The Australian Immigration Department is constantly carrying new updates to its soon to be released Australia Skilled Regional Visa. The division has declared more details identified with execution dates and transitional arrangements in regards to the new visa subclass 491 as well as 494 visa.
The Subclass 489 Provisional Visa will send invitations to apply till tenth September 2019 and the last date to present a visa application following the invite would be fifteenth November 2019. The candidates can submit Subclass 187 RSMS nominations till the fifteenth of November.
Any RSMS assignments that we do not settle by November 16, 2019, will be withdrawn automatically. We will consider only those nomination applications for which we have submitted the corresponding visa applications.
Notwithstanding, there will be no changes to the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination scheme. The Immigration Department will likewise release the list of postcodes to enable candidates to decide whether their region comes within the purview of regional migration or not.
The Subclass 491 visa is trending in current Australian immigration discussions, replacing the Subclass 489 Visa starting from November 16, 2019. Like its predecessor, the new Subclass 491 visa relies on the skilled migration points system and requires either state government nomination or sponsorship by an eligible family member settled in a designated regional zone.
The administration has written and released the guidelines for the new provincial visas. Two current visas will close, and we will introduce two new regional provisional visas to replace them, along with a third permanent visa for holders of these visas to transition to if they meet the visa conditions and minimum income threshold requirements. We have also made additional changes to the General Skilled Migration (GSM) visa points test to benefit those nominated or sponsored in a regional area and those with partner skills or without a partner.
Subclass 489 – Skilled - Regional (Provisional) visas will be closed for new applicants from 16 November 2019 and be replaced by the new Subclass 491 – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa. The permanent Subclass 187 – Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa will likewise close on 16 November 2019 except for individuals subject to transitional courses of action and be replaced by the temporary Subclass 494 – Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa. And finally, there will be a third new visa, the Subclass 191 – Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa, accessible from 16 November 2022 for either 491 or 494 visa holders.
Key features of the Subclass 491 visa
1. The visa is substantial for a time of 5 years which was previously 4 years.
2. The Visa Holders of the new temporary visa must complete a minimum of three years in an assigned provincial territory to apply for other General Skilled Migration visas for Australia PR Visa.
3. According to the new conditions forced by the legislature, the visa holders must:
- Live, work and study possibly in assigned territorial zones and if employer-sponsored, just in the nominated position.
- Notify Immigration office inside 14 days of any change or amendments to the visa holder's details and must give proof in 28 days, whenever requested
- Attend a meeting with the Immigration department, whenever requested
4. Visa holders can move between provincial regions (barring Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and Perth).
5. Every year 16,000 spots will be apportioned with 504 qualified occupations (77 more than the nearest non- regional equivalent visa).
Changes in Points System for Subclass 491 visa
The Australia Immigration Points System will currently give extra points for every one of the applicants just as the applications for other General Skilled Migration visas (not assessed around then). The following are the new points details:
- 15 points for selection by a State or Territory government office or sponsorship by a relative staying in provincial Australia. Before the points were 10.
- 10 points for candidates without a spouse or their partner is an Australian native or permanent resident.
- 5 points for the spouse de facto partner with competent English Skills.
- 10 points for certain Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) capabilities
The Federal Budget gave a look at the progressions to the GSM points test. These amendments will be effective from 16 November 2019. Changes include:
- To earn 5 points, students must study in a designated regional area and live in that area. The study must take place on a campus in a designated regional area, and you must not attempt any of the studies through distance education. The applicant should likewise meet the Australian study prerequisite;
- Partner points will increase from 5 to 10. We will award ten points to applicants who either have no partner. Or have a partner who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident. We will award five points to partners of applicants who are applying for a similar visa. Are not Australian citizens or permanent residents, and have competent English at the time of invitation.
Application fee
Department of Home Affairs (Australia Govt.) will charge AUD 4,045 for the primary candidate and AUD 2,025 for the spouse.
The Department of Home Affairs Australia recently announced that they will replace the Subclass 489 visa with the new Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa Subclass 491. Presently, more updates accompany with regard to the transition of subclass 489 into a new Subclass 491 visa.
All visa holders must follow the new conditions, including:
- Condition 8578 – Notify Immigration within 14 days of any change to the visa holder's residential address, email address, telephone number, passport details, employer's address, or the address or area of their employment.
- Condition 8579 – You must live, work, and study only in a designated regional area listed at the time we grant the visa.
- Condition 8580 – If requested, give evidence to Immigration in 28 days after the date of request of any. Or the majority of their: residential address, address of every employer, address of every location of each position employed, or address of an educational institution they are attending;
- Condition 8581 – If requested, attend an interview with Immigration.
This will be a five-year visa whenever granted.
Australia announces three new regional category visas
A couple of months back, the Australian government had reported three new visas, including the Subclass 491 visa. Find Below the three new visas announced by the government:
1. Regional Provisional Skilled Work Subclass 491- (To be effective from November 16, 2019)This will be a point-based visa designated by a state or territory government office. A family member living in the designated regional area can also support this visa. This specific visa will be for 5 years, with various conditions including the commitment for all family members to live. Work and study just in a designated regional area. And to advise the experts of any reportable changes in 14 days.
2. Employer-Sponsored Regional Subclass 494 Visa- (To be effective from November 16, 2019) The specific Visa will support the regional Australia employers to hire foreign skilled workers. This visa will be under the Labor and Employer-Sponsored Agreement. The regulations allot the visa for 5 years with the same regional conditions as the 491 visa. The visa holder qualifies for Medicare, so private medical coverage isn't necessary.
3. Skilled Regional Subclass 191 Permanent Residence Visa-(To be effective from November 16, 2022)Different from the above 2 regional visas, Subclass 191 is a permanent residence visa. Likewise, we will execute the first two from this year as referenced above. However, the Subclass 191 visa will take effect after 3 years, starting in 2022. Subclass 191 visa plans to offer permanent residency pathway to individuals. Who choose to settle in the regional part of Australia. To qualify for the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa. Applicants must meet the 3-year residence requirement. As a holder of a regional provisional visa and satisfy the conditions of the 491 or 494 visa.
New definitions as well as transitional systems for 187 visa applications
To begin with, the regulations will include significant new definitions for visa conditions and criteria:
Designated Regional Area: To apply to visa conditions and criteria which ought to at first exclude Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Perth.
Transitional 457 Worker: Which is an individual who, on 18 April 2017 held a Subclass 457 – Temporary Work (Skilled) visa; or was a candidate for a 457 visa that was along these lines allowed. This definition imitates the instrument for transitional arrangements for Subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme visas.
Transitional 482 Worker: Is an individual who on 20 March 2019 held a Subclass 482 (Temporary Skill Shortage) visa in the Medium-term stream; or was a candidate for a Subclass 482 (Temporary Skill Shortage) visa in the Medium-term stream that was therefore granted. This is the date of the proposed announcement of this regional visa.
Individuals characterized as either a transitional 457 specialist or a transitional 482 worker. Will most likely apply for a 187 visa after 16 November 2019. Under the Temporary Residence Transition stream as it were. On that date, every other application will close.
Australian Immigration offers different PR programs as well as with these two visas additions. There is lots of scope for the potential migrants looking for permanent residency arrangements.
