What Is the 491 Visa?

The subclass 491 visa is a provisional visa designed to support population growth and address workforce needs in regional Australia. It is not a permanent visa at grant.

Key features:

• Provisional visa, valid for 5 years

• Requires regional nomination or eligible family sponsorship

• Points-tested through SkillSelect

• Includes a pathway to permanent residence through the subclass 191 visa

Unlike the subclass 189 and subclass 190 visas, the 491 visa is region-restricted and carries specific post-grant conditions tied to where you live, work and study.

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What Can You Do With a 491 Visa?

With a granted subclass 491 visa, you can:

• Stay in Australia for 5 years from the date the visa is granted

• Live, work and study in a designated regional area of Australia

• Attend free English language classes through the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP), if eligible

• Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid

• Apply for permanent residence, if eligible, through the subclass 191 visa — you cannot apply for other permanent visas until you have held your subclass 491 visa for 3 years

Holders and all family members who also hold the visa must live, work and study in a designated regional area. If your nomination is withdrawn, the visa will not be granted.

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Restrictions While You Hold a 491 Visa

Unless you have held your subclass 491 visa for 3 years, you cannot:

• Make a valid application for a subclass 820 (Partner) visa

• Be granted a subclass 132 (Business Talent), 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme), 188 (Business Innovation and Investment, Provisional), 189 (Skilled Independent), 190 (Skilled Nominated), or 858 (Global Talent) visa

This restriction is stated directly on the Department of Home Affairs' subclass 491 "About this visa" page and is one of the most overlooked conditions of the visa — holders sometimes assume they can switch to an employer-sponsored or independent pathway earlier than this.

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491 Visa Requirements

To be eligible for a subclass 491 visa, you must meet all requirements at the time of invitation.

• Age: Under 45 years old at the time you are invited to apply. If you turn 45 after being invited, you can still apply — but if you turn 45 after submitting your EOI and before receiving an invitation, you will not be invited.

• Skills assessment: A suitable skills assessment for your nominated occupation, declared at the time of invitation and generally obtained within the 3 years before your invitation date. Medical practitioners can instead rely on AHPRA registration, and legal practitioners on admission to practice law in the relevant state or territory.

• Occupation: Must be on the combined list of eligible skilled occupations for the subclass 491 visa

• Points test: At least 65 points to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) — points are used for ranking and invitation, not automatic approval. Your invitation may require a higher score than 65, depending on your EOI claims.

• Nomination or sponsorship: Nominated by a state or territory government agency, or sponsored by an eligible relative resident in a designated regional area

• English: At least Competent English at the time of invitation

• Health: You and any family members applying with you must meet Home Affairs' health requirement

• Character: You and family members aged 16 and over applying with you must meet the character requirement

• Debt to the Australian Government: Any money owed by you or your family members must be repaid or under an approved repayment arrangement

• Australian Values Statement: If you are 18 or older, you must confirm you have read or had explained to you the Life in Australia booklet and will respect the Australian way of life

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee nomination, sponsorship or an invitation to apply. Source: Department of Home Affairs — Subclass 491 Eligibility.

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Designated Regional Areas for the 491 Visa

Regional Australia for the 491 visa means everywhere outside Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. This includes major cities such as Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and the Gold Coast — a common misconception is that these count as metropolitan areas, but Home Affairs has classified them as regional since 16 November 2019.

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The Department splits regional areas into two categories:

• Category 2 — Cities and Major Regional Centres: Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, Wollongong/Illawarra, Geelong and Hobart

• Category 3 — Regional Centres and Other Regional Areas: everywhere else outside the excluded cities and Category 2 areas

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Category 2 and 3 areas share access to a dedicated pool of 11,200 regional migration places nationally, priority processing, and the broader Regional Occupations List. See the full designated regional areas and postcode list on the Home Affairs website, since postcode boundaries and applicable dates can change.

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State-by-State Postcode Snapshot

New South Wales

• Category 2: postcodes 2259, 2264–2308, 2500–2526, 2528–2535, and 2574

• Category 3: postcodes 2250–2258, 2260–2263, 2311–2490, 2527, 2536–2551, 2575–2739, 2753–2754, 2756–2758, and 2773–2898

Victoria

• Category 2: postcodes 3211–3232, 3235, 3240, 3328, 3330–3333, 3340, and 3342

• Category 3: postcodes 3097–3099, 3139, 3233–3234, 3236–3239, 3241–3325, 3329, 3334, 3341, 3345–3424, 3430–3799, 3809–3909, 3912–3971, and 3978–3996

Queensland

• Category 2: postcodes 4019–4022, 4025, 4037, 4074, 4076–4078, 4207–4275, 4300–4301, 4303–4305, 4500–4506, 4508–4512, 4514–4519, 4521, 4550–4551, 4553–4562, 4564–4569, and 4571–4575

• Category 3: postcodes 4124, 4125, 4133, 4183–4184, 4280–4287, 4306–4498, 4507, 4552, 4563, 4570, and 4580–4895

Western Australia

• Category 2: postcodes 6000–6038, 6050–6083, 6090–6182, 6208–6211, 6214, and 6556–6558

• Category 3: every other WA postcode

South Australia

• Category 2: postcodes 5000–5171, 5173–5174, 5231–5235, 5240–5252, 5351, and 5950–5960

• Category 3: every other SA postcode

Tasmania

• Category 2: postcodes 7000, 7004–7026, 7030–7109, 7140–7151, and 7170–7177

• Category 3: every other Tasmanian postcode

Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory

• ACT: all postcodes are Category 2

• NT: all postcodes are Category 3

Always check the current postcode list before relying on it for an existing application.

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Nomination and Sponsorship Pathways for the 491 Visa

The 491 visa has two pathways into SkillSelect eligibility:

State or Territory Nomination

• Nomination by an Australian state or territory government

• Criteria vary between states and territories

• Selection is based on regional workforce needs and each jurisdiction's annual place allocation — Victoria, for example, received 700 of its 3,400 total 2025–26 skilled nomination places for the 491 visa, according to the Victorian Government's Live in Melbourne programme

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Family Sponsorship

Your sponsor must be:

• 18 years old or older

• Usually resident in a designated regional area of Australia

• An Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen

• Your eligible relative, or your partner's eligible relative if your partner is also applying

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An eligible relative can be a parent, child or step-child, sibling (including adoptive or step), aunt, uncle, nephew, niece (including adoptive or step), grandparent, or first cousin. Home Affairs must approve the sponsorship before the visa can be granted.

Both pathways still require an invitation to apply through SkillSelect — nomination or sponsorship alone does not grant the visa. Source: Department of Home Affairs — Subclass 491 Eligibility.

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Points Test Explained for the 491 Visa

You need at least 65 points to submit an EOI, but a higher score improves your competitiveness within your occupation and nomination pathway. The table below reflects the official 491 points table.

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Age

• 18–24 years: 25 points

• 25–32 years: 30 points

• 33–39 years: 25 points

• 40–44 years: 15 points

English language

• Competent English: 0 points

• Proficient English: 10 points

• Superior English: 20 points

Skilled employment experience (capped at 20 points combined)

• Overseas: 5 points at 3–4 years, 10 points at 5–7 years, 15 points at 8+ years

• Australian: 5 points at 1–2 years, 10 points at 3–4 years, 15 points at 5–7 years, 20 points at 8+ years

Education

• Doctorate: 20 points

• Bachelor degree or above: 15 points

• Diploma or trade qualification, or an occupation-recognised award: 10 points

Other point sources

• STEM specialist postgraduate qualification (Australian Master's by research or PhD, 2+ years): 10 points

• Australian study requirement met: 5 points

• Professional Year completed in Australia (Accounting, ICT or Engineering): 5 points

• Credentialled community language (NAATI): 5 points

• Study completed in a designated regional area: 5 points

• Partner skills: up to 10 points (skilled partner meeting age, English and skills-assessment criteria), 5 points (partner with Competent English only), or 10 points if single or your partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident

• State/territory nomination or approved family sponsorship: 15 points

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You can only claim points for your highest qualification, not multiple degrees, and combined employment points are capped at 20 even if your actual years would score higher.

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How SkillSelect Works for the Subclass 491 Visa

1. Complete a skills assessment for your nominated occupation with the relevant assessing authority

2. Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect, including your points, skills and nominated occupation

3. Seek state or territory nomination, or family sponsorship, meeting the criteria of your chosen pathway

4. Receive an invitation to apply, generally issued after nomination or sponsorship is approved

5. Lodge your visa application with all supporting documents

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There is no fixed schedule for invitation rounds. Outcomes depend on programme planning, place allocation, and regional workforce priorities for each state or territory — see how SkillSelect invitation rounds work for more on how ranking and selection happen.

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491 Visa Processing Time

The 491 visa processing time begins after a valid visa application is lodged following an invitation — time spent waiting for nomination or sponsorship is not included. Processing time varies significantly depending on your pathway.

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State/Territory Government Nominated Regional stream (as at August 2026):

• 25% of applications: 5 months

• 50% of applications: 12 months

• 75% of applications: 14 months

• 90% of applications: 18 months

Family Sponsored Regional stream (as at August 2026):

• 25% of applications: 70 days

• 50% of applications: 3 months

• 75% of applications: 5 months

• 90% of applications: 6 months

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The family-sponsored pathway processes considerably faster than state or territory nomination for most applicants. Applications are prioritised under Ministerial Direction No. 119. Factors that affect your individual timeline include application completeness, health and character checks, and how quickly the Department receives information from external agencies.

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These figures are estimates only and do not guarantee an outcome for your specific application. Check the current visa processing time guide before lodging, as processing times are updated regularly.

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491 Visa Cost

The 491 visa costs from AUD $6,140 for the primary applicant, set by the Department of Home Affairs. This covers the base Visa Application Charge only — it does not include skills assessment fees, English test fees, health examinations or police certificates.

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There is also a separate charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you:

• Additional applicant 18 years or older: AUD $3,070

• Additional applicant under 18: AUD $1,535

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If a family member aged 18 or older applying with you is assessed as not having functional English, you may need to pay an additional second instalment charge of AUD $4,890 for that person. This is only charged if Home Affairs is going to grant the visa; for any other applicant, the second instalment is nil.

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From 1 July 2026, eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens qualify for a lower visa application charge, based on the primary applicant's passport. The eligible countries are Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

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Use the Visa Pricing Estimator to confirm your exact cost, including any additional applicants — the estimator does not include the second instalment charge or other costs such as health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

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Source: Department of Home Affairs — Subclass 491, About this visa.

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Subsequent Entrant Applications

Family members who did not apply for the 491 visa with you can apply to join you in Australia later as subsequent entrants. A subsequent entrant must be a member of the family unit of someone who already holds a subclass 491 visa granted on the primary criteria.

• Cost: from AUD $6,140 (the same base charge as the main applicant, concessions apply in limited circumstances)

• Stay: valid until the visa held by the family member they are joining ends — not an independent 5-year term

• Processing: assessed individually, using the same visa processing time guide tool

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How to Apply for a 491 Visa

1. Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect, indicating whether you want a state or territory nomination or an eligible relative's sponsorship

2. Gather your documents to support the claims in your EOI and show you meet the other visa criteria

3. Apply for the visa once invited — you can be in or outside Australia, and you have 60 days from the date of your invitation to lodge your application

4. Wait for a decision — Home Affairs will notify you once your application is received, and again once a decision is made

5. Receive the outcome — if granted, you'll be given your visa grant number, start date and any conditions; if refused, you'll be told why and whether you have review rights. The application charge is not refunded if the visa is refused.

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If you apply while in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa, or a Bridging visa A (subclass 010), B (subclass 020) or C (subclass 030), for your application to be valid. You can be in or outside Australia when a decision is made, but not in immigration clearance.

Source: Department of Home Affairs — Subclass 491, Step by step.

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Pathway to Permanent Residence: The Subclass 191 Visa

Subclass 491 holders may apply for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) once they meet the requirements below, set out on the Department of Home Affairs' Subclass 191, Regional Provisional stream page.

• Hold an eligible visa (subclass 491 or subclass 494) for at least 3 years

• Provide Notices of Assessment issued by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) for 3 income years out of the 5 years of your eligible visa — there is no minimum income requirement

• Have complied with the conditions of the eligible visa throughout that period

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The 191 visa costs from AUD $630 for the primary applicant and grants permanent residency. It is also processed under Ministerial Direction No. 119. Permanent residence is not automatic — it depends on meeting all criteria at the time of application, including any outstanding ATO debts being repaid or under an approved payment plan.

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491 Visa vs 190 Visa vs 189 Visa

All three are points-tested visas within the GSM programme, but they differ in permanence and location conditions.

Subclass 491

• Provisional visa, valid 5 years

• Requires state/territory nomination or family sponsorship

• 15 nomination/sponsorship points

• Must live, work and study in a designated regional area

• Pathway to PR via subclass 191 after 3 years

Subclass 190

• Permanent residence visa from grant

• Requires state/territory nomination

• 5 nomination points

• No regional living condition

• Full details: 190 visa guide

Subclass 189

• Permanent residence visa from grant

• Does not require state or territory nomination

• Invitation based solely on SkillSelect ranking

• Full details: 189 visa guide

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If your occupation only appears on a state's regional list, or you need the extra 15 points to reach a competitive invitation score, the 491 pathway is often the more realistic route — even though it means a longer road to permanent residency than the 190 or 189.

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Common Misunderstandings About the 491 Visa

• "The 491 visa is permanent at grant." It is not — it is a provisional visa with a pathway to permanent residence through the subclass 191.

• "You can live anywhere in Australia." You must live, work and study only in your designated regional area for the visa's conditions to remain met.

• "Regional nomination guarantees permanent residence." Nomination only enables an invitation to apply — the subclass 191 has its own separate eligibility criteria.

• "Processing time includes the wait for nomination or sponsorship." It does not — the clock starts only once your visa application is lodged.

• "You need a high household income to qualify for the 191 visa." There is no minimum income requirement — you need ATO Notices of Assessment for 3 out of 5 income years.

• "I can switch to an employer-sponsored or independent visa whenever I want." Unless you have held your 491 visa for 3 years, you cannot make a valid Partner visa (820) application, or be granted a subclass 132, 186, 188, 189, 190 or 858 visa.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) permanent?

No. It is a provisional visa valid for 5 years, with a pathway to permanent residence through the subclass 191 visa after 3 years.

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Can I move to a non-regional area on a 491 visa?

No. You must live, work and study only in designated regional areas for the life of the visa. Moving to a non-designated area can put your visa conditions, and your future 191 eligibility, at risk.

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Do I need a job offer for a 491 visa?

Not always. Requirements depend on whether you're applying through state or territory nomination or family sponsorship — some nomination streams consider employment factors, others do not.

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Can family members be included in a 491 visa application?

Yes. Eligible family members, including a partner and dependent children, can generally be included in the application.

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How many points do I need for the 491 visa?

You need at least 65 points to submit an EOI, but competitive invitation scores are often higher depending on your occupation, state demand and the nomination or sponsorship pathway you're using.

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Do I need a minimum income to qualify for permanent residence?

No. The subclass 191 visa has no minimum income requirement. Instead, you must provide ATO Notices of Assessment for 3 income years out of the 5 years you held your eligible visa.

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What is the difference between the 491 visa and the 190 visa?

The 491 is a provisional visa requiring you to live in a designated regional area, with a longer path to permanent residency through the 191. The 190 grants permanent residency immediately on grant, with no regional living condition.

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How long do I need to live in a regional area before applying for the 191 visa?

At least 3 years while holding your subclass 491 or 494 visa, while meeting the ATO income-year evidence requirement and complying with your visa conditions throughout.

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Can I apply for the 186 or 189 visa while I hold a 491 visa?

Not until you have held your subclass 491 visa for 3 years. Until then, you cannot be granted a subclass 132, 186, 188, 189, 190 or 858 visa, or make a valid Partner visa (subclass 820) application.

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Can family members join me in Australia after my 491 visa is granted?

Yes, as subsequent entrants. A family member who did not apply with you can apply later, provided they are a member of the family unit of a 491 visa holder who met the primary criteria. Their visa stays valid until yours ends.

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Is the family-sponsored pathway faster than state nomination for the 491 visa?

Often, yes. As at August 2026, Family Sponsored Regional applications had a 50% processing time of around 3 months, against around 12 months for State/Territory Government Nominated Regional applications. Actual timeframes vary and are updated regularly by the Department.

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Related Skilled Migration Pathways

• Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190)

• Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)

• Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa (Subclass 494)

• Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) Visa (Subclass 191)

• SkillSelect Expression of Interest (EOI)

• SkillSelect Invitation Rounds

• Skilled Occupation List

• 491 Small Business Owners Pathway — for applicants nominating on a business-ownership basis

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Sources

This page has been prepared using information published by official Australian Government and state government authorities:

• Department of Home Affairs — Subclass 491 visa — Overview, About this visa, Eligibility and Step by step

• Department of Home Affairs — 491 Points Table

• Department of Home Affairs — Designated Regional Areas

• Department of Home Affairs — Subclass 191 (Regional Provisional stream)

• Department of Home Affairs — Current Visa Pricing

• Department of Home Affairs — Global Visa Processing Times guide

• Victorian Government — Live in Melbourne, 2025–26 Skilled Visa Nomination Program

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Understanding the Skilled Work Regional Visa Pathway

The visa 491 provides a structured regional migration pathway for skilled workers willing to live and work outside Australia’s major cities.

While it offers additional points and broader occupation access, it also includes clear regional obligations and a provisional status. Understanding eligibility, nomination or sponsorship pathways, and post-grant conditions is essential before relying on this visa.