The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is a provisional visa for skilled workers which allows you to live and work in Tasmania for up to five years.
State nomination from Tasmania for this visa provides you with 15 additional points to help you meet the Department of Home Affairs’ points test pass mark of 65 points.
You may be eligible to apply for permanent residency through the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa after you have lived in Tasmania for at least three years and earned a minimum taxable income that meets the minimum threshold determined by the Department of Home Affairs for at least 3 years (currently set at AU$53,900).
Eligibility
To be eligible to apply for state nomination, you must meet the following requirements set out by the Department of Home Affairs. You must have:
- not yet turned 45 years of age
- nominated an occupation on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations
- a valid and positive skills assessment for your nominated occupation
- at least ‘Competent’ English language proficiency
- at least 65 points on the Department of Home Affairs points test.
Meeting the nomination requirements does not guarantee that you will be offered state nomination from the Tasmanian Government. The Department of Home Affairs sets a nomination quota for the state each year, which limits the number of applicants that can be nominated.
If you are able to meet the minimum nomination requirements, your application will be competitively assessed against other eligible applications, with a focus on your ability to address a number of criteria, including:
- your demonstrated ability and commitment to establishing yourself, and any dependents, in Tasmania with a view to your prospects for long-term settlement in the state
- the demand for your particular skills and expertise, and your ability to find work in Tasmania
- the suitability and transfer-ability of your qualifications, skills and experience – including any specialist capabilities – to the needs of Tasmania’s labour market
- the skills and background of dependent family members
- your level of English language competency
- the likelihood of you obtaining a personal income that would meet the minimum taxable income requirement for the subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (currently AU$53,900 per year for at least 3 years in the next 5 years)
Applicants who have skills in areas of particular need within the Tasmanian economy will be held in high regard, particularly if living in an area outside of Greater Hobart. These include:
- health
- trades and construction
- engineering
- community services (including aged and disability care)
* Applicants currently holding a BRIDGING VISA due to Australian Appeals Tribunal (AAT) or Judicial Review are asked to include within their application details of their current review status and a written explanation detailing their plans for visa lodgement in the event that they are supported for visa state nomination.
Category 1 – Tasmanian graduate
To be considered for this category, you must meet all of the following criteria.
- you must have completed and graduated from a CRICOS registered tertiary institution in Tasmania. The course undertaken:
- must be a degree (bachelor or any higher degree), a diploma (including advanced, associate or graduate) or a trade qualification (minimum Cert III level for a skilled occupation in Major Group 3 in ANZSCO)
- must have a minimum duration of one academic year (40 weeks)
- must be full time and on site in Tasmania
- you have lived in the state for at least 1 year during your period of study
- you and your dependents are currently living in Tasmania and can provide evidence of your ongoing genuine commitment.
OR
Category 2 – Working in Tasmania
To be considered for this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:
- you must have been working in Tasmania for six months immediately prior to your application for state nomination. You do not have to be working in your nominated occupation. Your employment needs to:
- be at least 35 hours per week in one full-time job or in two or more part-time jobs and you are able to provide evidence of your employment claims (see Document Checklist – Employment for more details)
- fill a genuine, ongoing skill shortage in Tasmania
- you and your dependents must currently be living in Tasmania and can provide evidence of genuine commitment to continue to live in Tasmania (please refer to disclaimer at the bottom of this page for indicators as to how to meet this requirement)
- your employer must have a well-established business that has been actively operating in Tasmania for the past 12 months
- there must be a genuine need for your position within the business.
If your employment is for a position at ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5, your employer must also provide evidence that no local person was able to fill the position (see ‘Document Checklist – Employment’ for evidence your employer would have to provide that you would need to submit together with your application for state nomination).
Please note that internships, stipends, scholarships and volunteer positions are not considered employment for the purpose of this category.
Sole traders/subcontractors may be eligible for nomination under Category 5 – Small Business Owner.
* There are areas of non-skill shortage in Tasmania that are not supported for visa state nomination under the ‘Working in Tasmania’ category. This includes employment relating to:
- supermarkets
- service stations
- limited service restaurants** (cooks, chefs and café / restaurant managers)
- massage clinics
- taxi/uber driving
**A limited service restaurant includes the following:
- fast food or takeaway food services
- fast casual restaurants
- drinking establishments that offer only a limited food service
- limited service cafes including, but not limited to, coffee shops or mall cafes
- limited service pizza restaurants.
OR
Category 3A – Overseas applicant (TSOL)
To be considered for this category, you must be living overseas and meet all of the following criteria:
- your nominated occupation must be listed on the Tasmanian Skilled Occupation List (TSOL)
- you, or any of your dependants have not lived in another Australian state or territory within the last twelve months
- you have achieved the English requirement specified in the TSOL for your nominated occupation in a recognised English language test or hold a passport of the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada or New Zealand
- you meet the requirements specified in the TSOL for your nominated occupation
- you have researched the Tasmanian labour market and, unless your occupation is listed as “High Demand” in the TSOL, provide evidence that there are sufficient employment opportunities (at least five and not more than eight opportunities) in your nominated occupation in Tasmania and that you have:
- skills and recent experience relevant to the researched employment opportunities
- skills and experience relevant to the Tasmanian economy (see Document Checklist – Employability for more guidance),
- if your occupation is listed as “High Demand” and you meet the specified requirements, employability evidence is not required
- you have access to sufficient financial assets to fund your migration and settlement in Tasmania for at least 6 months while you seek employment.
OR
Category 3B – Overseas applicant (Job offer)
To be considered for this category, you must be living overseas and meet all of the following criteria:
- have received a formal job offer for a job that is based in Tasmania that is in your nominated occupation
- you, or any of your dependents have not have lived in another Australian state or territory within the last 12 months
- your employer must have a well-established business that has been actively operating in Tasmania for the past 12 months
- there needs to be a genuine need for your position within the business. This may be satisfied if there is:
- an existing, current and genuine need for your position within the business
- an ongoing need for your position and the capacity for the business to sustain the nominated position
OR
Category 4 – Family in Tasmania
To be considered for this category you must have an IMMEDIATE family member who meets all of the following criteria:
- has been an Australian Permanent Resident or an Australian Citizen for a minimum of 12 months prior to the lodgement of your application
- is currently residing in Tasmania and has been for a minimum of 12 months
- is a parent, brother, sister, child, aunt, uncle, or grandparent
- agrees to support and assist you in the process of gaining employment in Tasmania upon your arrival in Tasmania
Please note: relationships by marriage, such as sister or brother in law, are not acceptable for this category. You (the applicant) must hold the direct relationship with the sponsoring family member.
OR
Category 5 – Small Business Owner
To be considered for this category, you must be living in Tasmania at the time of lodgement of your application and meet the following criteria:
- demonstrate that you have established and operated your business (solely owned) in Tasmania for at least 6 months
- demonstrate that the business is highly likely able to give you a personal income that would meet the minimum taxable income requirement set by Home Affairs for the subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa. Currently, that is AU$53,900 per year for at least 3 years in the next 5 years.
All applicants must provide a comprehensive business plan with:
- evidence of thorough research into, and understanding of, the target market
- research and understanding of relevant industry conditions, licensing and/or registration requirements for the business in Tasmania
- realistic market opportunities for the proposed business in Tasmania, particularly where the business would be competing with other similar existing businesses already established in Tasmania.
Additional considerations include the applicant’s prior business ownership or business management experience and also the nature of the business and its long-term benefit to Tasmania.
** Franchise and share-owned businesses are not acceptable under this category.
** Service stations, massage clinics and taxi/uber related businesses are not supported under this category.
Apply
From 16 November 2019 all visa state nomination applications will incur a FEE FOR SERVICE of $220 (incl. GST).
** Subclass 491 applications are NOW OPEN **
The application for nomination must be completed online through this website.
The assessment of the application for state nomination will be based solely on the supporting documents provided at the time of application. If the application is incomplete, or it does not meet the nomination criteria, the application will be refused. You will be notified of the outcome of your application by email.
If your application for state nomination has been approved you will be notified of the outcome of the application by email with an offer of state nomination. The offer is valid for 60 days from the date of approval.
In addition, you will receive an invitation from SkillSelect to apply for a visa based on the EOI you have submitted to the Department of Home Affairs . Once the invitation is issued, you will not be able to make further changes to your EOI. You must respond to the visa invitation and apply for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) with the Department of Home Affairs within 60 days of the invitation being issued.
If the visa application is not lodged within 60 days, the offer of state nomination will expire. Extensions will not be granted. If an offer has expired, you will need to reapply for state nomination with a new application.
Processing times
Processing times may vary depending on the quantity and quality of the applications lodged and also if further information has been requested (either from you or external parties). Please do not enquire about the progress of your application during the assessment period. Progress enquiries can delay application processing.
