September 13th, 2023 at 05:00 am

Australia Immigration Update for 491 & 190 Visas

This article will cover all the significant revisions to the subclass 190 and 491 general skilled migration visas for five Australian States and Territories for the current fiscal year 2023–2024. We’ll examine recent updates and Visa allocations from these five states and territories.

South Australia

South Australia was given 2,300 nomination slots, which is a significant decrease from the 8,800 nomination slots the state obtained in 2022–2023. The South Australian state plans to promote important companies with a focus on luring foreign skilled people into crucial fields like health and defense with the few places available.

Incomplete applications for the fiscal year 2022–2023 will shortly be processed, and further information on the general skilled migration program for 2023–24 will soon be made available.

Western Australia

The federal government has been urged to reverse a decision that will result in a 70% decrease in the number of nominated skilled migrants admitted to Western Australia. The workers are urgently needed, according to Western Australia’s Premier Roger Cook, to erect new homes and work in a variety of occupations.

There is still a sizable demand from prospective immigrants despite the nearly 6,000 reduction in the overall allocation, with 5,000 registering for Western Australia’s skilled migrant work register.

Tasmania

Tasmania received 2,150 subclass 190 slots and 2,100 subclass 491 seats in the preceding fiscal year, respectively. Only 600 subclass 190 visa slots and 600 subclass 491 visa slots will be available to Tasmania in the state and territory-nominated visa categories for the 2023–2024 program year.

Cutbacks have been made to the entire state and territory nominated program, according to the Department of Home Affairs, as a result of the high quotas and subsequent nominations made in 2022–2023.

Tasmania will have fewer foreign applications nominated if there is no employment offer. Instead, those who have accepted a job offer from a Tasmanian company will be the majority of those invited. Although it will be quite competitive, the state wants to focus on keeping those who are already living and working there.

Victoria

Victoria received 12,900 subclass 190 Visa slots and 2,000 subclass 491 Visa slots during the preceding fiscal year. In addition, Victoria claims that 3,300 nomination slots for skilled visas have been allocated to Victoria by the Australian government under the 2023–2024 program.

600 subclass 491 Visa places and 2,700 subclass 190 Visa spots make up Victoria’s allocation. More information, including eligibility requirements and program dates, will be provided on the Leave in Melbourne website as soon as it is available for the 2023–24 program.

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory was granted 600 subclass 190 Visa slots and 1,400 subclass 491 Visa slots during the preceding fiscal year. The Australian government has dramatically reduced the amount of GSM nominations available for the 2023–24 program year, according to information provided to the Northern Territory.

On August 24, 2023, the Northern Territory ceased to accept new nomination requests to handle the backlog of requests against the previous lower allotment. At this point, the same eligibility tests would still apply to applications that had already been submitted online through the migration NT site, and those who met the standards would receive nominations.

After the current submissions have been examined, the program will be reopened for applications for subclass 491 nominations exclusively and with tougher criteria.

Before choosing whether to apply for a 190 or 491 Visa, we urge you to carefully consider your options by determining your eligibility. assembling the required documents and carefully putting together your application.

Australia Capital Act (ACT) Updates – 190 & 491 Visas

Update on ACT State Nomination: New Possibilities for Skilled Migrants. The ACT State nomination program for the current fiscal year is the subject of some exciting news covered in this article. Learn about the most recent open nomination slots and the updated skills list that attempts to make it easier for potential migrants to apply.

For the current fiscal year, the ACT (Australian Capital Territory) issued a significant modification to its state nomination program. Let’s examine the specifics in more detail;

The ACT received a total of 2,025 nomination places for the Skilled Nominated Visa and the Skilled Work Regional Visa for the fiscal year 2022–2023. 10 nomination slots for the Business Innovation and Investment Program were also open.

ACT Current Nominations

The ACT has already released a sizable number of nominees as of right now. They have specifically granted the following:

• 1,392 Nominations for the Skilled Work Regional Visa
• Also, 1,175 nominations for the skilled nominated Visa
• Lastly, 10 places for the Business Innovation and Investment Program

Accordingly, the ACT has 850 openings for the Skilled Nominated visa (190) and 633 openings for the Skilled Regional Work visa (491). It’s crucial to keep in mind that the Business Innovation and Investment Program has reached its cap and is no longer accepting applications for the rest of the fiscal year.

The ACT has until June 30, 2023, to fill these positions before the new fiscal year starts in July, taking into account the remaining nominations. The ACT has evaluated its skills list and nomination procedures to be ready for the upcoming year. They have consequently added 128 more jobs to the list as a result.

The nomination procedure is intended to be made simpler for potential migrants, including international candidates. Now is the ideal time to research the chances if you’re thinking of moving to Australia as a skilled worker, especially through the ACT.

Keep in mind to pay attention to deadlines and regulations, and for correct and up-to-date information, speak with the necessary authorities or migration agents.

New Australian 5-Year Visa Program – 491 Visa

Do you know about the Australian immigration visa program that enables qualified people to live and work in the country’s rural areas? Get all the details below.

To draw qualified individuals for the expansion and improvement of the country’s rural regions, Visa Australia developed a five-year visa. Under this program, 42,000 new visas are given out each year to people who want to spend some time studying, working, or living in rural Australia. 500 occupations qualify for this visa, and candidates can gain 15 more points while taking the points exam. Due to its quick processing, the 491 Visa is even more alluring.

What is the 491 Visa?

The Regional Subclass 491 Visa very recently became available. It is considered to be the most practical immigration option for qualified applicants. Residents and employees with 491 Visas are allowed to enter Australia’s less populated rural areas. Remember that during the following five years, the Australian government designated certain locations as future growth zones. All regions outside of major cities like Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney are referred to as rural Australia.

The 491 Visa can be a way to obtain permanent residency in Australia. The 5-year residence and employment restrictions on this visa may only apply to Regional Australia. Holders of a 491 Visa can utilize a 191 Visa to apply for permanent residency and settle anywhere in Australia after just 3 years of employment in a regional position earning AUD 53,900 annually. Visa holders have access to state-funded medical care, schooling, and other social services.

A 491 Visa enables the principal applicant and their closest relatives to dwell, pursue education, and look for work in a certain region for five years after acquiring permanent residency. However, they can still use the 191 visas to apply for permanent residence in Australia.

How do you Apply?

There are four steps to applying for a visa;

• First, use Skillselect to file an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the Department of Home Affairs of the Australian government using the Living in Melbourne website.
• Next, complete a Register of Interest (ROI) for Victorian nomination using the EOI number obtained from Skillselect,
• If invited, submit a nomination application via the live-in Melbourne website.
• Lastly, if your nomination application is accepted, submit a visa application to the Department of Home Affairs of the Australian government for the desired Visa.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify, you must;

• Receive a grant from a state or regional government agency or a family member who qualifies and lives in a designated Regional area
• Also, be under 45 years old
• Additionally, meet the English language criteria
• Furthermore, have the necessary points on the Department of Home Affairs points test
• Lastly, possess the relevant skills evaluation for the selected vocation

What are the Benefits?

• One of the key benefits of the 491 Visa is that it provides a path to Australian permanent residency. Holders of the visa are qualified to apply for the Skilled Regional Permanent Visa Subclass 191 after 3 years of dwelling and working in a certain Regional area of Australia. This is a desirable option for qualified foreigners who wish to settle and work permanently in Australia.
• Also, persons with visas can have their families reside with them in Australia in addition to the possibility of permanent residency. They can both earn a living and study there with their partners.
• The Visa also enables access to Australia’s world-class healthcare and educational systems.

In conclusion, the 491 Visa presents a favorable option for gifted immigrants who wish to settle and work in Australia’s outback. Since the Visa offers the prospect of permanent residency in addition to an array of other benefits, it anticipates it will remain a popular choice for talented immigrants in the years to come.

Australia’s 189 Visa vs. 190 Visa vs. 491 Visa – Which is Best 2023?

It may initially seem a little difficult to understand how the General Skilled Migration Program in Australia operates, but it is not that difficult. In this article, we outline the fundamentals of each visa offered by the Australian government’s migration programs as well as how they differ from one another.

Subclasses 189, 190, and 491 of the General Skilled Migration (GSM) visas issued by Australia

Let’s start with the parallels and points of agreement among the various GSM visa subclasses:

• Each of these visas receives applications via the SkillSelect system
• Also, all three visas remain “points tested”
• Lastly, all three visas share several fundamental requirements. In all three situations, applicants must:

1. Most importantly, be under 45 years of age when applying for the visas
2. Next, be able to nominate a profession from one of the occupation lists
3. Besides that, before applying for the visa, have obtained a favorable Skills Assessment in their profession;
4. Aside from that, fulfill the minimum standards for English;
5. Last but not least, score 65 points or more on the Points Test.

You must now create and submit an EOI (Expression of Interest), an electronic application that expresses your interest in applying for a visa through SkillSelect, an online platform run by the Department of Home Affairs, after fulfilling all of the prerequisites. All invitations for any of the three visa subclasses—189, 190, or 491—send out grants through this form.

Differences between 189, 190, and 491 Visas

Several differences exist and they begin after the submission of an EOI, even though all three of Australia’s General Skilled Migration Visas have commonalities and requirements in common. Let’s explore this:

Permanent Skilled Independent Visa – Subclass 189

The 189 visa is the greatest option since, as its name implies, it is independent and permanent, enabling applicants to remain and work permanently anywhere in Australia. On approval of visa, there exist no restrictions, whether you were onshore or offshore at the time of the application or nomination.

Due to its many advantages, this visa is the most sought-after; nevertheless, due to the small number of occupations eligible for it, only specific experts can apply. The pertinent list is the MLTSSL (Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skilled List).

To put things in perspective, the government invited roughly 30 thousand people to apply for the 189 Visa to Australia up until June 30th, 2019. In contrast, by June 30, 2020, just about 4,000 people were present.

The algorithm invites those with greater points first, so the invitations expire before they are adequate to invite people with lower points, which generates a race for points. Only those with 90 or 95 points receive invitations in some months.

Permanent skilled Nominated Visa 190

The 189 and the 190 are both permanent visas, and the procedures are essentially the same. However, in this case, states or regions rather than the federal government (SkillSelect) encourage candidates to apply.

For the 190 visas, a State or Territory of Australia must nominate the applicant, and each State or Territory has its specifications for whom they want to propose.

Only those who meet the requirements can apply:

• A job on the STSOL (Short-Term Skilled Occupations List) or the MLTSSL list is eligible to apply.
• Also, the employee must appear on one of those lists as well as one for each State or Territory, however, that is not sufficient.
• Additionally, each state or territory consults the two lists, MLTSSL and STSOL, and separately chooses which professions it wants to propose migrants for because it believes there is a need in their area

States and territories frequently offer preference to those who already reside, study, or work in the area. Even though certain conditions offer locations for persons abroad nomination, they do not nominate residents of another state or region currently residing in Australia.

Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa 491

The 491 visa necessitates a State or Territory Nomination, just like the 190 visas. Still, the main distinction between these 2 visas is the fact that the 491 visa is a temporary visa with a 5-year validity period.

You and your family must live in a specific regional area of Australia for at least three years after receiving a 491 visa, and you must make at least $53,900 annually.

Once you’ve satisfied those two conditions, you should be eligible to apply for a Permanent Visa subclass 191. This will eventually grant you the right to live and work permanently in any part of Australia.

Due in large part to the 491 visa’s requirement that the applicant reside in the regional area for at least three years, state governments are giving the 491 visa priority over the 190 visa. The regional areas comprise the entire nation, except Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne.

We recommend consulting with a Registered Migration Agent to see if you qualify before applying. This helps comprehend your options and create a strategic strategy.

Visit Newsnowgh.com for the most up-to-date information on visa-sponsored jobs, prospective paths benefits, application processes, and others.

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