Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491)

As of JUNE 2021, the following participating regions for the below needed occupations are still in effect:

“MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS”

Medical Practitioners looking into opportunities, regions such as Northern Rivers, The Orana, Northern inland, Far West and Far South Coast are showing as having available needs.

“NURSES”

Nurses looking into opportunities, the majority of NSW regional areas are showing as having available needs.

“ENGINEERS”

Mechanical Engineers & Electrical Engineers looking into opportunities, the majority of the NSW regional areas are showing as having available needs. For Civil Engineers, The Orana, The Hawksbury & Blue Mountains in Sydney, Northern inland, and Far South Coast are showing as having available needs.

“ACCOUNTANTS”

The Orana RDA now sponsors accountants.

Many regions have dramatically increased the occupations available but most now only accept applicants from stream 1 and stream 2 pathways.

Please check the ‘Designated Regional Areas (RDA)’ webpage for the individual requirements, which can be found at The Department of Home Affairs. Click here for the list.

2020-21 Financial Year Update – NSW

Regional Development Australia (RDA) offices will begin assisting NSW Treasury manage the subclass 491 visa in 2021.

Each RDA office will accept and assess applications, and determine eligible occupations for their respective regions; however, nomination criteria is consistent across all regions. These criteria are outlined below.

Information about how to apply will be made available on RDA websites as soon as possible. Links to participating region websites can be found below.

RDA offices will focus on nominating applicants who are undertaking skilled work in critical sectors. These applicants are a priority for Government in supporting economic recovery following the impacts of COVID-19.

Nomination criteria

You must meet the all criteria in one of the following three streams to be eligible for NSW nomination:

1. Living and working in regional NSW;
2. recently completed study in regional NSW; or
3. living and working outside of regional NSW.

Applicants who do not meet the criteria in one of these three streams may be refused unless otherwise agreed with NSW Treasury.

‘Closely related occupations’ are defined as those having the same ANZSCO unit group, i.e. sharing the same first four digits.

‘Designated regional areas’ are determined by Home Affairs. Please see their website for a list of regional NSW postcodes.

1. Living and working in regional NSW

To be eligible for NSW nomination under this stream you must:

• hold a valid skills assessment for an occupation that appears on your nominated region’s occupation list;
• have been living in a designated regional area of NSW for at least the previous 12 months; and
• have been working in your nominated occupation, or a closely related occupation, in a designated regional area of NSW, for at least the previous 12 months.

2. Recently completed study in regional NSW

To be eligible for NSW nomination under this stream you must:

• hold a valid skills assessment for an occupation that appears on your nominated region’s occupation list;
• have completed study or education with an education provider, where:
  • the study was completed within the previous 24 months;
  • the education provider is located in a designated regional area in NSW;
  • the study meets the Australian study requirement (as determined by Home Affairs from time to time); and
  • the qualification obtained from this study has been assessed as closely related to your nominated occupation by the relevant assessing authority; and
• have lived in a designated regional area of NSW while completing your study.

3. Living and working outside of regional NSW

To be eligible for NSW nomination under this stream you must meet all the criteria for at least one of the following categories:

• A. Job offer in regional NSW

To be eligible for NSW nomination under this category you must:

• hold a valid skills assessment for an occupation that appears on your nominated region’s occupation list;
• have an offer for ongoing employment that is:
  • in your nominated occupation, or a closely related occupation; and
  • for a minimum term of 12 months and 35 hours of work per week;
• have an offer for ongoing employment from an employer that is:
  • located in a designated regional area in NSW; and
  • registered in Australia.

• B. At least five years skilled employment experience (offshore Applicants)

If you reside outside of Australia, you must:

• hold a valid skills assessment for an occupation that appears on your nominated region’s occupation list; and
• have at least five years of skilled employment in such nominated occupation, or a closely related occupation.

1. C. Family ties in regional NSW

To be eligible for NSW nomination under this category you must:

• hold a valid skills assessment for an occupation that appears on your nominated region’s occupation list; and
• have an immediate family member in a designated regional area in NSW who satisfies all of the criteria below:
  • is either your grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, brother or sister (including by virtue of a step or adoptive relationship);
  • at least 18 years of age;
  • either an Australian Permanent Resident, an Australian Citizen or a NSW nominated provisional visa holder (489);
  • currently residing in a designated regional area in NSW; and
  • has been residing in a designated regional area in NSW for at least the previous 24 months,
  • and you must ensure that your family member has completed a statutory declaration to confirm that they satisfy each of the above chain migration requirements.

Alternative migration options for NSW

NSW nomination for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is just one of a number of visa options for prospective skilled migrants. There is a range of visas offered by Home Affairs, including both temporary and permanent employer nominated visas.
 

NSW To Welcome Back International Students Under Pilot Plan

Australia is set to welcome back international students under a New South Wales Government pilot plan for their safe return over the second half of the year.

The NSW pilot plan will initially see a limited number of students from a range of countries in purpose-built student accommodation adhering to the same quarantine requirements as all incoming travellers.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said international students are a vital missing piece in the state’s economic recovery, with the sector worth $14.6 billion in 2019.

“International education is our second most valuable export and we need to do what we can to help students return and revive this sector as quickly as possible,” Mr Perrottet said.

“Typically, we have more than 250,000 international students studying in NSW each year and they directly supported over 95,000 local jobs prior to the pandemic. If we don’t act fast, students will turn to other overseas destinations and it could take the sector decades to recover.

“That’s why we’ve developed a pilot plan supported by NSW Health and NSW Police that enables 250 international students to come to Sydney per fortnight from mid-year, in a gradual approach that will enable us to closely manage the process and ensure community health is not compromised.

The international student allocation will be in addition to the current number of returning Australians allowed into NSW each week.

NSW Health would triage arriving students and direct them to quarantine at specially approved student accommodation at no cost to taxpayers. The first of these sites has been chosen, with contract negotiations well advanced.

International students make up a significant cohort in Australian MBA programs. In 2019, international student enrolments accounted for 21076 enrolments in MBAs in Australia.

Prior to COVID-19, there was a growing trend by Australian universities and private providers to try and attract international students, who generally pay higher fees than domestic students.

Professor Barney Glover AO, on behalf of the NSW Vice-Chancellors’ Committee, welcomed the state’s approval of the program after working collaboratively for several months to commence the safe return of international students to NSW.

“As at May this year, there were many higher education students diligently studying offshore – many of whom expect to return to our campuses to finish their studies. This Program has carefully considered the personal, social and academic aspects of our students, to ensure they successfully resume their studies and re-join NSW’s vibrant, multicultural community as soon as possible,” Professor Glover said.

“We are excited to finally welcome back international students to experience the world-class education, training and research that makes NSW such an attractive destination for education.”

Council of International Students President Belle Lim was extremely encouraged to learn that the NSW Plan had been submitted for review.

“We are so happy to see that international students will be welcomed back to NSW. This sends a great message to international students studying online offshore that there is hope that things will return to normal again,” Ms Lim said.

“We are pleased to see the cautious approach but are hopeful the numbers of students arriving will scale over time. CISA strongly supports the detailed planning that has been done by NSW.

The NSW plan has been submitted to the Federal Government for final review.