If you just miss out on being eligible for one of the Permanent Skilled Visas (Skilled Independent or Skilled Nominated), because EITHER

1. your nominated occupation is not on the current Skilled Occupations List, OR
2. your Points Test score is just less than 60,

you may be eligible for a PROVISIONAL (ie Temporary) Skilled - Nominated or Sponsored Visa, which enables you to live and work in Regional Australia for 3 years and to apply for a permanent Skilled Visa when you have lived there for 2 years and worked there full-time for 1 year.

The key to this visa is the term "REGIONAL AUSTRALIA", which refers to the whole of Australia with the exception of Sydney, Newcastle, the Central Coast, Wollongong, the greater Brisbane area, the Gold Coast, the Melbourne metropolitan area and Perth and surrounding areas.

Sponsored by a State or Territory

Every State and Territory has a State Migration Plan, which contain a larger number of occupations than does the current SOL, though the number and kind of occupations in each of the Plans is somewhat different. When your nominated occupation is in a particular State Migration Plan and you score at least 60 points on the Points Test, you may be eligible for a Skilled - Nominated or Sponsored (Provisional) visa by being sponsored by that State or Territory. If you are so sponsored, you can claim an extra 10 points for your Points Test, so that you only need 50 points on the basic Points Test to become eligible.

Sponsored by an Eligible Relative

If your nominated occupation is on the Skilled Occupations List, but your Points Test score is less than 60 and you or your spouse have an eligible relative who lives in Regional Australia and who is willing to sponsor you, you can claim an extra 10 points for your Points Test, so that you only need 50 points on the basic Points Test to become eligible.

Pathways to Permanent Residence

If you are successful in gaining the visa, you must live, work and study only in the Regional Area of Australia for which you have been sponsored. If you do, you can apply for a PERMANENT Skilled - Regional (Subclass 887) visa, after you have held the visa for two years.

You also have the option of applying for a permanent visa at any time if you are supported by a regional employer in Regional Australia.

Requirements for the Skilled - Nominated or Sponsored (Provisional) Visa

The full requirements for the Skilled - Nominated or Sponsored (Provisional) Visa are that you have to be under 50 years of age and have adequate EnglishYou must prove this by providing the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score required for your nominated occupation.. You will need to have formal professional qualifications in your nominated occupation.Your nominated occupation is the occupation for which you have a Skills Assessment. Whether you are, or are not, a professional in your nominated occupation is determined by the assessing body designated by Australia The State Migration Plans show which assessing body you need to approach for your particular occupation. to assess your skills and qualifications.

To be eligible for this visa -

1. you must have a satisfactory IELTS score and
2. you must have a skills assessment.

IELTS Test

For the former you have to actually sit for the IELTS Test - DIAC does not accept any other test of English at this time - and you should do so well before you start planning your visa application. The timing and the results of the IELTS test are entirely within your control.

Skills Assessment

The Skills Assessment creates some uncertainty: it is usually the first stage of the visa aplication process and as such the outcome cannot be predicted. In the vast majority of cases, however, as long as your application follows the rules and the supporting documentation is perfect, it is unlikely that your skills assessment will be negative. In the unlikely event that this should happen, most Assessment Authorities allow an application to be submitted more than once.

Double-check your Eligibility

The Skilled - Nominated or Sponsored (Provisional) Subclass 489 allows for two different types of sponsorship:

1. you can be sponsored by the regional authority of a State or Territory OR
2. you can be sponsored by an Eligible Relative You or your partner must be related to your sponsor as a non-dependent child (including a stepchild),a parent (including a step parent), a brother or sister (including a step-sibling), a niece or nephew (including a step niece or nephew) or an aunt or uncle (including a step aunt or uncle).

Sponsored by a State/Territory

To be eligible for this Visa (Subclass 489), which entitles people outside Australia to gain temporary (3-year) residence in Regional Australia based on sponsorship by a participating State or Territory government agency

• you must gain at least 60 points in the Points Test; being sponsored by a State or Territory government agency enables you to claim an extra 10 points on the Points Test
• your nominated occupation must be in the State Migration Plan of the particular State or Territory that is sponsoring you
• you must be under 50 when you apply
• you must demonstrate that you have COMPETENT English (minimum score of IELTS 6.0 in each component)
• you must have a post-secondary qualification
• you must nominate a skilled occupation which fits your skills and qualifications
• before you apply, you must have your skills assessed by the Australian assessing authority designated to assess your nominated occupation
• you must provide evidence that you have been in paid employment for at 12 months in any occupation found on the Skilled Occupations List within the last 2 years
• you must be sponsored by the regional authority of the State or Territory where you are going to live and work
• you must be of reasonably good health and undergo a medical examination
• you must show that you are of good character (by providing (a) Police Clearance Certificate(s))
• you must sign an Australian Values Statement.This statement is included in your visa application form and all applicants aged 18 years and over will need to sign it to confirm that they will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws. Before signing this statement you are required to have read, or had explained to you, material made available by the government on life in Australia which is contained in the Life in Australia book.

 

Sponsored by an Eligible Relative

To be eligible for this Visa (Subclass 489), which entitles people outside Australia to gain temporary (3-year) residence in regional Australia based on sponsorship from an eligible family member who is a citizen or permanent resident of Australia

• your sponsoring relative must live in Regional Australia; having such a sponsor enables you to claim an extra 10 points on the Points Test
• you must score at least 60 points in the Points Test
• you must be under 50 when you apply
• you must demonstrate that you have COMPETENT English (minimum score of IELTS 6.0 in each component)
• you must have a post-secondary qualification
• you must nominate a skilled occupation which fits your skills and qualifications
• your nominated occupation must be on the current Skilled Occupations List
• before you apply, you must have your skills assessed by the Australian assessing authority designated to assess your nominated occupation
• you must provide evidence that you have been in paid employment for at 12 months in any occupation found on the Skilled Occupations List within the last 2 years
• you must have an eligible relative You or your partner must be related to your sponsor as a non-dependent child (including a stepchild),a parent (including a step parent), a brother or sister (including a step-sibling), a niece or nephew (including a step niece or nephew) or an aunt or uncle (including a step aunt or uncle) in Australia who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident and is willing to act as your sponsor
• you must be of reasonably good health and undergo a medical examination
• you must show that you are of good character (by providing (a) Police Clearance Certificate(s))