2020-21 NSW Subclass 491 RDA (26/02/2021)

Stream 1: Central coast:

APPLICATIONS WILL OPEN MONDAY 1ST MARCH 2021

RDA Central Coast is currently accepting applications under STREAM 1 ONLY. This will be reviewed in April and NO exceptions can be made.

Eligibility Criteria:

Applicants must meet all the nomination criteria in one of the three following streams to be eligible for NSW Subclass 491 nomination:

Stream 1: living and working in regional NSW,
Stream 2: a recently completed study in regional NSW, or
Stream 3: living and working outside of NSW.

RDA Central Coast is currently accepting applications under STREAM 1 ONLY.

Applicants must meet all the nomination criteria in one of the three following streams to be eligible for NSW Subclass 491 nomination:

Stream 1: living and working in regional NSW
Stream 2: a recently completed study in regional NSW, or Stream 3: living and working outside of NSW.

Applicants who do not meet the criteria in one of these three streams may be refused unless otherwise agreed in writing with NSW Treasury.

‘Closely related occupations’ are defined as those having the same ANZSCO unit group, i.e. sharing the same first four digits.

‘Designated regional areas’ are determined by the Department of Home Affairs. Please see their website for a list of regional NSW postcodes.

1. Living and working in regional NSW

To be eligible for NSW Subclass 491 nomination, the applicant must:

• hold a valid skills assessment for an occupation that appears on your nominated regions occupation list
• have been living in a designated regional area in NSW for at least the previous 12 months and
• have been working in their nominated occupation, or a closely related occupation, in a designated regional area in NSW, for at least the previous 12 months.

Stream 2: A recently completed study in regional NSW

To be eligible for NSW nomination, the applicant must:

• hold a valid skills assessment for an occupation that appears on your nominated regions occupation list
• have completed study or education with an education provider, where:
  • • thestudywascompletedwithintheprevious24months,
    • the education provider is located in a designated regional area in NSW
    • the study meets the Australian study requirement (as determined by the Department of Home Affairs), and
    • the qualification obtained from this study has been assessed as closely related to the Applicant’s nominated occupation by the relevant assessing authority, and
    • have lived in a designated regional area in NSW while completing their study.

Stream 3: Living and working outside of a designated regional postcode of NSW

To be eligible for NSW Subclass 491 nomination, the applicant must meet all of the relevant criteria for at least one of the following categories:

Stream 3a: Job offer in regional NSW

• hold a valid skills assessment for an occupation that appears on your nominated regions occupation list
• have an offer for ongoing employment that is:

o in the applicant’s nominated occupation, or a closely related occupation; and o for a minimum term of 12 months and 35 hours of work per week.

• have an offer for ongoing employment from an employer that is: o located in a designated regional area in NSW; and
  o registered in Australia.

Stream3b: At least five years skilled employment experience (offshore Applicants)

If the applicant resides outside of Australia, the applicant must:

• hold a valid skills assessment for an occupation that appears on your nominated regions occupation list

and

• have at least five years of skilled employment in such nominated occupation, or a closely related occupation.

Stream 3c: Family ties in regional NSW

To be eligible for NSW nomination, the applicant must:

• • hold a valid skills assessment for an occupation that appears on your nominated regions occupation list; and
  • have an immediate family member in a designated regional area in NSW who satisfies all of the criteria below:
    • a grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, brother or sister of the applicant (including by virtue of a step or adoptive relationship)
    • at least 18 years of age
      either an Australian Permanent Resident, an Australian Citizen or a NSW nominated provisional visa holder (489 or 491)
    • currently residing in a designated region in NSW, and
    • has been residing in a designated regional area in NSW for at least the previous 24 months
    • and must ensure that such family member has completed a statutory declaration to confirm that they satisfy each of the above chain migration requirements.

Central Coast Region 491 Skilled Occupation List

2.Central West:

APPLICATIONS NOT OPEN

3.Far south coast:

The application process for the Far South Coast region is now OPEN.

Eligibility Criteria

First check both the NSW Government website and then the Regional Development Australia website in the region you wish to apply to, to check if you are eligible to apply for nomination for a NSW subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional Visa through one of the following three streams:

Stream 1 – Living and working in regional NSW
Stream 2 – Recently completed study in regional NSW
Stream 3 – Living and working outside of a designated regional postcode of NSW

Occupation                    ANZSCO Code           Availability 

Engineering Manager              133211                 Available

Civil Engineer                             233211                Available

Structural Engineer                   233214                Available

Transport Engineer                   233215                Available

Industrial Engineer                    233511                Available

Mechanical Engineer                 233512               Available

Production or Plant Engineer   233513              Available

Aeronautical Engineer               233911               Available

Agricultural Engineer                 233912               Available

Nurse Practitioner                   254411                    Available

Registered Nurse (Aged Care)  254412                  Available

Registered Nurse (Child and Family Health)  254413   Available

Registered Nurse (Community Health)  254414        Available

Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency)  254415    Available

Registered Nurse (Disability and Rehabilitation)  254417      Available

Registered Nurse (Medical)  254418                             Available

Registered Nurse (Mental Health)  254422                   Available

Registered Nurse (Surgical)  254424                               Available

Registered Nurses (NEC)  254499                                     Available

Analyst Programmer  261311                                            Available

Software Engineer  261313                                                Available

Computer Network and Systems Engineer  263111      Available

3. Far West:

The application process for the Far West NSW region is now Open.

Eligibility Criteria

First, check if you are eligible to apply for nomination for a 491 Visa NSW Skilled Work Regional Visa through one of the following three streams:

• Stream 1 – Living and working in regional NSW
• Stream 2 – Recently completed study in regional NSW
• Stream 3 – Living and working outside of a designated regional postcode of NSW

NSW 491 Visa Opening Date 2021

The Government of New South Wales has announced to open visa applications for the Skilled Work Regional Visa 491 from January 2022. Students and skilled workers who’re eligible for 491 NSW must submit a registration of interest (ROI) by January 31, 2022. However, the next submission window will open in March 2022. 

NSW Subclass 491 RDA(Regional Development Australia) 2020-21

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