Skilled Work Regional Visa (subclass 491)
Visa Requirements FAQ[code to keep accordion closed]
Do I need to work in my field when I have the 491 visa?
The only work requirement is that your income meets the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) for three years, in a regional location. The TSMIT is currently AUD$53,900 p.a.
Can I travel while on the 491 visa?
Covid-19 restrictions, State and National border closures and quarantining requirements/costs should be researched and considered carefully.
Am I allowed to visit a non-designated regional area like Sydney?
Condition 8579 is not intended to prevent a visa holder from engaging in incidental activities outside a Designated Regional Area (DRA). Such activities may include:
- holidays
- work-related travel
- work-related training
The Department will adopt a flexible approach to the assessment of compliance with condition 8579, taking account of the personal circumstances affecting individual visa holders.
However, extended absences from the DRA may result in further scrutiny by the Department to ensure that the visa holder is or was living, working and studying in the DRA during the relevant periods.
The Department may request further evidence from the visa holder on the reason for travel outside the DRA, where:
- the holder spends more than 90 days in total per annum outside the DRA, or
- the holder spends more than 60 continuous days outside the DRA, or
- there is a pattern of extended and/or frequent absences that are indicative of employment outside the DRA.
Do I need Health Insurance?
For Permanent Residents and Citizens of Australia, Private Health Insurance is a matter of personal choice and this is also the case for 491 and 494 visa holders.
You can find out more on our page about Private Health Insurance and Medicare for skilled migrants.