491 visa criteria for Queensland

Related:

• Queensland 190 visa requirements
• 491 visa criteria for Queensland
• 491 visa – Queensland Small Business Owners Pathway
• Queensland Skilled Occupation Lists (QSOL)
• State requirements for 190 visa

Skilled workers living in Queensland

Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) – This visa allows nominated skilled workers to live and work in regional Queensland for 5 years and is a pathway to permanent residency.

You may undertake employment through:

• work for one or more employers,
• work at two part-time jobs, or
• work in your own business as an owner or operator.

Applicable regions

You must live and work within one of the following post codes to be eligible for the 491 Regional visa:

4124–4125, 4133, 4183–4184, 4207–4275, 4280–4287, 4306–4498, 4507, 4517–4519, 4550–4575, 4580–4895.

Note: If you are a current holder of a Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) or have applied for a Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491), you will not be eligible for nomination for the Skilled Nominated (Permanent) visa (subclass 190). This restriction also applies to the Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489).

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for a Queensland nomination, you must meet both the Australian Department of Home Affairs criteria and Migration Queensland criteria for your chosen visa category.

Home Affairs criteria requires you to:

• have a points-test result of 65 or higher, inclusive of state nomination points;
• have a positive skills assessment in your nominated occupation;
• be under 45 years of age;
• meet the minimum English language requirement of competent, unless a higher level is required by your assessing authority; and submit additional documents, if invited to lodge an application for a 190 or 491 visa.

Migration Queensland criteria requires you to:

• have a points-test result of 65 or higher for 491 (please note that Migration Queensland will be selecting from the highest points for each occupation).
• have an occupation on Home Affairs’ relevant list of eligible skilled occupations
• have Proficient English (IELTS 7 in all bands or equivalent).
• If you are lodging an Expression of Interest for a 491 visa: Provide evidence that you have been living in regional Queensland and undertaking full-time post-qualification employment (minimum of 35 hours per week) over the past 3 months in your nominated occupation immediately prior to submitting your EOI.
• provide evidence of ongoing employment with a Queensland employer that is registered in Queensland for a further 12 months (minimum of 35 hours per week). For a 491 visa, this must be ongoing employment in a regional area.
• commit to living and working in Queensland for 3 years for the 491 from visa grant.

Please note: Businesses must have an office in Queensland. A virtual office will not be accepted.

Further Selection Process Summary

• Quotas for specific occupations with a high level of applications (table below).

Caveats for Selected Occupations

• Accountants (General)
  • preference will be given to applicants employed in an accounting firm
  • must be a CPA or are studying towards become a CPA.
• Internal and External Auditors
  • must have a job as an Auditor (not an Accountant).
• Cooks and Chefs
  • No takeaway or fast-food businesses.

Labour hire employment

If you are employed through a labour hire company, make sure that they are registered in Queensland. All labour hire providers operating in Queensland must be licensed under the Labour Hire Licencing Act 2017, including those based interstate or overseas who supply workers in Queensland.

You will be required to provide evidence that your labour hire company complies with these registration requirements. Your Statement of service must be written by the company you have been placed within.