Points Requirement and Calculation for 491 Visa

The Skilled Work Regional visa, also known as visa subclass 491, allows the primary applicant and family members to work and study in a designated regional area of Australia. You must be nominated by an Australian state or territory government agency or sponsored by an eligible relative to meet the requirements of this visa.

Applicants for visa subclass 491 must also have a designated occupation on the skilled occupation list and an acceptable skills evaluation for the occupation. Applicants must pass the SkillSelect points test in addition to being invited to apply and completing the occupation requirements.

Benefits and terms of the visa

Points

You can stay in Australia for 5 years on this visa and travel to and from the nation. Only a specific part of the country is allowed to live, work, and study. Family members can be included in the visa. However, they can only stay until the primary visa holder’s visa expires. Although qualifying applicants can apply for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa, the Skilled Work Regional visa cannot be extended (subclass 191).

If you don’t have a sponsor or a job offer, you can use the GSM Subclass 189/190/491 Points-Calculator to see if you can apply for an independent skilled visa. Members of your family can be included in a combined application, or you can sponsor them for different visas if the visa is granted.

The GSM or General Skilled Migration visa is for anyone with at least 65 points in the GM’s Subclass 189/190/491 Points-Calculator and whose occupation is in limited supply (click here to see if your occupation is in short supply). Learn more about the Subclass 190 and Subclass 491 visas by clicking here.

It’s worth noting that you can only get the highest score for each factor. For example, you can only claim 15 points if you have a Bachelor’s degree (15 points) and a Diploma (10 points). You cannot claim 15 points for a bachelor’s degree and 10 points for a diploma to achieve 25 points for the Education element.

The price of a visa

The cost of the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa Subclass 491 is AUD$4,045 for the principal applicant, plus a separate fee for each family member who applies with the principal applicant. The total cost is determined by English language proficiency and expenditures associated with health examinations, police certifications, and biometrics.

Although second installment charges and other costs are not included, the Visa Pricing Estimatorexternal symbol is accessible on the Home Affairs website. All applicants aged 18 and up who have less than functional English may be required to pay an additional fee. This is the second installment, and it will set you back AUD$4,890.

The processing period for visas

There are no set processing times for this pathway, as there are many Australian visas. You have 60 days from the date of your invitation to apply for a visa subclass 491, with a written statement sent once a decision is reached.

Each application for a subclass 491 visa is considered on its own merits, with processing times based on whether you have submitted a comprehensive application and accompanying papers. On a case-by-case basis, the time to execute necessary tests can vary greatly. Requests for additional documentation or information regarding a person’s health, character, or national security from other agencies can further slow down the procedure.

Eligibility 

A provisional visa for skilled workers who want to live and work in regional Australia is the Skilled Work Regional Visa Subclass 491. There are several qualifying requirements to meet before the visa is issued and conform to the location limits.

• Be invited to submit an application
• Become a nominee or a sponsor
• To be considered, you must be under 45 years old.
• Have an appropriate skill evaluation.
• In SkillSelect, you must score 65 points or above.
• Have a good command of the English language.
• Other requirements as mentioned on the Department of Homeland Security’s website.

Points calculator

Subclass of Visa

Are you applying for one of the following subclasses?

• Sponsorship from a relative living in a regional area or a state or territory government is required for the Skilled Work Regional 491 visa (Provisional). See the 491 visa page for further information.
• Skilled Nominated 190 visa (permanent) – permits skilled individuals to live and work permanently in Australia after being nominated by an Australian state or territory government. Your job must be listed on the 190 visa list.
• Skilled Independent 189 visa (permanent) – skilled workers who are not sponsored by a company or a family member or who are not nominated by a state or territory government.
• Your job must be listed on the 189 visa list.

Age

What is your age?

• 18 to 24 years old
• 25 to 32 years old
• 33 to 39 years old
• 40 to 44 years old

Ability to communicate in English

What level of English proficiency do you have?*

English Proficiency:

• Passport from the United Kingdom, the United States, Ireland, Canada, or New Zealand; or
• IELTS: a score of 6 or above in each component; or
• PTE Academic: a score of 50 or higher in each component; or
• CAE (Cambridge Advanced Examinations): 169+ in each component; or
• 12 in listening, 13 in Reading, 21 in writing, and 18 in speaking on the TOEFL iBT

English Proficiency:

• IELTS: a score of 7 or above in each component; or
• B pass in each component in OET; or
• PTE Academic: 65 or higher in each section; or
• CAE (Cambridge Advanced Examinations): 185+ in each component; or
• 24 in Listening, 24 in Reading, 27 in Writing, and 23 in Speaking on the TOEFL iBT

Excellent English:

• IELTS: a score of 8 or above in each component; or
• OET: A thorough examination of each component; or
• PTE Academic: 79 or higher in each section; or
• CAE (Cambridge Advanced Examinations): 200+ in each component; or
• TOEFL iBT: Listening: 28, Reading: 29, Writing: 30, Speaking: 26

Qualifications

What is your highest academic achievement?

• Ph.D. with a good reputation (Doctorate)
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in a recognized field
• Trade Qualifications that Have Been Recognized
• Completion of a diploma or trade certificate at an Australian educational institution
• Other awards or certifications that the skills assessment authority recognizes
• There are no recognized qualifications.

Educational Qualifications in Australia

Have you completed a degree, certificate, advanced diploma, or trade qualification(s) related to your nominated occupation while studying in Australia for at least 2 years (92 weeks)?

• Yes: In Australia, a degree, diploma, advanced diploma, or trade qualification(s) requires at least two years of full-time study.
• No

Work Experience Abroad

How long have you worked in your specified occupation or a closely related occupation overseas in the previous ten years?

• More than eight years
• 5 or more years
• 3 or more years
• 3 Years or Less

Work Experience in Australia

In the previous ten years, Australian skilled employment in your specified occupation or a closely related skilled occupation:

• More than eight years
• 5 or more years
• 3 or more years
• 1 or more years
• 1 year or less

Qualifications of a Partner

Only ONE of the boxes that apply to you should be checked.

• My partner has a skills assessment in a relevant occupation and speaks English fluently.
• My boyfriend speaks English fluently (IELTS 6 or equivalent)
• My companion lacks a skills assessment and is unable to obtain adequate English.
• I am not married.

The language that has been designated

Do you fit into any of the following categories?

• Hold you been accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters at the paraprofessional level or higher, certified at the certified provisional level or higher, or have a community language certification for interpreting or translating?
• None of the preceding