@gregormendel I need your help on a complicated situation. I...
@cheekyfox5546 (2H ago| Updated 2H ago)@gregormendel I need your help on a complicated situation. I posted in group but received no response.
Need advice – 491 visa vs PhD in Brisbane
Situation:
I have an offer for a PhD at UQ (St Lucia, Brisbane) starting 1 Jan 2026. I also have a Subclass 491 visa lodged in July 2025 (primary applicant, occupation on 491 list). If the 491 is granted while I am studying in Brisbane: I’d be breaching the live, work, and study in regional area condition and can’t apply for 191 as primary. My spouse and kids are dependents/secondary applicants on my 491 application. If my spouse fulfills all 491 requirements, can I still be included as a dependent on their 191 application even though I personally breached 491? will breaching having any adverse affect on 191 application where I am secondary applicant? And if my University changes the campus to Gatton (which is regional) on COE, then I will not be breaching the study, live, work condition or otherwise as my faculty is located in St Lucia?
Need your expert advice,
Showing 1 comments
All 491 holders (your family) need to Live Work and Study in regional only. You can not study in Brisbane. regardless of whether you are primary or secondary because you dont want to breach your visa conditions.
if you can change campus to regional campus then it should be okay. But still the question is whether your primary study activity is in regional or not. You dont want risk it. As in, merely having regional campus on COE and still studying on city campus would be risky as you will be in breach.
I see. I wasnt sure about it because I thought that after 491 grant, the secondary applicants are on their own given they are not tied to primary applicant's condition. I thought I can keep my family in regional and myself can study and then at time of 191, I can be secondary applicant in my partner/spouse's application.
each person has their own 491 visa, and the visa has conditions which need to be obeyed.