Skilled Work Regional Visa (Subclass 491)

RDA Southern Inland is no longer able to accept applications for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491) for the remainder of the 2021-22 program year.

Our allocation of nomination positions, provided by the NSW government has now been filled.

If you are seeking to settle into the Southern Inland region you may wish to consider alternative migration pathways which can be found at https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia.

The process for the 491 skilled regional State nominated visa program has changed. Applicants must first receive an invitation to apply from the NSW Government before applying to us.

Requests for an invitation to apply will only be accepted by NSW Government during the submission windows in the months of August, October, January and March. Registrations of Interest submitted outside of these windows will not be considered. See steps outlined at the bottom of the page for details on this new process. PLEASE ENSURE YOU READ ALL INFORMATION CAREFULLY AND ADHERE TO THESE INSTRUCTIONS IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED.

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Under the new arrangement, each RDA is responsible for setting their own eligible skilled occupations for nomination (within DoHA and NSW Treasury guidelines) and accepting and assessing nomination applications from applicants who have received an invitation to apply from the NSW Government.

Nomination Criteria for a 491 visa in NSW is consistent across all regions, however the application process, eligible skilled occupations, including any additional requirements for some occupations, will vary by region.

Please note that as a result of COVID-19 and significant reductions in Australia’s Migration Program Planning Levels, the chances of being nominated are currently low and you must meet the published nomination criteria to apply.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

Where the information you are seeking is covered by the content of our website or that of Investment NSW and/or DoHA, there will not be a customised response from either our office or that of Investment NSW. Further, there is no special consideration for applicants who do not meet the requirements and/or do not fill in the webforms in their entirety. If you do not receive a response in a reasonable timeframe, please assume that the information you are seeking is already available on our websites and look there before contacting us again.

Alternative migration options

NSW nomination for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is just one of a number of visa options for prospective skilled migrants. There is a range of visas offered by Home Affairs, including both temporary and permanent employer nominated visas.

You may also wish to seek advice from a registered migration agent. A list of registered migration agents is available on the Migration Agents Registration Authority website.

Step 1: Check Eligibility Criteria

Step 1 - Check Eligibility Criteria

First check if you are eligible to apply for nomination for a 491 Skilled Work Regional Visa through one of the following three streams:

Stream 1 - Living and working in regional NSW
Stream 2 - Recently completed study in regional NSW
Stream 3 - Skilled in an Occupation Required in Regional NSW

The eligibility criteria can be found in the Nomination Criteria on NSW Government webpage.

Please note: Where the information you are seeking is covered by the content of our website or that of Investment NSW and/or DoHA, there will not be a customised response from either our office or that of Investment NSW. Further, there is no special consideration for applicants who do not meet the requirements and/or do not fill in the webforms in their entirety. If you do not receive a response in a reasonable timeframe, please assume that the information you are seeking is already available on our websites and look there before contacting us again.

Step 2: Check the Occupation List

Check the occupation list that is applicable for the eligibility stream that you wish to apply under.

For Stream 1 Applicants

For Stream 1 (Living and Working in Regional NSW) you need to be working in an occupation or a closely related field on the combined occupation list from the NSW Government.

For Stream 2 and Stream 3 Applicants

If you wish to apply to the Southern Inland for Stream 2 (Recently Completed Study in Regional NSW) or Stream 3 (Skilled in an Occupation Required in Regional NSW), your occupation must be on the occupation list for Southern Inland.

This list is updated regularly, and sometimes needs to be changed without notice. Your occupation must be on this list when you submit your application.

It is important that the skilled occupation on your application to Southern Inland matches the occupation that is entered into SkillSelect. If these do not match, you cannot be nominated to apply from the NSW Government.

As the occupation list is updated regularly, there may be variances between the list below and the copy provided by the NSW Government. The list below is the current edition, and applications need to adhere to this list. Occupations that are on the copy provided by the NSW Government but not on this list will not be accepted.

Our occupation list is available on our Occupation List for Southern Inland page.

Step 3: Get to know the Southern Inland region

As part of receiving a nomination, applicants commit to live and work in NSW for the first three years of their visa. According to visa regulations, the applicant must have a genuine commitment to live and work in the nominating state.

This commitment is a condition of the NSW Government’s nomination.

As the region that is supporting you and providing you with the opportunity to gain a 491 visa and potentially permanent residency, we expect you to genuinely commit to the Southern Inland region by living and working here and to making a positive contribution to our communities.

Therefore, it is important that you get to know the Southern Inland region, and research whether the work and lifestyle opportunities it provides are suitable for you and any dependents you may have. We have collated a range of information about the region’s location, postcodes and communities to help you get to know the region to help you make this decision.

The below map shows the Southern Inland region.

map w towns

Step 4: Complete an EOI on SkillSelect

To be elibigle to receive an invitation to apply from the NSW Government under Stream 3, you must have an EOI number from SkillSelect by the Department of Home Affairs.

You can find out more and apply for your EOI on their website.

The Department of Home Affairs does not provide notification of an EOI being lodged by a potential applicant. You must complete the additional steps below to be considered.

Step 5: Register your Interest for NSW Nomination

This is a new step in the process for applying for a nomination for a 491 Visa from the NSW Government.

To apply for a 491 Visa, you must be invited to apply by the NSW Government. To receive an invitation to apply, interested applicants must lodge their details through their online form.

Further information about how to register your interest with the NSW Government and the online form is available on their website. We also recommend reading through their frequently asked questions about the ROI process.

In the 2021-22 financial year, ROI rounds will be held:

1st to 31st of August
1st to 31st of October
1st to 31st of January
1st to 31st of March

Registrations of interest to the NSW Government must be submitted in the designated months, any submissions outside this time will not be considered, even if the form is available.

Please note that RDA Southern Inland is unable to assist applicants with this stage of the process . ROI's are submitted to and managed by NSW Government.

FAQ's relating to this process can be found via the contact details on their website.

Step 6: Be Invited to Apply by NSW Government

The NSW Government will select applicants from the pool that have applied for a ROI. Successful applicants will be notified within 7 days of the end of each round of ROIs.

If you have received an invitation to apply from the NSW Government - congratulations! You have 14 days to submit your application to one region that requires your skills.

If you wish to apply to the Southern Inland region, and you are applying under Stream 1 you can now proceed through steps 7 to 10 and submit a full application. If you are applying under Stream 2 or 3, you need to check if your occupation is on the occupation list for Southern Inland before proceeding to steps 7 to 10.

If you are wanting to apply to another region, you must follow the instructions on the website of the RDA for that region.

Please note we are unable to provide you information about the status of your ROI application, as these are assessed by the NSW Government, not RDASI. While we understand that some potential applicants are facing difficult circumstances, we are unable to accept any applications without an invitation to apply from the NSW Government.

Step 7: Complete your Application Form and Documentation

The application form and required documentation for each stream is different, so it is important that you select the correct stream to avoid delays in processing your application.

Application forms for each of the streams are available through the links below:

Stream 1 - Living and Working in Regional NSW

Stream 2 - Recently Completed Study in Regional NSW

Stream 3 - Skilled in an Occupation Required in Regional NSW

Step 8: Make Payment for your Application Assessment

Please note that payment for your application assessment fee does not guarantee a positive outcome for your application. You are paying for the assessment process, not the outcome.

Payment is required as part of your application, and we will not commence assessment of your application until your payment can be verified.

Our assessment fees are:

Skilled Regional State Nominated (491 visa): AUD $800.00 (incl. GST)
Employer Nomination (RSMS 494 Visa): AUD $770.00 (incl. GST)

We accept payment for your assessment fee by Direct Deposit only.

Please ensure that you include a copy of your payment receipt with your application submission so we can identify your payment.

Paying by Direct Deposit

Our bank account details are as below. This can be completed either through your online banking or by going into a branch of Commonwealth near you. Please include 491/the name that the application is for in the detail for the deposit.

Account name: RDA Southern Inland

BSB: 062 904

Account number: 10407899

SWIFT Code: CTBAAU25

Step 9: Submit your Application

Completed applications with all supporting documents clearly identified and in separate attachments/files within the one email should be addressed to our Migration Office via admin@rdasi.org.au

Your application MUST contain 491/the name the nomination is in as the email subject.

You will receive an email acknowledging receipt of your application.

Step 10: Await the Outcome of your Application

Applications will be processed in the order in which complete applications are received and will be completed within 6 weeks of being received by RDASI.

Once we have assessed your application we will be in contact with you to request further information if required documents were not included in your application submission or to advise you on the outcome of your application.

If your application is successful, we will provide you with information about the next steps in the process.

Once we have advised the NSW Government that we support your nomination, it will take up to 4 working days (Monday to Friday, and excluding NSW public holidays) for the nomination to be processed by NSW Government.

Please do not call or email our office regarding the progress of your application to RDASI if it has been less than 6 weeks.

Attending to calls and emails such as these delays the process for everyone's applications, including yours.