regional australia and visa opportunities

Regional Australia – the place to be!

Many people when thinking of immigrating to Australia tend to seek out the 3 major cities of the east coast - Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane… but by doing this, they are limiting their possibilities for PR success...  Why?  Because these cities are already highly populated – with locals as well as all the other migrants all fighting for the same thing…. employment and rental properties that are scarce and expensive since they are in such high demand.

Did you know that the major cities of Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart are all considered regional?!  Living, working and studying in a regional area of Australia can come with great benefits.
These are:

• Employment opportunities – casual, part-time, full-time.  Look up any employment search site and you’ll see the endless lists of job openings.
• Cost of living – chances are you won’t fight as hard to find that perfect rental property, and more likely cheaper.  A 2 bedroom property in Sydney can rent for $1000 p/week whilst a similar place in regional NSW can be as little as $350 p/week!
• Education – Australia offers excellent schools all over the country. You can attain the same qualification in a regional city or town as you would in a big city - such as a Bachelor of Education or Nursing or Information Technology or Civil Engineering... so many possibilities.
• Lifestyle – you will be far more relaxed, life is just that little bit easier going and laid back…by the beach, in the bush, near wineries, rivers, lakes … endless space and clean air!

Visa options and benefits

Whilst the dream for many people is to obtain their Permanent Residency visa straight away, sometimes it’s best to open your mind and your options by attaining a regional temporary visa first.  Then once you have completed your time there, you move onto applying for your permanent residency visa.  Afterall the end goal is Permanent Residency, so once that is achieved you can move to anywhere you want in Australia.  You might even find that you have made a wonderful life for yourself and decide to stay settled in your perfect pocket of Australia.
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Starting your migration journey as a Working Holiday Maker or Student in a regional area has great advantages too…

Student visa holderS

Studying in a regional location opens you up to these benefits:

1. A 2nd Post-Higher Education Work visa.  For most student visa holders, you only qualify to be granted 1 x 485 visa after you have completed your studies. But by living and studying in a regional area gives you the option to apply for another 485 visa which is especially handy if you are not ready or able to move forward with a Skilled Migration or Employer Sponsored Visa!​
   
2. You get bonus points for Skilled Migration! By studying in Australia you will attain the points related to attaining an Australian qualification, but by doing this in a regional area you will also attain bonus points. Definitely an advantage and an easy 5 points to attain over a person who is doing the same thing but in the city instead!

Regional work visaS

To obtain further Working Holiday Maker visas you must complete specific work in a regional area.  By doing this you are getting a taste of what it is like to live and work in a regional area, and by being even more open-minded to a life in regional Australia, perhaps you click with an employer who is willing to sponsor you.

Apart from the independent Skilled Migration program that offers the state sponsored regional 491 visa (a bonus 15 points); there is also the Employer Sponsored Regional 494 Visa. Permanent Residency is then through the 191 Visa – a 2 step process to achieve your final outcome. 

Both of these visas open wider the list of occupations to choose from as they cover more fields of work that would otherwise not be available.

The 494 Sponsored Regional Employer Visa is an excellent choice for employers and visa holders to consider as it is a visa that sits nicely in between the TSS 482 visa and the Employer sponsored 186 Visa.  How can that be? 

1. Your Age
   A TSS 482 visa does not have an age limit per se, however if you are over 45 years of age you will not be eligible to move onto the Permanent Residency 186 transitional visa.  Provided that you apply for the 494 visa prior to turning 45 years, even if you have then turned 45 years and once you have completed the necessary residency and working time period in a regional area, you are still eligible to apply for Permanent Residency.
   
   
2. The list of occupations available to those willing to go to a Regional location ​is far greater.  Some examples of occupations that are only open to a regional area are: Hair or Beauty Salon Manager, Importer or Exporter, Real Estate Agent.
   
   
3. Unlike the 186 visa which gives PR status directly and no real security to the employer that you will remain with them after investing in the visa process (it is only expected that you will commit to working for them); the Regional Employer Sponsor 494 visa gives them far more security as it is a condition of your visa for you to continue working with your sponsoring employer.

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So as you can see, studying and living in regional Australia really does offers bonuses and possibilities you probably never really thought about before and is a fantastic opportunity to experience and embrace all the unique areas of Australia.

Contact Great Australian Migration for an assessment of your visa options, we are here ready to make your next move the best it can be!