Commonwealth of Australia · skilled migration · Leads to settlement

Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)

By Sam Parks · Last reviewed: 8 July 2026

Source check: all 6 official citations reconfirmed 11 July 2026

Provisional 5-year regional visa leading to permanent residence via subclass 191.

No sponsorship requiredLeads to permanent residency5 years provisional, with pathway to permanent residence.

Processing time: Variable.
Government fees: From AUD 6,140 principal applicant federal VAC, plus any state/territory nomination or eligible family-sponsorship costs.
Typical duration: 5 years provisional, with pathway to permanent residence.
Sponsorship required: No
Leads to permanent residency: Yes

Reviewed 8 July 2026Department of Home Affairs ↗

In short

As of 8 July 2026, the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) for Commonwealth of Australia has a typical government cost of about A$6,646 and typical processing of 6 months – 12 months. Sources: official Commonwealth of Australia government pages, reviewed 8 July 2026.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/australia/subclass-491-skilled-regional#answer

What is the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) in Commonwealth of Australia?

Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is an unsponsored Australia route. Indicative government fees are From AUD 6,140 principal applicant federal VAC, plus any state/territory nomination or eligible family-sponsorship costs; indicative processing time is Variable; typical duration is 5 years provisional, with pathway to permanent residence. This route can lead to permanent residence.

Verified against Department of Home Affairs on 1 July 2026.

Australia skilled-route cost and points layer

Australia skilled points, nomination and Skills in Demand cost answer

The route guide answers eligibility. This stack keeps the money and evidence layer beside it: skills assessment, nomination, sponsorship, salary thresholds and route-stage fees.

Calculator context

A points result does not guarantee an invitation, nomination or visa grant. It only says whether the profile clears the 65-point SkillSelect EOI floor. Skills assessment, occupation demand, state nomination, sponsorship, salary thresholds and post-invitation fees still need separate evidence.

Australia route	Points or sponsor trigger	Mandatory paid-away baseline	Skills, nomination or salary dependency
Subclass 189 Skilled Independent	Points-tested SkillSelect route. The EOI floor is 65 points; there is no sponsor or state nomination bonus.	A$7,501-A$8,705	A$550-A$1,200 skills assessment before the EOI can become usable. No fixed salary floor in the route model; invitation depends on occupation demand and invitation rounds.
Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated	Points-tested SkillSelect route plus state or territory nomination. Nomination can add 5 points after the state gate is met.	A$7,506-A$9,010	A$550-A$1,200 skills assessment plus A$0-A$300 state or territory fee exposure. No employer sponsor or national salary floor; state criteria can add occupation, residence and funds declarations.
Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional	Points-tested regional route. State/territory nomination or eligible-relative sponsorship can add 15 points.	A$7,506-A$9,010	A$550-A$1,200 skills assessment plus A$0-A$300 nomination or eligible-relative gate exposure. No upfront national salary floor; later subclass 191 context is income-evidence timing, not an upfront 491 fee.
Subclass 482 Skills in Demand	Sponsor-led route. It is not a points-tested SkillSelect invitation route.	A$10,381-A$13,335	A$0-A$1,200 skills-assessment exposure where required by occupation, nationality or stream. A$420 sponsor fee, A$330 nomination fee and A$4,800-A$7,200 SAF levy are employer-side; A$79,423/yr CSIT or A$146,576/yr SSIT, plus AMSR where the stream requires it.

Comparator route	Route type	Paid-away baseline	Do not collapse these lines
Singapore S Pass	Employer-sponsored pass with quota, levy and insurance duties.	SGD 16,405-SGD 18,205	SGD 15,600 levy and SGD 600-SGD 2,400 insurance stay employer-side; SGD 39,600-SGD 45,600 salary evidence is not a visa fee.
New Zealand AEWV	Employer-accredited work route with job-check approval before the worker applies.	NZ$3,060-NZ$4,325	NZ$775 accreditation and NZ$735 job check are employer-side; variable market-rate job evidence is not paid away.
New Zealand SMC	Residence route with points, skilled-employment evidence and post-invitation filing.	NZ$6,810-NZ$8,925	NZ$0 EOI and NZ$6,450 resident-stage application; NZ$72,800-NZ$109,200 skilled-job pay evidence is not a fee.
Austria Red-White-Red Card	Points and employer-declaration route with AMS assessment.	€228-€363	€218 application fee; €0 points and labour-market gate; €41,580 salary evidence remains a category condition.

Source dates: Australia cost and salary data checked 1 July 2026; comparator cost rows checked 1 July 2026. Latest source record in this cluster: 1 July 2026. This cluster supports retrieval and review, not ranking, traffic, AI-citation or market-share outcome claims.

Overview

Subclass 491 is a provisional regional visa for skilled workers nominated by a state or territory government agency or sponsored by an eligible relative. Holders must live, work, and study in designated regional Australia while the visa conditions apply. After at least 3 years on an eligible 491 or 494 visa, the subclass 191 Regional Provisional stream can grant permanent residence if conditions are met; Home Affairs states there is no minimum income requirement, but applicants must provide ATO notices of assessment for 3 income years out of the 5 years of the eligible visa.

Guidance by nationality

Specific information for applicants from these countries. Don’t see yours? The general eligibility criteria above apply to everyone.

Eligibility

Typical criteria

✓Nomination by a state or territory government agency, or sponsorship by an eligible relative.
✓Relevant occupation on a skilled occupation list.Government of South Australia (Migration SA), page's 'Eligibility' section is explicitly the Dept of Home Affairs visa criteria ↗
✓Suitable skills assessment for the nominated occupation.Government of South Australia (Migration SA), page's 'Eligibility' section is explicitly the Dept of Home Affairs visa criteria ↗
✓Invitation to apply and points-test score of at least 65, including the 15 points available for subclass 491 nomination/sponsorship.Government of South Australia (Migration SA), quoting Dept of Home Affairs points-test threshold and SA nomination points bonus ↗
✓Competent English and age under 45 at invitation unless an exemption applies.Government of South Australia (Migration SA), page's 'Eligibility' section is explicitly the Dept of Home Affairs visa criteria ↗

Common blockers

!Not planning to reside in regional area.Queensland Government (Migration Queensland) ↗
!No state nomination or eligible regional family sponsor.

Typical evidence

·Nomination or family-sponsor documents.
·Skills assessment.Government of South Australia (Migration SA), page's 'Eligibility' section is explicitly the Dept of Home Affairs visa criteria ↗

Application pathway

Secure regional nomination or sponsorship
Via state or eligible family member.
EOI and ITA
Through SkillSelect.
Live and work regionally for 3 years
Comply with the 491 conditions in designated regional Australia.
Apply for subclass 191 permanent
After meeting eligible-visa, condition-compliance and ATO notice-of-assessment evidence requirements.

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

Official portalApplicant
Submit regional EOI ↗
Applicants use SkillSelect to lodge the EOI for state nomination or eligible family sponsorship.
Department of Home Affairs · verified 1 July 2026

Fees and processing time

A typical Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) application runs about A$6,646 in government fees (single applicant, no dependants, family-sponsor or no-fee state nomination). A decision then typically takes 6 months – 12 months. Both change over time, so the dedicated pages below carry the itemised breakdown and the current official figures.

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Frequently asked questions

What counts as regional Australia for the 491 visa?+

All of Australia except metropolitan Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Most of the country — including Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin, and Canberra — qualifies as regional for this visa.

Is there a minimum income threshold for the 191 after a 491?+

Home Affairs says there is no minimum income requirement for the subclass 191 Regional Provisional stream. You must still provide ATO notices of assessment for 3 income years out of the 5 years of your eligible 491 or 494 visa, and you must have complied with eligible-visa conditions.

If I can't score enough points for the 189, what's my alternative without a job offer?+

The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is a points-tested route that does not require employer sponsorship and awards 15 points for the regional nomination. You qualify through a state nomination or eligible family sponsorship in regional Australia, rather than an employer. Confirm current settings on the Department of Home Affairs.

How many years do I have to live regionally on the 491 before I can get permanent residence?+

The 491 is a 5-year provisional visa. After at least 3 years on an eligible 491 or 494 visa, you can apply for the subclass 191 Regional Provisional stream if you complied with the eligible-visa conditions and can provide ATO notices of assessment for 3 income years out of the 5 years of the eligible visa.

Can my family sponsor me for the 491 instead of a state government?+

Yes. The subclass 491 can be obtained through either a state or territory nomination or eligible family sponsorship in regional Australia, and the regional nomination adds 15 points to your score.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

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How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Department of Home Affairs

Last checked: 1 July 2026

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