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The Subclass 191 — Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa is Australia’s dedicated permanent residency pathway for skilled migrants who have lived and worked in regional Australia. It’s the final step for holders of a Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional) or Subclass 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional) provisional visa who have completed at least three years in a designated regional area.
Unlike other skilled visas, the 191 visa requires no points test, no state or territory nomination, and no employer sponsorship at the time of application — it’s a reward for having already met your regional commitment. Once granted, all regional living restrictions disappear: you can live, work, and study anywhere in Australia.
The visa opened for applications on 16 November 2022, and a separate stream exists for eligible Hong Kong or British National (Overseas) passport holders.
To meet the 191 visa requirements, you must satisfy all of the following.
You must currently hold, or have held, a Subclass 491 or Subclass 494 visa for at least 3 years before the date you apply for the 191.
You must show you lived, worked, and (where relevant) studied in a designated regional area for that 3-year period, consistent with your provisional visa conditions.
As of the June 2023 policy change, there is no legislated minimum income threshold for the 191 visa. Instead, you must provide Notices of Assessment (NOAs) from the Australian Taxation Office for 3 income years within the 5 years you held your eligible visa. Each NOA doesn’t need to cover a full 12 months of income — what matters is three separate assessments issued during the eligible period.
Standard health examinations and police clearance certificates (from every country lived in for 12+ months) are required, as with all permanent visas.
Any breach of your 491/494 conditions (e.g. changing employer without an approved nomination transfer, living outside a designated regional area without authorisation) can jeopardise 191 eligibility.
Previous visa cancellations or refusals can affect eligibility, though exceptions exist under Department of Home Affairs policy.
Regional Provisional Stream | Hong Kong/BNO Stream | |
Who it’s for | 491/494 visa holders | Eligible HK/BNO passport holders on qualifying temporary visas |
Points test | No | No |
Regional residence required | 3 years | 3 years |
Primary applicant fee | $505 | $4,910 |
Sponsor/nomination needed | No | No |
For 191 visa purposes, regional Australia is everywhere except Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Many major cities count as regional, including Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Canberra, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Newcastle, Wollongong, and Geelong.
491 | 494 | 191 | |
Visa type | Provisional | Provisional | Permanent |
Duration | 5 years | 5 years | Permanent (5-yr travel facility) |
Points tested | Yes | No | No |
Sponsor required | State/territory or family | Employer | No |
Leads to | 191 (after 3 yrs) | 191 (after 3 yrs) | Citizenship pathway |
Category | Documents |
Identity | Valid passport, birth certificate, national ID, evidence of name change |
Regional evidence | Lease agreements, payslips, employment references, utility bills, school enrolment records |
Tax/income | ATO Notices of Assessment (3 income years within your eligible visa period) |
Health & character | Medical exam, police clearance certificates (all countries lived in 12+ months) |
Family | Relationship and dependency evidence for included family members |
Applicant | Regional Provisional Stream | Hong Kong Stream |
Primary applicant | $505 | $4,910 |
Additional applicant (18+) | $250 | $2,450 |
Additional applicant (under 18) | $130 | $1,230 |
Note: Fees are reviewed annually by the Department of Home Affairs (typically each July) — confirm the current fee using the official Visa Pricing Estimator before lodging.”
Factors that affect processing time: completeness of your application, how quickly you respond to information requests, and health/character/security check timeframes.
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You’re eligible for the 191 visa if you have held a Subclass 491 or Subclass 494 visa for at least three years, lived and worked in a designated regional area for that period, and can provide three ATO Notices of Assessment covering income years within your five year eligibility window. You’ll also need to meet standard health and character requirements and show you haven’t breached your provisional visa conditions. Hong Kong and BNO passport holders on qualifying temporary visas can apply through a separate stream under similar regional residence rules.
No, since June 2023 there is no minimum income threshold for the 191 visa. Instead, applicants must submit three ATO Notices of Assessment for income years falling within their five year eligibility period, regardless of the amount earned. Earlier income requirements around $53,900 no longer apply, so always check the current criteria on the Department of Home Affairs website before applying.
The 191 visa is a permanent visa, so it does not expire. It comes with a five year travel facility, meaning you can freely enter and leave Australia for five years from grant. After that period, you may need to apply for a Resident Return visa to maintain your travel rights, though your permanent residence status itself continues indefinitely.
There is no age limit for the 191 visa. Because it isn’t points tested, applicants of any age can apply as long as they meet the regional residence, tax assessment, health, and character requirements tied to their eligible 491 or 494 visa.
No, the 191 visa does not require a points test. Points are only assessed at the earlier 491 stage. Once you’ve completed three years on an eligible regional visa and met the other conditions, the 191 application itself has no points threshold to clear.
The primary applicant does not need to sit an English test for the 191 visa. Family members included in the application must demonstrate at least functional English, broadly equivalent to an IELTS score of 4.5, or the second visa application charge may apply for those who don’t meet this level.
Processing times vary, but recent figures show roughly half of 191 visa applications are finalised within about four months, and around 90 percent within twelve months. Timeframes depend on how complete your application is, how quickly you respond to any requests for extra documents, and how long health, character, and security checks take. For the most current figures, check the official processing time tool on the Department of Home Affairs website.
Yes, you can include your partner and dependent children in a single 191 visa application. Family members generally need to meet health and character requirements and may need to show functional English or have the second visa application charge applied instead. Family members usually cannot be added after the application is lodged, so it’s important to include everyone eligible from the start.
No, you cannot apply for the 191 visa directly. It’s only available to people who already hold, or have held, an eligible Subclass 491 or Subclass 494 visa for at least three years, or separately, to eligible Hong Kong and BNO passport holders through the Hong Kong stream. There is currently no standalone application route into the 191 visa.
Yes. Once your 191 visa is granted, all regional living restrictions end and you’re free to live, work, and study anywhere in Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, since it grants full, unconditional permanent residence.
Condition 8579 is the visa condition attached to Subclass 491 and Subclass 494 visas requiring holders to live, work, and, where relevant, study only in a designated regional area of Australia. Complying with condition 8579 for the required period is one of the core requirements for later becoming eligible for the 191 visa.
Qualifying for a Subclass 191 visa generally means holding an eligible 491 or 494 visa for at least three years, having lived and worked in a designated regional area throughout that period, and providing three ATO Notices of Assessment from within your five year eligibility window. You’ll also need to pass health and character checks and have complied with your provisional visa conditions, including condition 8579.