The Victorian Government significantly eased their migration policies on nomination candidates for 491 visas. Now, candidates living and/or working in Melbourne to apply for Subclass 491 nominations. This is a significant milestone suggesting the direction of their policies because they had applied strict the strict requirements of regional residency for 491 visas. However, once granted, they must stay in Australia for 5 years in order to apply for 191 permanent visas.
For the primary source of information, you may check this link – Live in Victoria!
To be eligible to apply for a Victoria nomination for a 491 visa, you now must:
- be committed to living in regional Victoria when it has been granted,
- have had your Registration of Interest (ROI) selected by the Victorian Government,
- be under 45 years of age,
- have competent English,
- have a valid skills assessment in an occupation on the eligible skilled occupation list for this visa,
- if you are onshore, you must be living in Victoria at the time of nomination. (* Note: If you are onshore and living in Melbourne, you may need to relocate to a designated regional area of Victoria after you are nominated. Some outer suburbs of Melbourne are included in the regional zones by the Department of Home Affairs.)
- be committed to living in regional Victoria,
- have achieved at least 65 points on the Australian Government’s points test for your Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect.
[Onshore applicants]
- You must be currently living in Victoria, in either regional or metropolitan Victoria.
- If you are working in skilled employment in either regional or metropolitan Victoria, you may be favoured by indicating your annual earnings in your Registration of Interest (ROI).
- If you are not working, or working in non-skilled employment, you are still eligible to apply for nomination.
These new expanded eligibility criteria by the Victorian Government confers a new pathway for those living in Melbourne and more certainty to achieve permanent visas.
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