Skilled Work Regional (provisional) Subclass 491 Visa

The Subclass 491 is a provisional skilled visa that allows eligible skilled workers and their families to
live, work and study in designated regional areas of Australia for up to 5 years.
It is designed to address skill shortages in regional Australia and offers a
pathway to permanent residency through the Subclass 191 visa.

The visa encourages skilled migrants to
settle and work in regional areas, supporting local economies,
addressing labour shortages, and promoting population growth outside major
metropolitan cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.

Unlike Subclass 189 or 190:

• It is region-specific
• Requires state/territory nomination or eligible family sponsorship
• Has regional residence and work conditions
• Provides a direct pathway to permanent residency (Subclass 191) after meeting conditions
• Offers additional points for regional nomination

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be under 45 years of age at the time of invitation
• Have a positive skills assessment for an eligible occupation
• Have Competent English
• Score at least 65 points on the Skilled Migration Points Test
• Be nominated by a State or Territory government or sponsored by an eligible family member in regional Australia
• Lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) and receive an invitation
• Meet health and character requirements

The points test assesses applicants based on factors such as
age, English proficiency, skilled employment, education, partner skills, and regional nomination.

A minimum of 65 points is required to lodge an EOI, but higher scores improve invitation chances.

Yes. You can include eligible family members, such as:

• Your spouse or de facto partner
• Dependent children

Family members receive the same visa conditions and can live, work, and study in regional Australia.

No. Once the visa is granted, the nominated occupation cannot be changed for the purpose of the visa application.

However, visa holders are not restricted to working only in their nominated occupation, provided they comply with visa conditions and continue living in regional Australia.

Yes. Subclass 491 holders may apply for Permanent Residence (Subclass 191) after:

• Holding the 491 visa for at least 3 years
• Living, working, or studying in designated regional areas
• Meeting the minimum taxable income threshold set by the Department
• Complying with all visa conditions

Key conditions include:

• Living, working, and studying only in designated regional areas
• Maintaining compliance with Australian laws
• Notifying the Department of any changes in circumstances
  Failure to comply may affect future visa or PR applications.

Processing times vary depending on factors such as:

• Nomination approval
• Completeness of documents
• Occupation demand. On average, processing may take several months, but timelines are not guaranteed and can change.

The application process generally involves:

1. Obtaining a skills assessment
2. Taking an English language test (if required)
3. Submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI)
4. Securing state/territory nomination or family sponsorship
5. Receiving an invitation
6. Lodging the visa application with required documents