491 and 494 visas: 2,000 more regional visas; regional areas defined; extra year for graduates clarified

/
491 and 494 visas: 2,000 more regional visas; regional areas defined; extra year for graduates clarified

Today, the Government announced there will be an increase of 2,000 regional visas due to the high demand and a rise in visa grants in the first quarter of the program year. The regional/non-regional dichotomy will be split into three categories: Major cities, Cities and major regional centres, and Regional centres and all other locations. This will impact the new Subclass 494 – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa and Subclass 491 – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa. Incentives for these areas are also explained, including the potential for an additional 2 years for international students who study at a regional university for a Subclass 485 - Temporary Graduate visa under the Post-Study Work stream.

Read More

491/190 visas: WA adds VET course to Graduate Occupation List, job offer and employment experience reduced

/
491/190 visas: WA adds VET course to Graduate Occupation List, job offer and employment experience reduced

Last week the Premier of Western Australia announced that the requirements for international student graduates to be nominated for a Subclass 190 – Skilled - Nominated visa or a Subclass 491 – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa would be reduced along with adding trade occupation to their Graduate Occupation List so local graduates of vocational education (VET) courses can also apply.

Read More

494 and 491 visas: Access to welfare and government services; making the provisional more permanent

/
494 and 491 visas: Access to welfare and government services; making the provisional more permanent

A report released late last week by the Senate Standing Committees on Legal and Constitutional Affairs recommends that a bill is passed that will see 491 – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa and 494 – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa holders be deemed ‘Australian residents’ for the purposes of accessing welfare and other government services.

Read More

Regional 494 and 491 visas: Minimum salary/income threshold set to TSMIT $53,900 per year

/
Regional 494 and 491 visas: Minimum salary/income threshold set to TSMIT $53,900 per year

The Department of Home Affairs has made known that the minimum salary threshold for nominations for 494 visa and the minimum taxable income threshold for 191 visas will be pinned to the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) which is currently $53,900 per annum, with exceptions for 494 nominations under labour agreements and Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs). There is, however, an important difference on how this will operate for both visas.

Read More