489 Skilled Regional Provisional Visa

The Visa allows skilled workers to live and work in regional or low population growth metropolitan areas of Australia for up to four years.

There are three pathways to the visa

• Extended Stay
• Invited
• Subsequent Entry

*The visa could lead to the permanent skilled regional visa (Subclass 887)

Location: You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa and when a decision is made on the visa (If applying in Australia then you must hold a substantive visa or bridging visa A, B or C)

Minimum ELIGIBILITY criteria

• Hold a subclass 487,495 or 496 visa (Extended stay pathway)
• Be nominated by a state or territory government agency or be sponsored by an eligible relative (Invited Pathway) - You can choose the states or territories you are interested in when you complete the Expression of Interest (EOI)
• Be invited to apply (invited pathway)
• Have a relevant occupation - on the list of eligible skilled occupations
• Have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation
• Be under 45 years of age at the time of invitation
• Meet the points test pass mark of 65 points
• Have competent English – IELTS 6 | PTE 50
• Must meet all health and character requirements
• Repaid or arranged to pay all debts to the Australian Government

Invited Pathway

Eligibility Criteria

You must be either:

• nominated by an Australian state or territory to live and work in that state or territory
• Sponsored by a relative.

Your sponsor must:

• be 18 years old or older
• live in a designated area of Australia
• be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen
• be your or your partner's relative.

Process

Submit an expression of interest visa skill select, with nominated occupation, skills, occupation and sponsor details

If you score high enough:

I. You will be invited to apply for visa if sponsored by a relative.

II. Australian State and Territory Government agencies will be able to view your EOI and decide if they want to nominate you. If nominated, you will be invited to apply for the visa.

Cost: AUD 4,045

Extended Pathway

Eligibility Criteria

You must currently hold one of the following provisional visas and complied with all conditions of that visa for at least two years:

• Skilled—Regional Sponsored visa (subclass 487)
• Skilled—Independent Regional visa (subclass 495)
• Skilled—Designated Area Sponsored Provisional visa (subclass 496).

*You must have never held more than one of these visas.

Cost: AUD 360

Subsequent Entry

Eligibility criteria

A member of your family unit must be the primary holder of a:

• Skilled Regional (Provisional (subclass 489)
• Skilled—Regional Sponsored visa (subclass 487)
• Skilled—Independent Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 495)
• Skilled—Designated Area Sponsored visa (subclass 496).

*There is no English language requirement skill for this pathway

Length of stay: Upto 4 Years

Cost: AUD 4,045

What you can do with this visa

This visa lets you and your family:

• Stay in Australia for unto 4 years
• Live, work and study in a specified region of Australia
• Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid
• Apply for permanent residency, if eligible through the skilled Regional (Residence) visa subclass 887