Australia has introduced a new permanent visa to bring more skilled workers and specialists to local Australia, these being Sub-classes 494, 491 and 191.
Subclass 494 and subclass 491 are the couple of new regional local visas coming in effect from November this year, replacing and supplanting the recently closed permanent Subclass 187 (Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme) visa and also Subclass 489 (Skilled Regional (Provisional)) visa type.
The Subclass 494 visa is to help employers and businesses in local Australia to utilize employ talented and skilled foreign workers via Employer-Sponsored program and labor agreement.
The Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa is a points-earned visa for applicants sponsored by a particular State or Territory of government organization or can be sponsored by a family member or relative residing in a designated territorial regional area.
The subclass 191 (Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional)) visa will initiate from 16 November 2022. This visa may only be applied for by holders of the new Subclass 491 and Subclass 494 visa service. The honorable Minister for Immigration services, Civilian and Multiculturalism Affairs, Mr. David Coleman expressed that, “The new subclass 191 visa impersonates many existing general essentials for perpetual permanent residence agreement, most different and most various visas, including security, health and character necessities.”
According to the Migration Amendment policy (New Skilled and talented Regional Visas) Regulations 2019, the qualification criteria for the Subclass 191 visa, including that the essential applicant must:
hold a regional temporary visa when they apply for the Subclass 191 visa and have held that visa for in any event up to three years;
Have earned a base salary for at least three years as the holder of a provincial temporary visa; and
Have agreed with the conditions stated by the regional temporary visa.
The postponed commencement for the subclass 191 visa is in relation to the prerequisite to have held a local temporary visa for three years before applying for the Subclass 191 visa, hence evaluation will not occur before 16 November 2022.
