New Victorian Graduates pathway for Subclass 491 Visa nomination in Victoria
There seems to still be some confusion about whether the Victorian Government has actually introduced a new pathway to Subclass 491 Visa nomination for recent Victorian graduates due to recent developments which we summarise in our previous blog post.
As of 20 September 2024, the Victorian Government has further updated its eligibility criteria for the Subclass 491 Visa to confirm that the recent Victorian graduates are exempt from living and working in regional Victoria to register their interest for Subclass 491 Visa nomination, as long as they:
hold a Student (Subclass 500) Visa or Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) Visa;
live in Victoria; and
obtained their qualification from a Victorian education institution.
On the other hand, recent Victorian graduates who are not working in regional Victoria are unable to claim annual earnings as part of their Registration of Interest (ROI).
The Live in Melbourne website further confirms that recent Victorian graduates who are nominated by Victoria for a Subclass 491 Visa will only be required to relocate to regional Victoria once they are granted the Subclass 491 Visa.
Excerpt from the Victorian Government's Live in Melbourne website about the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (Subclass 491) Visa eligibility criteria.
This is consistent with changes which were made to Skilled visa FAQs page on the Live in Melbourne website on 19 September 2024, confirming that recent Victorian graduates living in metropolitan Melbourne may still be eligible for Subclass 491 Visa nomination:
An excerpt from the Live in Melbourne Skilled visa FAQs page.
Recent Victorian graduates who are making use of these changes to register their interest for Subclass 491 Visa nomination are reminded to ensure that their Expression of Interest (EOI) in their SkillSelect account clearly states that they obtained their qualification(s) in Victoria, and that their information in the Live in Melbourne portal reflects that they currently hold either a Student (Subclass 500) Visa or Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) Visa, especially if they are not presently living and working in regional Victoria.
Should you wish to discuss your eligibility for skilled visa, please email info@inclusivemigration.com.au or submit an enquiry using the contact form on our website.
