This visa is for skilled workers who are nominated by a state or territory or sponsored by an eligible relative living in a designated area in Australia.

It is Points-Tested visa available under the SkillSelect Program where potential applicants are to achieve, or exceed, the minimum Pass Mark for the visa. Points are awarded on the basis of age, English Language ability, qualifications, work experience, etc. Certain family members can be included in the application, including members not included in previous Subclass 495, 496, 475 and 487 applications.

The visa can be valid for four years, and a visa holder must live and work in a specified regional area.

This visa also allows holders of provisional visa Subclasses 495, 496, 475 and 487 to apply for a Subclass 489 visa, allowing them to stay in Australia for an additional year. Your dependants who were not included in your original application (subsequent entrants) may also be eligible to apply for this visa.

As a holder of one of the above provisional visas, you and any subsequent entrants do not need to submit an Expression of Interest and/or receive an invitation to apply.

Other applications are by invitation only. To be invited to apply, a person must:

Submit an Expression of Interest and be nominated by a State or Territory Government, or sponsored by a relative residing in a Designated Area of Australia;
Nominate an occupation that is listed in Schedule 1 or 2 of Consolidated Skilled Occupation List (CSOL);
Have a suitable skills assessment for that occupation;
Be less than 50 years of age when the invitation is issued;
Meet English language requirements;
Be able to score at least 60 on the points test.

This Visa allows you and your dependents to:

Temporarily live and work in a designated regional area in Australia;
Study in a specified regional area of Australia;
Travel in and out of Australia while the visa is valid;
Apply for permanent residency through the Skilled Regional (Residence) visa (subclass 887), after certain conditions have been met.

For more information, please contact one of our offices

Last Updated: 14 January 2013
Editor: Nina Zarabi

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