain additional points for their points score which may not be possible for the subclass 189 or 190 skilled visas. If you’re struggling to meet the minimum 65 points for the skilled visa or if your current points score is not high enough to obtain an invitation for a subclass 189 or 190 visa, you may be able to obtain an extra 15 points if you are nominated by a state or territory government agency or if they are sponsored by an eligible relative who usually resides in a designated region in Australia for the subclass 491 visa. This gives this visa an advantage over the subclass 190 state nominated visa which only provides an additional 5 points through nomination from a state or territory government agency.
What other advantages are there with the regional visas?
Longer stay periods for graduates
International students who have studied at regional universities will be eligible for an additional 2 years validity on their subclass 485 temporary graduate visa. This could potentially give you more relevant experience to add to your points score for a future subclass 491 visa application or allow you to meet the minimum 3 years full time experience needed for the subclass 494 visa application.
Priority processing
The regional visas are also given priority processing if complete applications are submitted. This means that relevant police certificates and medical examinations are completed and provided at the time the visa is lodged.
Access to Medicare
Regional visa holders and their migrating family members will also be eligible to apply for Medicare.
No fee for employers who want to sponsor an employee
Another advantage is for employers wishing to sponsor an employee on the subclass 494 visa. No nomination fee is required for this visa whereas subclass 482 sponsors will need to pay a $330 nomination fee.
How we can help with regional visas
The benefit of engaging the services of a Registered Migration Agent to manage your regional visa application is that we are qualified to provide immigration advice and are required to keep up to date with the latest in legislative changes including the new regional visas. Contact us or book a consultation online with our registered migration agent.
About Peter Chang
Peter Chang is a registered migration agent based in the Western Sydney hub of Parramatta, Australia. He is the co-founder of Titan Migration, a consultancy specialising in providing Australian immigration advice and visa assistance services.