STATE REQUIREMENTS FOR 491 VISA - Australian Migration agents | Immigration Lawyers in Melbourne & Canberra | Global Vision Migration

STATE REQUIREMENTS FOR 491 VISA

The following is a list of state opening dates for the 491 visa, as well as more specific information (updated on 21 December 2020)

The MIA has been provided with the particular number of interim allotted spaces for subclasses 190, 491, and the Business Innovation and Investment program for each State and Territory, as shown below.

State & Territory sc 190 sc 491 & 489 BIIP
ACT 250 45 4
NSW 550 150 200
VIC 600 200 400
QLD 200 200 160
NT 80 80 5
WA 200 40 70
SA 300 600 180
TAS 250 400 5
Total 2430 1715 1024

STATE REQUIREMENTS FOR 491 VISA

As a result of COVID-19, offshore state migration initiatives are being phased out.

Criteria for the Victoria 491 visa

On Tuesday, January 5, 2021, the Victorian skilled visa nomination program (subclasses 190 and 491) will reopen (only available for professionals already living and working in Victoria)

  • You may already be a resident of regional Victoria.
  • Working in regional Victoria is already a possibility (minimum 3 months employment)
  • Work in a highly skilled occupation that helps Victoria’s economic recovery and/or health response, such as health, medical research, life sciences, agri-food, or digital.
  • For more information, see the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491).

Nomination criteria for ACT 491:

The Australian government has asked the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) to identify people who can help the economy recover post-COVID. As a result, before applying for the nomination, you must meet the following requirements:

  • For at least three months, you must have lived in Canberra.

Choose one of the following options:

  • OR the nominated occupation is on the ACT Critical Skills List (as of January 2021)
  • An ACT employer sponsors a principal holder of a subclass 457/482 visa:
  • You have at least 3 months of experience working for the sponsor in Canberra.
  • At the time of nomination, the visa must be valid for at least 12 months.

Under the new 491 visa, the WA is nominated.

The state nomination program in WA is now on hold. During this time, WA will not be sending out invitations.

Nomination criteria for NT 491

The Australian government has yet to provide a nomination quota to the Northern Territory. As a result, no invitations will be sent out during this time.

Nomination criteria for QLD 491

The QLD Subclass 491 SBO Pathway is for migrants who are willing to invest at least $100,000 in a business in the Queensland regional area. The 491-SBO (Small Business Owners) Pathway in Queensland is now open. Please note that the new 491-SBO criteria went into effect on April 1, 2021.

From April 19 through April 25, 2021, the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is currently OPEN.

You will not be needed to file a new EOI if you submitted one between January 1 and February 7, 2021. Please do not submit multiple Expressions of Interest. The first EOI received will be dealt with.

Businesses that produce jobs, assist COVID recovery industries, or are based in a regional area will be prioritized by BSMQ.

Applicants who are s48 barred cannot be processed in QLD.

Nomination criteria for NSW 491

Lists of skilled occupations for visa subclasses 190 and 491 are now accessible. The 491 visa program involves 13 different regions.

Nomination requirements for TAS 491

Please see the following link for the most up-to-date 491 visa nomination criteria for Tasmania:

  • Changes to Tasmanian Nominations in 2021

The complete nomination quota for the 2020–21 program year has now been received by Tasmania. The following items make up the entire allocation:

  • 1400 seats in Subclass 491
  • Places in Subclass 190 – 1000
  • 45 locations for business migration

Only around a quarter of the available skilled visa nomination slots have been filled.

This includes the following:

  • a person who provides critical or specialized medical care, or
  • individual with key talents needed to keep important products and services flowing, or
  • Individuals who provide services in industries that are crucial to Australia’s economic revival.

At this point, international graduates who do not work in the crucial area are unlikely to be nominated.

Nomination criteria for SA 491

UPDATE: 190 visa state requirements

UPDATE: 491 Visa State Requirements

Nomination requirements at a minimum

  1. Applicants must meet the minimal requirements set forth by the Department of Home Affairs in terms of age, English levels, and Points, among other things.
  2. Applicants must nominate an occupation on the Skilled Migration Occupation List that is qualified for a 190 or 491 nomination, have a valid and positive Skills Assessment for that occupation, and
  3. Applicants must have worked in their nominated or closely related occupation for at least 20 hours per week or 40 hours per fortnight in South Australia for the previous three months. Work experience must be completed after completion of the qualification and compensated at the appropriate rate for the skill level.
  4. The following applicants are exempt from the above-mentioned job experience requirement:
    • International PhD or Masters by Research graduates from South Australian educational institutions.

Preferable specifications:

Applicants that meet the following prerequisites, in addition to the essential requirements given above, will have a better chance of being invited to submit an application.

  1. Applicants that are fluent in English on a global level or above
  2. Applicants who scored at least 90 points in their Expression of Interest will be considered (including state-nomination points)
  3. Applicants who have worked in their nominated or closely similar occupation in South Australia for at least the last 12 months and are claiming Points for their Australian work experience.
  4. Applicants who now reside and work in South Australia’s outer regions.
  5. Applicants who meet the Commonwealth Government’s Travel Exemption Requirements for vital skills mentioned here.

If you live and work in South Australia, you may be eligible for this stream as well as other concessions and waivers.

There are concessions and waivers available, and eligibility is based on the following factors:

  • How long have you lived and worked in South Australia?
  • Your chosen profession
  • If you live and work in rural and remote South Australia,

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