The subclass 491 Visa, also known as the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa, is a type of visa that would allow you to stay in Australia for 5 years from the date of the grant, with the condition that you will have to live, study, and work in the designated regional areas as a visa holder.
It is also popular as a PR pathway to Australia, which means that you may apply for PR after successful completion of your 3-year tenure in the regional area.
As the Subclass 491 visa does not offer Permanent Residency straight away, we often get a lot of queries from our clients about whether 491 is worth applying for.
In this article, we will try to answer all the questions we get relating to the 491 visa.
KEY FEATURES OF 491 VISA
- The 491 visa allows you to stay in Australia for 5 years after the date of grant.
- You can live, study, and work in the designated regional area.
- It also allows you to travel to and fro as many times as you like during these 5 years.
- You can also apply for an Australian Permanent Residency if you have lived and worked for at least 3 years in the designated regional area.
BENEFITS RECEIVED BY 491 VISA HOLDERS
Register for Medicare while on a 491 visa.
You can apply for Medicare and get registered for it while you are on your 491 visa, saving on your medical expenses. Isn’t that great?
Educational Expenses
The 491 visa holders are eligible to get enrolled in the public schools, which are free of charge. In the event they decide to opt for private school, the fees will be nominal.
Study in a City or Metropolitan Institute
You can definitely get enrolled in any university of your choice, but the only condition is that the mode of study for that course should be online.
Why 491 instead of 190?
The simple answer to this question is that you will have higher chances of getting the nomination due to the 10 extra points from the state. Which will add up to your total points.
Work Opportunities in the Regional Area
There are ample work opportunities in regional areas, as the term regional area does not specify a totally underdeveloped area. Except for the three major cities, most of Australia comes under regional areas, and those too are pretty well established.
Stay for more than 5 years
The subclass 491 visa does not offer an extension. You might have to consider other visa options in order to extend your stay.
Chances of getting a PR
You can surely get the Australia PR after getting the 491 visa if you fulfil the condition of staying and working in the designated regional area for a minimum of 3 years, and that too under any occupation. Once you fulfil this condition, you are eligible to apply for subclass 191, which will make you a Permanent Resident of Australia.
Buy a house on a 491 visa
You can buy a house even on a 491 visa, but the only difference is that you might have to pay a little higher interest rates as compared to permanent residents, but that is still better than not having a house. You may also need to pay additional stamp duty for it. (Please consult a relevant broker for more information)
No minimum income requirement
You do not need to show a specific income, unlike other visa subclasses.
Sponsor a family while on 491
You can sponsor your family through the Family Sponsored Skilled Work Regional Visa, Subclass 491, which is a provisional visa for intending applicants who are interested in living and working in a designated regional area in Australia and have an eligible family member who can sponsor them
APPLY WITH KNOWBAL MIGRATION
Did you notice?
Although 491 doesn’t straight away give you Permanent Residency status, it surely opens a pathway for you towards Australia PR, and that too with almost all the benefits received by a PR.
If this article has cleared your doubts and convinced you to apply for a 491 visa, connect with Knowbal Migration right away!
At Knowbal, we have a team of registered migration agents who tirelessly work to provide a customised plan that best suits your profile.
Disclaimer: The above stated information is true on the date this article was published, on august 21, 2023.
