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Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 491): how long it takes, what it costs, and whether it leads to permanent residence
Work Permit
5-year regional provisional visa — not permanent residence
A 5-year provisional visa for skilled workers nominated by a state or territory government agency, or sponsored by an eligible relative, to live, work and study in a designated regional area. It does not grant permanent residence. If eligible, the holder may apply for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) after 3 years from the date this visa is granted. Subclass 191 requires that the holder complied with the conditions of this visa for the whole period held — that is a condition of the permanent stage, not merely good practice. Home Affairs publishes numbered conditions 8515, 8578, 8579, 8580 and 8581 through its visa conditions tool; the applicant must check them directly. Condition 8579 requires the holder to live, study and work in a designated regional area that was on the list on the date this visa was granted. The designated regional areas page (last updated 28/02/2025 9:56) does not state that the list can change.
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-16
We tell you when we re-read a route you follow, in the note from that check, with the official link.
Does Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 491) lead to permanent residence?
- Residency
Temporary on grant; subclass 191 after 36 months only if the holder complied with this visa's conditions for the whole period held
Overview: 'apply for permanent residence after 3 years from the time your visa is granted.' About this visa: apply, if eligible, through subclass 191; 'You cannot apply for other permanent visas until you have held your subclass 491 visa for 3 years.'
Open the authority's page for this fact
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-16
Do you need a job offer for Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 491)?
- Job offer
Not stated
The verified record does not state whether a job offer is required. Absence of the field is not a no — check the official source below.
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-16
How many points do you need for Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 491)?
- Points
At least 65
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-16
How much does Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 491) cost to apply for?
- Application fee
No amount stored
Not yet verified against an official source
How long does Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 491) take to process?
- Processing time
No duration published; the authority points to a guidance tool
Open the authority's page for this fact
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-16
What does Department of Home Affairs actually require?
Quoted from the pages named beside each rule, not paraphrased.
- Age
You must be aged under 45 to be invited to apply for the visa. You can still apply for the visa if you turn 45 after we invite you to apply. If you turn 45 after you submit your EOI but before we invite you to apply you will not receive an invite.
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-16
- Language
At the time of invitation, you must have at least Competent English.
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-16
- Points test
The subclass 491 is a points-tested visa. If you do not obtain a score of 65 points you will not be invited to apply for this visa. If we do invite you to apply for the visa, your invitation will state the number of points that you must score when we assess your application for grant of the visa (this score may be higher than 65 points, depending on your claims in the EOI).
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-16
What Department of Home Affairs does not publish
We checked for each of these and the page carried no figure. The absence is recorded with the reason, so this page states nothing the authority does not.
Processing time
Department publishes no figure. Page directs to the processing time guide tool and states the result 'is a guide only and not specific to your application'.
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-16
Application fee
Page shows cost as 'From ... (concessions apply in limited circumstances)' and directs to the Visa Pricing Estimator. A second instalment may apply for applicants 18 or older with less than functional English; no amount is published on the page, so no fee is stored.
Not yet verified against an official source
Minimum education
Page states no minimum education level; eligibility runs through nomination or family sponsorship, a suitable skills assessment, an invitation, and the points test.
Not yet verified against an official source
How it works
- 1Be nominated by a state or territory, or sponsored by an eligible relative, and be invited after scoring at least 65 points.
- 2Live, work and study in a designated regional area (condition 8579, as at the grant-date list). Check numbered conditions 8515, 8578, 8579, 8580 and 8581 on the Home Affairs conditions tool.
- 3Subclass 191 is a later application after 3 years from grant, and only if the holder complied with this visa's conditions for the whole period held.
What changed when we last checked this record
Visa is open and provisional. Stay is 5 years from grant; it cannot be extended. Nomination is by a state or territory government agency or sponsorship by an eligible relative. A suitable skills assessment is required at invitation. The holder and family-unit visa holders must live, work and study in a designated regional area. Permanent residence is a later subclass 191 application after 3 years from grant — this visa does not grant permanent residence. The 191 Regional Provisional stream (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skilled-regional-191/regional-provisional) states: 'You must have complied with the conditions of your eligible visa when in Australia. This requirement applies for the whole period you hold the visa(s).' The 491 HTML conditions tool (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/already-have-a-visa/check-visa-details-and-conditions/see-your-visa-conditions?product=491) still did not render a list; the numbered conditions were read from the Home Affairs Visa Conditions API that tool calls (GetConditionsByProduct / GetConditionByNumber, product 491): 8515 Must not marry or enter into a de facto relationship before entry; 8578 Notify us if your passport or contact details change (within 14 days while in Australia); 8579 Live, study and work in a designated regional area — for subclass 491 'the area must have been on the list of designated regional areas on the date we granted your visa'; 8580 Provide evidence of your live, study or work address if requested (28 days); 8581 You must attend an interview if we ask you to in a letter. The applicant must check the conditions tool directly. Designated regional areas page (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/regional-migration/eligible-regional-areas) last updated 28/02/2025 9:56; that page does not state that the list can change.
Source: Department of Home Affairs · verified 2026-08-16
Estimate against the official table: What score do I need for an Australian skilled visa (subclass 189, 190 or 491)?
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