Applicants who live in Metropolitan Melbourne are now eligible to apply for a Skilled Regional visa (subclass 491). This visa option was previously unavailable to Metro Melbourne applicants.
The subclass 491 visa allows applicants to:
- stay in Australia for 5 years;
- live, work and study in a designated regional area of Victoria;
- unlimited travel to and from Australia while the visa is valid; and
- apply for permeant residency 3 years after the time of visa grant.
The new expanded eligibility criteria opens Victoria’s subclass 491 visa program to skilled migrants living anywhere in Victoria, including previously ineligible metropolitan Melbourne residents who wish to relocate to work and live in a designated regional area of Victoria. Onshore candidates living and/or working in Metropolitan Melbourne can now submit a registration of Interest (ROI) for 491 nomination. It is important that if you do this, you have an intention to relocate.
Subclass 491 visa holders must live, work and study in a regional area of Victoria for at least three years before they can apply for their subclass 191 visa, which provides permanent residency.
Process for applying for a subclass 491 visa nomination:
- Using SkillSelect, submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs.
- Once you receive the EOI number from SkillSelect, lodge a Registration of Interest (ROI) for Victorian nomination via the Live in Melbourne portal.
- If you are selected to apply for a Victorian visa nomination, apply for a subclass 491 visa nomination on the Live in Melbourne portal.
- If the nomination application is approved, submit a visa application with the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs.
Book in a free 10 minute phone call with a WLW Migration Lawyer here to discuss your 491 visa eligibility in more detail.
