Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 489) is a temporary visa granted to skilled workers who want to work and live in regional Australia. This visa is currently closed for new applicants and has been replaced with Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491).
With the Subclass 489 visa, you can live in Australia for up to 4 years from the date your current visa was granted. While you are on this visa, you can live and work only in the designated regional areas of Australia.
Eligibility
- You must be aged under 45 to be invited to apply for the visa.
- be nominated to apply by a state or territory government agency, or an eligible relative must sponsor you
- have an occupation on a relevant skilled occupation list
- have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation
- be invited to apply
- satisfy the points test
- You and your family member must meet health and character requirements
- You should not have had a visa cancelled or refused while you were in Australia
If you were nominated by an Australian state or territory for your current visa, you must live, study and work in the specified regional and low-population growth metropolitan areas of that state.
Similarly, if you were sponsored by a relative for your current skilled visa you have to ensure you stay and work in the specified designated areas in any state as per your visa conditions.
When you hold this visa, you can travel in and out of Australia as many times as you want and also you can include your family members in this visa as dependents.
Pathway to PR
You cannot extend this visa and stay in Australia beyond 4 years however you can either explore other visa options or apply for the Skilled Regional visa (subclass 887) if you are eligible.
General eligibility criteria to apply for PR are
- You should have lived at least 2 years in the specified regional area and worked full time at least 12 months lawfully in the region
- You should meet health and character requirements
- You and your family members must have complied with the conditions of your current visa
Post-COVID pandemic, there are some concessions offered on the stay and work duration. Make sure to consult a migration agent to check your eligibility for availing of the concession.
Cost of the visa
For the main applicant, the cost of the visa is AUD 425 at the moment. There is additional cost for each family member added to this visa. In addition, all applicants who are 18 year or older need to demonstrate that they have functional English proficiency. You can be inside or outside Australia while applying for this visa.
If you have more questions on Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) / Skilled Regional visa (subclass 887) or other visas you want to know about, talk to one of our expert migration agent today and make the process simple and quick with their guidance and support.
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