The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491) is a 5-year points-tested visa that allows skilled professionals to live, work, and study in designated regional areas of Australia. You must be invited to apply for this visa.
After holding this visa and living in a regional zone for 3 years, you can apply for permanent residency via the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) Visa (Subclass 191).
Visa Categories & What You Get
This visa features two main application categories:
Live, work, and study within a designated regional territory for up to 5 years with full employment flexibility. You can travel to and from Australia unconditionally while the visa remains valid.
Designed for immediate family members who wish to join the primary visa holder in Australia later. It grants the same regional stay and travel rights and remains valid until the main applicant's 491 visa expires.
2026 Eligibility and Requirements
To qualify for a Subclass 491 visa invitation, you must meet the following baseline conditions set by the Department of Home Affairs:
You must be officially nominated by an Australian state or territory government agency, or sponsored by an eligible relative residing in a designated regional area.
You must be under 45 years of age at the time the official invitation to apply is issued.
You must hold a valid, positive skills assessment for your occupation that is less than 3 years old at the time of invitation.
Your nominated profession must be actively listed on the relevant Australian Skilled Occupation List.
You must demonstrate a competent level of English (equivalent to an IELTS 6.0 or PTE Academic 50 in all four communicative bands). Passport holders from the UK, USA, Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand are exempt.
You must achieve a minimum entry score of 65 points on your Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect. Due to a highly competitive 2026 migration cap, actual invitation scores often run higher depending on regional occupational demand.
The primary applicant and all dependent family members (accompanying or non-accompanying) must pass federal medical examinations and police clearances.
Transition to Permanent Residency (Subclass 191)
The Subclass 491 visa provides a direct path to a permanent Subclass 191 visa after 3 years.
### The 2026 Permanent Residency Rule: No Minimum Income
There is no fixed minimum income or salary threshold required to transition from a 491 visa to permanent residency. To qualify for the Subclass 191 visa, you only need to prove you complied with regional living conditions for 3 years and provide three years of standard Notices of Assessment (NOA) issued by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
Step-by-Step Application Process
- Check the Occupation List: Confirm your job code is open on the regional skilled migration lists.
- Obtain Your Skills Assessment: Secure a positive outcome letter from your profession’s assessing body.
- Lodge an EOI: Submit your profile via SkillSelect, claiming your regional nomination or family sponsorship points.
- Receive Your Invitation: Once approved by a state territory or family sponsor, the government triggers your official Invitation to Apply (ITA).
- Lodge Your Visa: Submit your final application within 60 days, upload required health/character documents, and pay the baseline primary application fee of AUD 4,910.