News
by Victoria Cassey and Clarence Ling
Pros and cons of the newly announced visa for the Australian regional areas
Two new regional visas, came into force this month, have opened the door for qualified immigrants to obtain permanent residence and ultimately citizenship.
The new regional pathways are excellent news for potential migrants who want to live in Australia, but there is one problem: you have to live and work in a specific or regional area.
If you meet this requirement, this could open the door to obtain permanent residence. After a few years, you may even be eligible for citizenship.
The Australian government announced that eligible immigrants would receive two new temporary visas that started on 16th November 2019. The list for these visas includes hundreds of occupations, including real estate agents, journalists, accountants, paramedics, filmmakers, historians, among other things, will be able to apply for this visa.
Persons who have been granted a regional visa may apply for permanent residence if they demonstrate that they have lived in a given area for at least three years.
The two new visas are:
- (Skilled Work Regional) Visa – Subclass 491
- Employer-Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa- Subclass 494 Skilled
Pros and Cons
“States are very interested in this because it creates the motivation to live in small cities,”
The Government has also simplified the definition of Australia’s territory. With the exception of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane metro postcodes, all Australia has been reclassified for immigration purposes.
This means that skilled immigrants can settle in satellite cities such like Wollongong, Newcastle or Geelong not far from Sydney or Melbourne. Other options include the Gold Coast, an hour’s drive from Brisbane and Perth the capital city of Western Australia.
Immigration agent Cyus Mistry say that these cities are ready to benefit more from the new changes.
Cyrus also said that regional visa holders will also
“qualify for health insurance, which will reduce the cost of living for families States are very interested in this because it creates the motivation to live in small cities .”
Benefits for International Students
For international students, students studying in Australia, the “Postgraduate Visa” can be extended to “three or four years” or, in some cases, if the student takes a two-year course in a regional city, the visa can be extended to “three or four years”. Conditions apply.
Most importantly, “the vast majority of states have permanent residency nomination programs for their graduates, so the study becomes the way to permanent residence.”
Mr. Mistry said these are “particularly exciting programs” in Perth.