The Safe Haven Enterprise visa (SHEV) pathway gives some SHEV holders working and/or studying in regional areas the option to apply for certain visas (including some permanent visas) in Australia. As SHEV holders they may be eligible to apply for a permanent Resolution of Status vis (RoS) –
see the subclass 851 visa page for further information on the Resolution of Status visa.
To be eligible for this pathway you must work without receiving Special Benefit social security payments, and/or study full-time in a
SHEV regional area for a total of 42 months (3-and-a-half years). The 42 months does not have to be continuous and can be over multiple periods while holding a SHEV.
You may also be able to apply for one of the visas under the SHEV pathway if a member of your same family unit (MSFU), who is also a SHEV holder, meets the SHEV pathway requirements and you apply for one of these visas together. In addition to being an MSFU for the SHEV pathway requirements, dependant applicants must also meet the member of the family unit (MFU) requirements for the visa they apply for.
We will not automatically grant you one of these visas if you meet the SHEV pathway requirements. You will need to apply for and meet the criteria for your visa and meet the SHEV pathway requirements. Each visa has eligibility requirements that must be met for the grant of the visa. For further information on the visas you can apply for once you think you have met the SHEV pathway requirements, see
List of visas under the SHEV pathway.
We will assess if you meet the SHEV pathway requirements when you apply for a visa under the SHEV pathway.If you meet the SHEV pathway requirements, we will then assess your visa application. If you do not meet the SHEV pathway requirements, your application will be invalid and the visa application charge will be refunded.
Living, working or studying in regional Australia is not a visa condition of the SHEV. There are no penalties if a SHEV holder does not work or study in a SHEV regional area. A SHEV holder can apply for a subsequent SHEV regardless of whether or not they meet the SHEV pathway requirements.
SHEV pathway self-assessment tool
Use the
self-assessment tool to see if you may have met the SHEV pathway requirements before applying for one of the visas under the SHEV pathway. The self-assessment tool is a guide only. Based on the information you enter into the tool, it gives an indication of whether you have or have not met the SHEV pathway requirements. We assess whether you meet the SHEV pathway requirements, including evidence of your work and/or study in a
SHEV regional area, when you submit an application for one of the visas under the SHEV pathway.
You may use the self-assessment tool at any time.
SHEV pathway requirements
Unauthorised maritime arrivals (UMA) who are unlawful, or hold a bridging visa or temporary protection visa (including a SHEV), are prevented by the Migration Act 1958 (subsection 46A(1)) from lodging a valid application for any visa while in Australia. However this ‘application bar’ does not apply if a current or former SHEV holder satisfies certain requirements prescribed in the Act (the
SHEV pathway requirements) and applies for a prescribed visa.
SHEV holders who are not UMAs are not prevented by subsection 46A(1) from lodging a valid application, so do not need to satisfy the SHEV pathway requirements. However other application bars may still apply, preventing these SHEV holders from lodging valid visa applications.
