Australia Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional Visa
A five-year regional visa with fifteen extra points, leading to permanent residence through subclass 191 after three years.
Check your eligibility before you pay any fee
Subclass 491 is a provisional skilled visa for people willing to build their life in regional Australia — which covers everywhere outside Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, including Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra and Hobart. It is valid for five years.
A state or territory nomination, or sponsorship by an eligible relative in a designated regional area, adds fifteen points — the biggest boost available on the points test. That often makes 491 the most realistic route for applicants whose score is short of a 189 or 190 invitation.
After three years living and working in regional Australia and meeting the income threshold, you can apply for the permanent subclass 191 visa.
- Visa type
- 5-year provisional
- Path to PR
- Subclass 191 after 3 years
Eligibility & requirements
- Nomination by a state or territory, or sponsorship by an eligible relative living in a designated regional area
- Occupation on the relevant list and a positive skills assessment
- At least 65 points including the fifteen nomination points
- Under 45 at the time of invitation
- Competent English or higher
- Health and character requirements
How the process works
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01
Regional strategy
We match your occupation and points against state regional lists and any eligible relatives.
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02
Skills assessment and English
We prepare your skills assessment and you sit the English test.
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03
EOI and nomination
We lodge your EOI and state nomination application, or prepare your relative’s sponsorship.
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04
Visa application
On invitation we lodge the 491 for your family within the 60-day window.
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Regional years and subclass 191
We help you keep the residence, employment and income records you will need, then lodge your permanent subclass 191 application.
Subclass 491 FAQs
No. It is a five-year provisional visa. Permanent residence comes through subclass 191 once you have lived and worked in a designated regional area for three years and met the taxable-income requirement.
All of Australia except Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and their surroundings. Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle, Wollongong and Hobart all qualify.
Yes, if they are an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, over 18, living in a designated regional area and are your parent, child, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, grandparent, grandchild or first cousin (or your partner’s).
SA Global Citizenship is a team of immigration advisors with over 20 years of experience, serving clients from South Asia, the Middle East, Europe, the Caribbean and the USA.
- Personal guidance. One advisor matches the route to your family and budget, and tells you if another programme fits better.
- Full application support. Forms, notarisation, legalisation and every government query, handled for you.
- Transparent payments. Government and due diligence fees go directly to official accounts at set milestones. We never hold client investment funds.
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Successful Immigration Clients
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Years of Immigration Excellence
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Global Offices
How to Get Australia Skilled migration
Here is what you do next and what we do for you. Most clients go from first call to submitted application in two to four weeks.
Book a consultation
At our Dubai, Lahore or Karachi office, or online. Bring a list of the family members you want to include.
Get your eligibility result
A written route recommendation with an itemised cost, before any government fee is paid.
We prepare your file
Your dedicated legal expert completes the forms and guides you through the documents only you can obtain.
We submit for you
Your application goes to the government and we manage it through to approval and payment.
Ready to start your Australia application?
Book a strategic consultation and get a clear, obligation-free plan for your family’s mobility.