Addy_1

Hi,

This might be a stupid question, but can I go to other cities in Australia while living on a 475 visa in Adelaide. Would i be able to travel to let's say Sydney or Melbourne just for a short stay.

roottoot1981

yes you have to stay within a 250 yards of your workplace

billymacker

No, You will have a ankle tag on and only can go out between 8am and 6pm,

Yes it is a stupid question you are here on a visa not probation.

themac

That's pretty harsh, no stupid questions IMO, just stupid replies from time to time.

Seachanger

Don't worry about making trips to non-regional areas - the restrictions on the visa are that you are not permitted to live, work or study anywhere other than one of the specified regional areas. You are allowed to take holidays and even make short business trips to non-regional areas as long as you comply with the overall work and residence requirements until your PR is granted.

1235

As far as I know 475 is a 3 year provisional visa (+1 year if immi allows). If you want to apply for permanent resident you must prove, that within this three year you lived for min. two years and worked for min. 1 yr in regional australia. This means, that on 475 you can live and work whenever you want in australia but only living and working in regional australia for certain period of time allows you to apply for permanent residency.

Dorothy

Both of these answers are completely unnecessary. It's not a wonder new members feel picked on if this is the type of answer they can expect when they ask a perfectly reasonable question. Try taking a read of the site rules. Particularly rule 1. BritishExpats.com is an interactive site, and everyone who participates is "in it together", please treat others the way you wish to be treated. Personal attacks will not be tolerated. Challenge others' points of view and opinions, but do so respectfully and thoughtfully ... without insult or personal attack.

Seachanger

My understanding is that 475 visa holders are not permitted to live and work where they want. The conditions on the visa require the visa holder and secondary applicants to live and work in a specified regional area.

The DIAC website states:

"What does this visa let me do?

This visa:

• allows you to remain in Australia for up to three (3) years and requires you to live and work in a Specified Regional Area in Australia
• allows accompanying secondary applicants to work and study, but only in a Specified Regional Area of Australia
• provides a pathway to permanent residence."

Full details at: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/gener...migration/475/

If someone were to work/live/study in a non-regional area they would be in breach of the visa conditions.

moneypenny20

In answer to the OPs question, yes you can travel around. You are not tied to the area you are working in. You can go on holiday anywhere.

No such thing as a stupid question, it's just one you don't know the answer to. As has been proven on this thread alone, there is such a thing as a stupid answer though.

1235

Generally I agree with you however it is also written on immi web pages:
"Note: If you need more time to meet the residence and/or employment criteria for a permanent visa, you may be eligible to apply to extend your visa."

If you lived/worked only in regional area for 3 yrs why would you need more time to fulfill requirements for permanent visa? The possible answers are:
- you didn't live/work in regional australia all the time.
- you didn't work in australia at all (for 3 yrs)

I understand, that this visa is designed to populate regional australia: Live in regional australia or leave australia.
In my opinion answer is not clear and some real expert (which I am not) should give the explanation.

themac

I believe/think the key is 'live and work', you can live and work somewhere while still taking a holiday, day trip etc somewhere else.