Five years regional,three years of income,then permanent residencethrough the 191.
The subclass 491 is a five-year provisional visa for skilled people willing to live and work outside Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. A state nominates you, or an eligible relative living regionally sponsors you, and either adds fifteen points. It is the most reachable skilled visa for many applicants, and it leads to the permanent 191.
Government charges, subclass 491
- Visa application charge, main applicant$6,140
- Each adult dependant$3,070
- Each child under 18$1,535
- Permanent 191 after three years, main applicantthe second step$630
As at 1 July 2026. States charge their own nomination fee; there is no fee for family sponsorship. Adult dependants without functional English pay a further second instalment. Our professional fee is fixed and quoted in writing.
A five-year regional visa with fifteen bonus points and a permanent finish.
The subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa lets skilled workers under 45 live, work and study in a designated regional area of Australia for five years after nomination by a state or territory or sponsorship by an eligible relative who lives regionally. The main applicant charge is $6,140 and holders can apply for the permanent subclass 191 after three years if they have met the income requirement.
Verified as at 1 July 2026 against the Department of Home Affairs subclass 491 page and Schedule 2 of the Migration Regulations 1994.
Do I qualify? A 30-second check
Answer the questions to see where you stand.
A guide only, not legal advice. The consultation is where the real answer comes from.
State nomination or a relative in the regions. Either one is worth fifteen points.
The 491 is the only points-tested visa where family can open the door. That changes the strategy for many applicants who cannot get a state to nominate them.
How our fees and process work
- 01
State or territory nomination
Each state publishes a 491 list and its own criteria, often a job offer or residence in a regional part of the state. Regional lists are usually broader than the state's 190 list.
- 02
Eligible relative sponsorship
A parent, child, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, grandparent or first cousin of you or your partner. They must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen and usually live in a designated regional area.
- 03
Broad occupation lists
The 491 draws on the medium and long-term list, the short-term list and the regional occupation list. Many occupations closed to the 189 are open here.
- 04
The same core tests
Under 45 at invitation, a positive skills assessment, competent English, at least 65 points including the 15, health and character.
- 05
Family included or added later
Partner and children can be included in the application or added as subsequent entrants after grant. They receive the same conditions and the same path to the 191.
What regional means, and what the condition actually requires.
Condition 8579 is the heart of the 491. Breach it and the visa can be cancelled and the 191 is out of reach.
- 01
Live, work and study regionally
Condition 8579 requires you to live, work and study only in a designated regional area while you hold the visa. The condition applies to every family member on the visa.
- 02
Everywhere except three cities
Designated regional areas cover all of Australia outside the Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane metropolitan areas. Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, the Gold Coast, Newcastle, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo all count.
- 03
Move between regions freely
You are not tied to the nominating state or to the sponsor's town. You can move to any designated regional area, and you can change employers without a new nomination.
- 04
Tell the Department within 14 days
Condition 8578 requires you to notify changes of address, employer, passport and contact details within 14 days. The notifications are also the evidence trail for the 191.
- 05
A three-year bar on other permanent visas
While you hold a 491 you generally cannot be granted most other permanent skilled visas, including the 189, 190 and 186, until three years have passed. The 191 is the intended exit.
The full cost of the two-step path to permanent residence.
Two government charges, three years apart. The second is the smallest in the skilled program.
| Step | Notes | Charge |
|---|---|---|
| 491 visa, main applicant | Lodged within 60 days of invitation | $6,140 |
| 491, each adult dependant | Included at lodgement or added later as a subsequent entrant | $3,070 |
| 491, each child under 18 | Same conditions as the main applicant | $1,535 |
| 191 visa, main applicant | After three years holding the 491 and meeting the income requirement | $630 |
| 191, each adult dependant | Family members holding the 491 apply together | $315 |
| 191, each child under 18 | $160 |
Charges as at 1 July 2026. State nomination fees and the income requirement for the 191 are set separately.
Assess, lodge, get nominated or sponsored, then move and keep records.
The application is the easy part. The discipline is the three years after grant, because the 191 depends on what you can prove about them.
Skills assessment and English
A positive assessment for your occupation and an accepted English test at competent level or higher.
Expression of interest
Lodge in SkillSelect selecting the 491, the states you would accept, or the family sponsorship route. Register separately with any state that requires it.
Nomination or sponsorship
The state approves a nomination, or your relative completes the sponsorship declaration. Either triggers the SkillSelect invitation.
Visa application
Sixty days to lodge with full evidence of every point claimed, plus health and character for the whole family.
Grant, move and keep records
Move to a designated regional area, tell the Department within 14 days, lodge every tax return on time and keep payslips and notices of assessment. That file becomes the 191 application.
What a 491 costs the applicant.
Government visa charges only. State nomination fees, skills assessment, English test, medicals, police clearances and our fixed professional fee are additional.
As at 1 July 2026. Family sponsorship carries no government fee; state nomination fees vary by state.
Subclass 491, answered plainly.
Can I live in Melbourne on a 491 visa?
No. Condition 8579 limits you to designated regional areas, and metropolitan Melbourne is not one. Regional Victoria is: Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, the Latrobe Valley and the rest of the state outside the metropolitan boundary all qualify.
Which areas count as regional for the 491?
Everywhere in Australia except the Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane metropolitan areas, defined by postcode in a legislative instrument. Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, Darwin, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and Newcastle are all designated regional areas.
What income do I need to get the 191 after the 491?
The 191 requires taxable income at or above the income requirement set by legislative instrument for at least three income years while holding the 491. The Department checks it against your tax notices of assessment, so lodge every return on time. Do not rely on a figure from a forum; the instrument is what counts.
Can my partner and children join me later?
Yes. Family members can be added as subsequent entrants after grant, paying the adult and child charges. They hold the same visa with the same regional condition and apply for the 191 with you.
Can I switch to a 190 or 189 while holding a 491?
Generally not for the first three years. The 491 carries a bar on most other permanent skilled visas until three years have passed. The intended exit is the 191, which has no points test and no age limit.
What if I lose my job on a 491?
The 491 is not tied to an employer. You can change jobs or employers freely as long as you stay in a designated regional area and notify the Department within 14 days. Gaps in income can affect the 191, so plan around the income years.
Does the relative who sponsors me take on obligations?
The sponsor declares that they are an eligible relative living in a designated regional area and agrees to help you settle. There is no financial bond, but false declarations have serious consequences for both of you.
Where this visa connects.
- 191Open
Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa
The permanent step after three years on the 491 or 494.
- 190Open
Skilled Nominated visa
Permanent from day one, five points, a commitment to the state rather than a condition.
- 494Open
Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa
The employer-sponsored regional route with the same 191 finish.
- 189Open
Skilled Independent visa
No nomination, no region, but the highest scores win.
Articles on this visa
- Occupation, Points, Flexibility: The Three Questions That Pick Your Skilled Visa
- From the NHS, the Site or the Office: Matching British Careers to the 189, 190 and 491
- Same Points Test, Three Different Deals: 189, 190 and 491 Compared Line by Line
- Decision-Ready or Invisible: How Victoria’s Registration of Interest System Selects Nominees
Ready to build a regional plan?
One consultation chooses between state nomination and family sponsorship, picks the region, and sets up the records you will need for the 191. Fixed fee quoted in writing.