The Skilled-Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) is for skilled workers and their families to live, work and study in specified regional areas in Australia for four years. Find out if your occupation is on the eligible list and if you qualify for the 489 visa. Book online for a 20 min phone consultation.
There are two pathways for this visa:
- the Invited Pathway
- the Extended Stay Pathway – you must hold a provisional visa in subclass 475, 487, 495 or 496.
For members of your family unit who are included in your visa application (in either visa pathways), they must be a member of the family unit of someone who already holds this visa (subclass 489) or a provisional visa in subclass 475, 487, 495 or 496.
This information tells you whether you might be eligible to apply for a Skilled-Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489).
If you are invited to apply for this visa (in the Invited Pathway), you will have 60 days to do so. Invitations are based on claims you made in your expression of interest, so your application must be consistent with the information you provided in your expression of interest and it must be supported by evidence.
- Invited Pathway – you have submitted an expression of interest and you were invited to apply as a skilled worker for this visa
- Extended Stay Pathway – you have held a provisional visa in subclass 475, 487, 495 or 496 for at least two years and want to extend your stay in Australia
- You are a member of the family unit of someone who holds this visa (subclass 489) or a provisional visa in subclass 475, 487, 495 or 496.
You and members of your family unit must also meet Australia’s health and character requirements.
Health requirements
You must meet certain health requirements. The health examinations you need will depend on your personal circumstances, including your country of citizenship, time spent in another country during the last five years and your intended activities in Australia. The results of your health examinations are generally valid for 12 months.
This applies to you and any member of your family unit listed in your application, whether they are migrating or not.
Character requirements
You and all family members must meet certain character requirements. You must be prepared to provide a police certificate from each country you have lived in for 12 months or more during the past 10 years after you turned 16 years of age.
Specified regional areas of Australia
Regional and low population-growth metropolitan areas
If nominated for this visa by a State or Territory government agency, you are to live, work and study in an area listed by postcode in the following table.
Regional and low population growth metropolitan areas
| Regional and low population growth metropolitan areas | Postcodes |
|---|---|
| New South Wales (NSW)
Anywhere except Sydney, Newcastle, the Central Coast and Wollongong |
2311 to 2312, 2328 to 2411, 2420 to 2490, 2536 to 2551, 2575 to 2594, 2618 to 2739, 2787 to 2898 |
| Northern Territory | Entire territory |
| Queensland
Anywhere except the greater Brisbane area and the Gold Coast |
4124 to 4125, 4133, 4211, 4270 to 4272, 4275, 4280, 4285, 4287, 4307 to 4499, 4515, 4517 to 4519, 4522 to 4899 |
| South Australia | Entire state |
| Tasmania | Entire state |
| Victoria
Anywhere except the Melbourne metropolitan area |
3211 to 3334, 3340 to 3424, 3430 to 3649, 3658 to 3749, 3753, 3756, 3758, 3762, 3764, 3778 to 3781, 3783, 3797, 3799, 3810 to 3909, 3921 to 3925, 3945 to 3974, 3979, 3981 to 3996 |
| Western Australia
Anywhere except Perth and surrounding areas |
6041 to 6044, 6083 to 6084, 6121 to 6126,6200 to 6799 |
Designated areas of Australia
If you are sponsored by an eligible relative, you are to live, work and study in one of the following designated areas of Australia.
Designated areas of Australia
| State or territory | Designated area |
| Australian Capital Territory (ACT) | Entire territory |
| New South Wales (NSW)
(except Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong) |
2311 to 2312, 2328 to 2333, 2336 to 2490, 2535 to 2551, 2575 to 2739, 2787 to 2898 |
| Northern Territory | Entire territory |
| Queensland
(anywhere outside the Brisbane metropolitan area) |
4019 to 4028, 4037 to 4050, 4079 to 4100, 4114, 4118, 4124 to 4150, 4158 to 4168, 4180 to 4899 |
| South Australia | Entire state |
| Tasmania | Entire state |
| Victoria | Entire state |
| Western Australia | Entire state |
You can include the following people in your visa application at the time of lodgement:
- your partner
- your child/step-child or your partner’s child/step-child.
