Benefits of State and Territory Sponsorship

In Australia, state and territory sponsorship refers to the process by which a state or territory government nominates a skilled worker for a visa to work and live in that state or territory. There are several benefits to obtaining state and territory sponsorship in Australia. State and Territories can nominate applicants in occupations that do not have permanent residency visa options under the independent skilled visa stream or employer sponsored visa stream . Under SkillSelect, the two state sponsorship options are:

1. Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190): This is a permanent residence visa based on the points test system. A state or territory sponsorship approval will result in an additional 5 points being awarded, and on approval of the state sponsorship, the Department of Home Affairs will issue an invitation to lodge a Subclass 190 visa. As part of the state or territory sponsorship application, the applicant is committing to living and working in that state or territory for a period of 2 years following visa grant. The occupations and requirements for state sponsorship are dependent on the skill requirements and employment market for the specific state or territory.
   

2. Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491): This is a temporary residence visa based on the points test system. A state or territory sponsorship approval will result in an additional 15 points being awarded and on approval of the state sponsorship, the Department of Home Affairs will issue an invitation to lodge a Subclass 491 visa. A Subclass 491 visa is a temporary visa valid for 5 years from date of grant and requires the visa holder to live and work in a specified regional area of Australia. The Subclass 191 visa provides a pathway to permanent residency for Subclass 491 v visa holders.
   

You can obtain further information about the above process by contacting one of our Registered Migration Agents today.

Disclaimer: The information provided herein is of a general nature only and does not constitute immigration advice. For more detailed and case-specific information or advice, please contact SCA Connect.