Regional migration and visas 190 and 491. Do you have to choose, or can you apply for both?
There are so many visas and so many numbers, it is hard to keep track. But lately, regional migration has been stealing the spotlight, and these two little guys have been coming in strong with their game. So you may be asking yourself: 190 or 491? Well, it depends on your exact situation, but did you know you can apply for both?
The Contenders: 190 v 491
In one corner, the 190 - a permanent visa that allows you to stay in Australia indefinitely. To apply, you must be nominated by an Australian state or territory. To be nominated, your occupation must be on both a national and state or territory list.
On the other side, we have the 491. To apply, you must also be nominated by a state or territory. Still, the main difference here is this is a provisional visa. If approved, the 491 will allow you to live, study and work in the regional area for which you were nominated for five years. You may be able to apply for permanent residence after three years from the time your visa is granted.
How does the application work?
Both streams obey a points and a lists system. Before considering any of these options, the first step is to do a skills assessment to find out if your education and work experience match a qualification and particular job title in Australia. All states and territories have their own criteria for deciding who they will nominate.
If you get the thumbs up for all of the above, you can submit your Expression of Interest or simply an EOI. You should also remember that some states and territories also require a nomination application to be submitted at the same time of the EOI.
The big question:
Can you bet on both and apply for the two visas at the same time?
As you can see, both applications run hand-in-hand up to here. The short answer is yes, but we need to understand a wee bit more because the actual answer is not as straightforward as this.
When submitting your EOI, some states and territories give you the option to apply for one visa and mention your interest in the other. Here, you want to bet your money on the 190 and mention 491, that is if you qualify for both.
In these select states or territories, if the government is not satisfied to grant you PR through 190, they may offer you a 491. This is your chance to prove you are a great candidate to become a permanent resident in a regional area.
Still have questions? Or wondering what regional area best suits your migration strategy? Our consultants are ready to use all their expertise to help you to navigate this process. Get in touch to book an appointment. No obligations, just click here.