Living and Working in Australia
State Nomination
The Subclass 491 – Skilled visa is a 5-year provisional visa. The visa requires you to commit to residing in the sponsoring State for 3 years from visa approval. The visa also includes a condition requiring you to reside in a ‘designated regional area’, which is broadly defined as anywhere other than major cities Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
In order to obtain Nomination by a State or Territory, you must make a number of commitments for a period of 3 years following visa approval. These are:
- Live and work in the State or Territory that nominated you for at least three years. Your visa may be cancelled if you do not comply with this Condition.
- Keep the State or Territory informed of any changes to your address.
- Complete surveys and provide information when asked by the State or Territory.
For applicants applying for Victoria:
You will be required to be living and working in regional Victoria for Nomination. As part of the State Nomination assessment process, the Victorian government is likely to contact your employer to verify the job offer.
Family Sponsorship – 491 visa
The Subclass 491 – Skilled visa is a 5-year provisional visa. If you are sponsored by a family member for this visa, the visa will include a condition requiring you to reside in a ‘designated regional area’. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has provided a list of postcodes which specify the designated regional areas available here
Application Process
- We receive the completed information questionnaire and documents from you
- We will liaise with you on any questions we have based on the information and documents you have provided
- We will prepare your Skill Assessment and email to you to review prior to lodgement
- Once the Skill Assessment is approved, we will prepare and draft the Expression of Interest and State Nomination application/Registration of Interest (if required). We will email the drafts for you to review prior to lodgement
- You will receive an invitation to apply for State Nomination (if applicable)
- You will receive an invitation to apply for the visa subject to the State’s invitation processes
- You will conduct any necessary overseas police checks (if not already completed)
- We will prepare your visa application and email to you to review prior to lodgement
- Once you have reviewed and approved the visa application it will be lodged with all supporting documents
- You (and your family) undertake a medical examination
- We will receive a decision on your visa application or liaise with you should the Department of Home Affairs (the Department) request any further information or have any questions on your application
Evidence of employment
Evidence of employment may be a combination of the following:
- Employment reference letter (see below)
- Pay slips (one for each 6-month period of employment)
- Bank statements showing payment of wages
- Tax records – Notice of Assessment (Australia), P60/45 (UK) or other records
- Superannuation or Pension Fund records
- PAYG payment summary (Group certificate) (Australia) (or pre-filling report)
- Government labour books or employment records
- Other documents linking you to the relevant employer
Periods of self-employment
If you wish to rely on periods of self-employment you will need to provide other evidence of employment. This may include:
- Business registration certificates with your name and company name
- Bank statements
- Invoices
- Tax certificates with your name and company name
- Letters from clients and suppliers regarding the business you have with them and your role in conducting that business
- Business card
- Statement on company letterhead signed by business partner or yourself including the above information.
Employment reference letter
Employment references should (please also refer to our template letter):
- Be written on the official letterhead of the company or government department providing the reference;
- The letterhead should indicate clearly the full address of the company and any telephone, fax numbers, email and website addresses;
- The name and position of the person authorized to sign the employment reference should be typed or stamped below that person’s signature;
- The contact telephone number of the person writing the reference should be included in the letter; and
- The letter should indicate the exact period of employment (including whether permanent or temporary, full or part time), position(s) held, the 5 main duties undertaken and the salary earned – positions should not be described by generic titles (eg. Research officer, public servant) but according to nature of duties undertaken (eg. Research chemist, accounts clerk).
English requirements
Applicants must meet the relevant English requirement for this visa. Read more
Family Relationships
Family members are able to be included in your visa application. Read more.
Australian Federal Police check (if applicable)
Australian police checks are valid for a period of 12 months. Instructions to apply available here.
Overseas Police checks
We will provide instructions on which police checks need to be completed and how to complete them.
- Re-use of ‘old’ police checks
Police checks are valid for 12 months, irrespective of any validity period specified by the overseas authority issuing the check. Police checks that were issued more than 12 months ago remain valid provided you do not spend more than 2 months in the issuing country from the date of issue of the check. As such, these checks can be re-used for your visa application. If there is any doubt about whether you have spent more than 2 months in the issuing country, we recommend that you request a new check.
Medical Examination
You will be required to undertake a medical examination, x-ray and blood test as part of the visa
application process. We will ask that you (and your family if applicable) complete medicals immediately after lodgement of the application.
Interviews
Phone interviews can occur for all visa types. Please be aware that at any time after lodgement of the application, the Department may contact you by phone without warning to ask questions about any aspect of the application. This may include questions about your current or proposed employment, partner relationship, previous visa applications or any other matter.
Social Media
The Department may also access publicly available social or other media to confirm that claims made in the application are correct. Please adjust your social media settings accordingly or update relevant information.
Permanent Residency Application – 191 visa
You will be eligible to apply for permanent residency through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (Subclass 191) after the following conditions have been met:
- You have lived in a regional or designated area (as required by your visa) for at least 3 years following approval of the visa.
- You have a taxable income at or above the specified income threshold for at least 3 years.
- You have complied with the conditions on the 491 visa.