The Australian government has announced that it will introduce two new skilled migration visas to the regional areas.
The new visas – Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) and Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional (subclass 494) – will allow skilled migrants to settle in and contribute to the regional development of Australia.
Both of the new skilled visas will be temporary visas, with a pathway to permanent residency available for skilled migrants holding either visa.
The new visas will replace the existing skilled migration visa subclasses 489 and 187 and will offer a combined 23,000 places in the Australian occupation list each year to foreign skilled workers.
Holders of these skilled visas will be able to live and work in the regional areas of Australia for five years.
Moreover, skilled visa holders will have to be employed in paid-work and stay in the designated regional areas for at least three years before being eligible to apply for permanent residency.
Eligible skilled visa holders will also have the chance to have their family members apply for permanent residence in Australia.
Skilled migration visa applicants will have higher visa invitation priorities if they are single, or have a skilled partner, with as much as ten extra points being awarded to their points test for meeting these criteria.
Further points can also be earned from having a partner with competent English, being nominated by a State or Territory, or being sponsored by a family member currently residing in a regional area in Australia.
For more information on how to qualify and apply for the new visas, head over to eduaid!
