State Requirements For 491 Visa

Be aware that aside from the Department of Home Affairs requirements, each state and territory has its own requirements that applicants must meet in order to be nominated. State and territorial regulations might be difficult to navigate.

We’re aware of these challenges, which is why we’ve gathered the fundamental requirements of all states/territories in this post so that you can have a better sense of what has to be accomplished to enhance your chances of getting invited.

State and Territory nominated visa allocations (2021 – 2022):

This chart shows the maximum amount of visa each state/territory gets each year, based on the allotment.

Key Summary:

Victoria 491 visa criteria:

On July 7, 2021, Victoria’s Skilled Migration Program will accept new Registrations of Interest (ROIs). It is estimated that the Department of Home Affairs has allocated 3,500 subclass 190 positions and 500 subclass 491 positions for Victoria.

This year, we’ll be looking for STEMM-trained individuals who live and work in Victoria. Details about eligibility may be found at:

The major changes to the 2021-22 program are:

• An end to requirements such as minimum experience and hours of labor.
• More target sectors.
• A STEMM skill set and a Skill Level 1 or 2 vocation are required for applicants to be considered. They may also have a Skill Level 3 employment that utilizes their STEMM talents.

Once the 2020-21 program ends, you must submit another ROI in 2021-22 if your first one was not selected.

Previously the requirements were:

• Be a resident of a regional area of Victoria.
• Worked in regional Victoria already (minimum 3 months employment).
• Assist Victoria’s economic recovery and/or health response with a high-skilled profession in health, medical research, life sciences, agro – food, or digital industries.
• For further information, see the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 491).

Act 491 nomination criteria:

It was ordered by the Australian government that ACT select people who can help the economy recover from COVID. Prior to submitting your nomination, you must satisfy the following requirements.

• At least three months of residence in Canberra.
• One of the following:
  • It is on the ACT Critical Skills List for the nominated occupation (July 2021).
  • An employer in Canberra who has sponsored the principal holder of a category 457 or 482 visa:
    • You’ve been working for the sponsor in Canberra for at least three months.
    • As of the time of the nomination submission, the visa must be valid for a minimum of 12 months.
  • Must be working for an ACT employer in Canberra for at least 3 months (must be paid employment, and for a minimum of 20 hours per week).

WA state nomination under 491 visa:

Western Australia (WA) is now accepting nominations for the 491 visa.

Under the General Stream and Graduate Stream, WA state nominations are made. You must apply under the appropriate stream based on which listings your occupation comes under.

General Stream Eligibility:

• It must be in the list of occupations in the general stream.
• Australian resident.
• Meet the language requirement for the project. Each occupation has its own set of rules and regulations.
• Must have at least one year of Australian work experience in the nominated (or closely related) occupation over the last 10 years or at least three years of overseas work experience in the nominated (or closely related) occupation over the last 10 years.
• Have a full-time employment offer in Western Australia for at least 12 months in your selected occupation.
• If you don’t live in Western Australia, make sure you have enough money to settle.

Graduate Stream Eligibility:

• It must be in the list of occupations in the general stream.
• Australian resident.
• Meet the language requirement for the project. Each occupation has its own set of rules and regulations.
• In Western Australia, you must spend at least two years in school.
• A minimum of six months work experience in the selected occupation is required.
• If you don’t live in Western Australia, make sure you have enough money to settle.

QLD 491 nomination criteria:

Regional (Provisional) Skilled Work Worker Visa (subclass 491) is now closed. Ongoing processing of Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for the 491 from 1–7 February and 19–25 April 2021. The 491-SBO (Small Business Owners) Pathway in Queensland is now OPEN for business. In the QLD Subclass 491 SBO Pathway, migrants must spend a minimum of $100,000 in a QLD regional area firm. Businesses that generate jobs, assist COVID recovery industries, or are based in a regional area will also be given priority.

NSW 491 nomination criteria:

Stream 1 — I am living and working in Regional NSW:

• Be in possession of a valid skills assessment for a job on the combined occupations list for Stream 1.
• For at least the past 12 months, lived in a specified regional area of New South Wales.
• For the past 12 months, you must have been employed in your nominated occupation, or a closely comparable employment in a specified regional area of New South Wales.

Stream 2 — I have recently completed study in Regional NSW:

• Be in possession of a valid skills assessment for a profession on the occupation list of your selected region.
• Studied or educated with a source of education, where:
  • During the past 24 months
  • In NSW, the educational institution is located in a defined regional area.
  • Complies with the Australian research standard (as determined by Home Affairs).
  • The competent evaluating authority determined that the qualification acquired from this study was closely connected to your chosen profession.
  • While you studied, you resided in a specified regional area in New South Wales.

Stream 3 — I am skilled in an occupation required in Regional NSW:

• Possession of a valid skills assessment for a profession that appears on your region’s occupation list.
• Must reside in an Australian state or territory at this time.

TAS 491 nomination criteria:

Tasmania has already received its entire nomination quota for the 2020 – 21 program year, according to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.

The entire allotment consists of the following components:

• Subclass 491 – 1400 places
• Subclass 190 – 1000 places
• Business migration – 45 places

About 25 percent of the visa nomination slots for skilled workers have been utilised.

This includes:

• Provider of urgent or specialized health care.
• Necessary to sustain supply of vital products and services.
• Service providers in industries that are essential to Australia’s economic revival.

Students from other countries who do not work in the essential field are unlikely to be nominated at this point in time.

SA 491 nomination criteria:

This financial year, South Australia’s skilled migration program will open on July 20, 2021. South Australia has announced its reforms to the migration program with the following major points:

• South Australia’s Talent and Innovator Employment Stream is now open to applicants resident in Australia but not in South Australia.
• According to their indicated vocations, offshore candidates may be eligible for state nomination in South Australia.
• These include the Talent and Innovators Program, the Current Residents and Workers in South Australia, and the International Graduates Stream (for international graduates).
• Candidates for state nomination may not have to work in their nominated occupation in specific cases.

The South Australian program is focused on:

1. Talent and Innovators Program.

Skilled migrants who can contribute to South Australia’s key industries are eligible for this programme. There are four streams:

• Employment stream
• Start-up and small business stream
• Independent talent stream

2. Currently working in South Australia.

• Currently living and working in South Australia
• Living and working in regional South Australia
• Living and working in South Australia as a long-term resident

3. There are further exemptions and reductions available to students who complete their education in South Australia.

Before a student may apply for this stream, he or she must satisfy a number of prerequisites. Included in these needs are:

• There must be a minimum of 46 weeks of CRICOS-registered coursework for the course to qualify.
• It is required that a minimum of 50% of the qualification be completed in South Australia in order to qualify.
• The applicant must remain in South Australia for a minimum of one year throughout his/her studies in order to be considered for the scholarship.
• The applicant must remain in South Australia after completing their studies.
• Candidates for subclass 190 or 491 nominations must be employed in their indicated occupation in South Australia.