The Subclass 489 Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa is a temporary visa. This visa allows skilled workers to live and work in regional or low-population growth metropolitan areas of Australia for up to four years.

Once you have lived in the designated area for at least 2 years and worked full time for at least 1 year in a specified regional area, you will be eligible to apply for permanent residency and live in any part of Australia.

Who can apply for 489 visa and what are the requirements?
  • Have an occupation that is on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupation
  • Lodged and Expression of Interest (EOI) and be invited to apply
  • Be nominated by a state or territory government agencies OR sponsored by an eligible relative
  • Meet the 65 points pass mark in the Skilled Migration points test (being nominated by a state or territory or sponsored by an eligible relative, you will be awarded an additional 10 points toward the point test)
  • Be aged under 45 to be invited
  • Have a suitable skills assessment
  • Have at least competent English
  • Meet health and character requirements
Who is an eligible relative?

Your relative is:

  • Your partner, child, parent, brother, sister, step-parent, stepbrother or stepsister
  • Your grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew or step equivalent

To be sponsored by an eligible relative, your sponsor must:

  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Be a usually resident in a designated area of Australia
  • Be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen
  • Be your or your partner’s relative
Designated areas of Australia for Skilled Regional Visa

For this visa, designated area means any one of the following:

What does “usually resident” mean?

For your sponsor to satisfy the sponsorship requirement, they must provide proof that they are usually resident in a designated area of Australia. “Usually resident” refers to the place that you physically live (eat and sleep) and want to make that your home.

Postcodes of regional Australia and low population growth metropolitan areas