This visa enables skilled workers and their families to live and work in designated regional areas of Australia. It is a 5 year provisional visa and can lead to permanent residency after living and working 3 years in a designated regional area. It requires a sponsorship by an eligible family member residing in a designated regional area or a State or Territory Government.

You must:

• Be under 45 years of age at the time of invitation
• Have an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list(MLTSSL, STOSL, ROL or State/Government occupation list)
• Have a positive skills assessment outcome from the relevant skills assessing bodies
• Have minimum Competent English (Ielts 6 in each band or equivalent)
• Meet the point test mark of 65
• Meet health and character requirements
• Be nominated by a State or Territory Government
• Lodge an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect and be invited by the Immigration to apply

If applying through sponsorship from an eligible family member only occupations on the MLTSSL list can be nominated. The sponsor must be resident in a designated regional area of Australia and must be An Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen. 

If applying through nomination by a State or Territory Government, it is important to check the State/Territory requirements as each State or Territory Government may have their own list of occupation and requirements for each occupation. 

Visa holders may move between regional areas however they may have signed an agreement with the state/territory that they will be living in that region on their 491 visa.