How to Turn Your 491 Visa into a PR Success Story

Transitioning from a temporary visa to a permanent visa might entail a lengthy and labour intensive process. As you are approaching the third year of your temporary visa, you might already be considering the preparation and requirements needed.

What are the requirements needed to transition from your temporary visa to a permanent visa? This article will give you key information on the things you need to get started.

Overview of Subclass 491 Visa

The 491 visa or the Skilled Work Regional visa is a temporary visa granted to those who wish to live and work in a designated regional area of Australia.

This provisional visa allows holders to stay in Australia for up to 5 years and work in a specified regional area. Here are some of the key features of the 491 Skilled Regional Visa:

• State or Territory Gov’t Nomination: You can get invited to apply by an Australian state or territory government agency or the sponsorship of an eligible family member living in a designated regional area.
• Points system: Applicants must achieve the minimum required score, taking into account factors such as age, English proficiency, education, work experience, and other criteria set by the Department of Home Affairs.
• Temporary Residence: The 491 visa grants temporary residence rights for up to five years, allowing the visa holder to live, work and study in a designated area.
• Occupation List: Applicants must be working in an occupation listed on the Relevant Skilled Occupations List and meet the minimum skills and qualifications requirements.
• Pathway to permanent residency: After holding a 491 visa for at least three years and meeting specific requirements, visa holders may have the option of applying for permanent residence through a permanent residence visa (Skilled sector), subclass 191.

Once you, as a 491 visa holder, have completed the terms of this visa, you may then apply for a 191 visa for permanent residency.

How to Convert 491 Visa to 191 Visa for PR

In converting your 491 Visa to a 191 Visa, you have to satisfy all the different and key requirements to transition your visa from temporary to permanent. The following are the main eligibility criteria to change your temporary visa to a permanent visa:

Fulfil work and residency requirements

You must hold a Temporary Visa (subclass 491 or 494) for at least three years, living and working in regional Australia, when applying for a Subclass 191 Visa. This means that you have used the visa for the purposefor which you have applied for.

Meet the income threshold

In order to transition to a permanent residence visa, you must have had a taxable income at or above $AU53,900 for three financial years within your five-year visa period.

This must be supported by evidence of your income such as payslips and bank statements.

Satisfy all other conditions of your eligible visa

A PR visa applicant must also satisfy all of the conditions of the temporary visa including living, working, and studying only in designated regional areas, and not violating any visa conditions (e.g., Condition 8579). After holding a 491 visa for three years and meeting the specified conditions, you can apply for permanent residence through the subclass 191 visa.

Application Process for Permanent Residency After 491 Visa

Assuming you have met all conditions of your temporary visa and are now ready to transition to a permanent visa via subclass 191, let’s discuss the different steps in applying for permanent residency.

Get Help From a Qualified Australian Immigration Consultant

Do you have any questions regarding your permanent visa application? Are you uncertain whether your current income will be enough for a permanent visa? Perhaps you are not confident filling out your application single-handedly and without proper guidance from a visa professional.

When in doubt, don’t hesitate to seek expert assistance from registered migration agents or immigration lawyers for your permanent resident visa application. 

Established in 1888, Parish Patience is a long-standing immigration law firm in Sydney that’s dedicated to assisting clients from all over the world obtain their desired Australian visa for PR or citizenship. 

Rest assured that you will be given reliable visa advice about your requirements and the strength of your application. With a high success rate and a reputation for a client-centric approach, you’re in capable and compassionate hands with Parish Patience.

Conclusion

Work-related permanent residency visa applications can be hard to navigate. But not if you partner up with Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers. We will ensure that you will be assisted accordingly from gathering your documents, addressing your unique concerns, to giving you tailored advice post-application. 
Contact us at +61(02) 9286 8700 or send us an email at ppmail@ppilaw.com.au today!