The NSW government has been prioritising various industry sectors such as health, education, ICT, infrastructure, and agriculture, via the Subclass 491 visa program.
There are two pathways for NSW nomination under the Subclass 491 category: Pathway 1 and Pathway 2.
Under Pathway 1, applicants can directly apply to Investment NSW if they have a proven work history with an employer based in regional NSW.
Previously, applicants for Pathway 1 were required to have been living and working in a designated regional area of NSW for at least 12 months with a single regional NSW-based employer, among other requirements.
"However, based on industry feedback at recently held Regional Skilled Migration Seminars, the government decided to reduce the employment duration requirement to six months," a NSW government spokesperson said.
An Investment NSW spokesperson told SBS Hindi: “Investment NSW’s recent Regional Migration Seminars were well attended across the state, taking in Griffith, Dubbo, Armidale, Coffs Harbour, Lake Macquarie, and Nowra."
"The reduction in the requirement from 12 months to a minimum six months has been communicated to existing applicants through an email newsletter, with details on our website also updated," the spokesperson added.
"This adjustment will make the pathway more accessible to skilled workers living and working in regional NSW, to better support regional development and the local economy," the NSW government website said.
"This change means that more skilled workers will be eligible to apply for the Skilled Work Regional visa (Subclass 491) under Pathway 1, opening up opportunities for those who have been contributing to the regional economy and communities for six months," it added.
The government said that this policy adjustment was part of the ongoing commitment to support regional NSW by attracting skilled workers to those areas.
"It reflects our understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by regional employers and migrants, and our dedication to fostering a vibrant, diverse, and economically robust regional NSW," the state government further said.
No modifications have been implemented to Pathway 2, through which applicants can be invited to apply by Investment NSW.
Throughout these invitation cycles, precedence is granted to expressions of interest (EOIs) for occupations that are in line with critical industry sectors.
The other remaining criteria for applying for the Subclass 491 visa include employment with a single regional NSW-based employer; the applicant's occupation being deemed as skilled; and a minimum salary level of $70,000 (pro-rated if under 38 hours per week) from their qualifying employer.
Suman Dua, a licensed immigration consultant, asserted that the recent modification would make numerous skilled migrants eligible for the visa.
"As of last month, there were still over 300 vacant (places) for the state to fill. This likely prompted (it) to shorten the required employment duration in order to fill these skilled migrant visa slots," she said.
However, she warned applicants to be cautious when submitting their EOIs, emphasising that even minor alterations after submission could result in rejection.
"NSW is highly competitive so even a minor alteration after the EOIs (are) submitted can lead to visa refusal for applicants. Applicants must carefully fill in their EOIs in the first go," she said.
In the 2023-24 fiscal year, NSW was allocated a total of 4,150 skilled visa slots which includes 1,500 places for the Skilled Work Regional (Subclass 491) visa category.
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