Australia Skilled Provisional (Regional) Visa Subclass 489

The Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa is for skilled workers who want to work and live in Australia. This comes under the subclass 489. This visa allows you to live and work in Regional Australia for a period of up to four years. Regional Australia is an area which is low population growth metropolitan area in Australia and consists of all of Australia outside of major cities like Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Wollongong, Newcastle and the Gold coast.

You can apply for this visa by creating an online profile and submitting expression of interest. Family members of someone who already hold a visa under the subclass categories of 489, 475, 487, 495, or 496 can also apply for this visa. Please note that, you can apply for this visa, only if you have been nominated by an approved Regional Australian employer or sponsored by an eligible relative in a designated area.

The visa information below should only be used as a guide. If you want better, clearer understanding on which particular visa is appropriate for your circumstances, then we would request you to Contact Us.  Our team of expert consultants at Visas Abroad will provide you the knowledge, support and understanding needed to turn your dreams of living abroad a reality.

Eligibility Criteria for the Applicants:

You can apply for Skilled Regional visa if you meet the below criteria:

• You must be nominated by an approved Australian State or territory government agency or have been sponsored by an eligible relative living in a designated area.
• You must be nominated in an occupation that is relevant in the Skilled Occupation List of the sponsoring state.
• You must undergo suitable skills assessment for that occupation.
• Your age must be below 50 years.
• You must be able to submit suitable evidence of the points claimed for meeting the eligibility criteria for submitting expression of interest. You need a minimum of 60 points in order to create a profile in expression of interest.
• You must be competent in English language, and must demonstrate your language skills by giving approximate exams and getting eligible score.

Documents checklist for Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa Subclass 489:

When you are applying for visa under skilled regional provisional visa- subclass 190, you would be required to attach all the relevant documents with the application. It is very important that you provide certified copies of original documents, you may also be asked to submit certain original documents as well. In case, the documents are not in English, they must be translated in English by some accredited translators.

You are required to submit scans of documents online, physical copies of documents are not required unless asked for specifically. While submitting applications under point based systems, it’s very important to ensure all the relevant documents to support point claim are included as evidence.

Below are the different types of documents required to be submitted under Skilled Provisional –  Subclass 489:

Completed and Filled Application Form:

• To apply for Skilled Regional Provisional visa, you need to complete an application form available on the official website of Australian Immigration Authority.
• Include Family member subsequent entrant form for any family member you want to accompany you

Personal Identification Documents:

• Passport Copies: Certified copies of your current passports or travel documents of all people included in your application.
• Name Change Document: If there is a name change or name of any applicant has changed please provide evidence to support name change.
• Identification proof including both parent names: A certified copy of your birth certificate clearly showing names of both the parents. In case you don’t have a birth certificate and cannot show any certified copy of identification pages you must show other certified proofs such as, family book showing parents, court-issued document, identification proof issued by government, etc…..

Relationship Status Information:

• Certified copies of marriage certificates or relationship registrations for you and any other person included in your application is compulsory even if your partner may not be going to Australia with you.
• If you are widowed, divorced, or are permanently separated, submit a certified copy of the death certificate or, divorce documents.

Sponsorship documents:

• You need to attach a skilled regional 489 provisional visa sponsor declaration provided by your sponsor along with the visa application. In case you are sponsored by a family member who is an Australian citizen you need to submit the relevant documents. You can submit a copy of their Australian passport or citizenship certificate or an Australian birth certificate. You also need to submit evidence of sponsor relationship proof.

Skill Assessment documents:

• It is very important to undergo skill assessment for your nominated occupation and you must have positive assessment if you want to apply for Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa.

Health and Character Information:

• Your police verification besides verification of other people in your application is compulsory to prove that the applicants have clean criminal records.
• In case you or anyone in your family has worked with armed forces of any country, a certified scanned color copy of military service record or discharge paper is required.
• You need to undergo medical examination and provide relevant evidence of good health.

Documents to support the point claimed to apply for skilled regional 489 provisional visas:

Proof of age:

• You must submit birth certificate or any other government certified proof of your age in order to apply for visa. You must be under 50 years of age unless you are exempted. Exemption is provided only to high skilled professionals like researcher, scientist, and medical practitioner.

Proof of Good English language ability:

• You need to submit a copy of the test results from the list of specified English language tests.
• You can appear for different specified English language tests, but you must meet the minimum eligibility score for that exam. You can take any one of the following listed exams:
  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
  • Occupational English Test (OET)
  • Test of English Language internet Based Test (TOFEL bit)
  • Pearson Test English (PTE)
  • Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)

Proof of Skilled employment:

• This visa is a skilled visa category and requires applicants to submit the relevant evidence of skilled employment in the 10 year period immediately before you apply:
  • Employment references,
  • Contracts, pay slips, tax return, group certificates,
  • evidence you were self employed
  • any documents that you provided to the relevant assessing authority to obtain your skills assessment, including any documents relating to your employment history

Completion of a recognized professional year in Australia:

• Once you get your assessment done, you need to submit completion of a recognized professional year in Australia in the four years immediately before you apply. These professional years are evaluated by different Australian assessment bodies.

Educational qualifications:

• Evidence of any degrees, diplomas, certificates, completion letters and course transcripts or other relevant documents supporting your educational qualifications.

Proof of Specialist Education qualification:

• If you have pursued your studies in Australia or related to a research course taken for at least two academic years at an Australian educational institution.

Study in Regional Australia:

• If you have studied in Regional Australia, you need to submit the relevant evidence of your stay and studies in regional Australia.

Partner Skills:

• If you want to take your partner along with you to Australia, you can submit the following documents as evidence such as:
  • Your partner age is below 50 years
  • Your partner has competent English skills
  • Your partner has suitable skills for relevant assessing authority

Nomination and Sponsorship:

• If you were nominated for this visa by a state or territory government agency, you must provide evidence related to sponsorship.

Benefits of Tourist Visa of Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa Subclass 489:

Visa granted under Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa offers you following benefits:

• Stay in Australia indefinitely
• Live, work and Study in specified Regional Australia
• Invite eligible relatives through Skilled Regional (Professional) Subsequent Entrant
• your invited family member can also live, work and study in Australia till your visa is valid
• Enter and leave Australia during visa validity period

Processing time for Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa Subclass 489 of Australia:

If you have submitted your visa application and are concerned with the amount of time it will take for your application to process, this section offers all the information you need. For all applications under skilled migrations highest priority is given to application coming though Skill Select Subclass 187, 186, 190 and 489.

According to Australian Immigration Department website, the average processing time for applications filed under Employee Nomination Scheme- Subclass 489 is around 3-4 months. But, every case file is unique and requires a fair amount of time for its evaluation. You can track your application online on the department website to know the application status.

Obligations for Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa Subclass 489 of Australia:

You and your family must ensure that you do comply with all the visa conditions and follow Australian laws.

If you were nominated for this visa by a state or territory government:

• You must live, study and work in regional Australia. You must abide by any residential condition that has been specified by the sated or territory government.

If you were sponsored for this visa by a family member:

• You must live, study and work in a designated area. If you plan to apply for PR skilled regional visa, you will need to prove that you have spent the specified time in designated area.

Report changes in circumstances:

• If the circumstances at the time of filing application is different from the time of receiving the application. Any information that is changed ranging from new residential address, a new passport, or a pregnancy, birth or death in your family needs to be reported at the earliest.