191 Visa Australia — Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) Subclass 191
What is the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) Visa?
The Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) is an Australian permanent visa for eligible skilled migrants who have held a qualifying regional provisional visa and met the requirements for the Regional Provisional stream.
The subclass 191 visa provides a permanent residence pathway for eligible holders of the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) and Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494). Applicants must have held an eligible visa for at least three years and complied with its conditions.
Once granted, the 191 visa allows you to live permanently in Australia and work and study anywhere in Australia. It also provides access to Medicare, subject to eligibility, and may allow you to sponsor eligible family members for permanent residence.
The 191 visa is therefore an important final stage of the 491 to 191 and 494 to 191 regional migration pathways. Meeting the three-year period alone does not automatically result in permanent residence — you must satisfy the subclass 191 visa requirements when you apply.
Who Can Apply for the 191 Visa?
The subclass 191 visa is available to eligible holders of a Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) or Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494).
To apply through the Regional Provisional stream, you must:
- hold an eligible subclass 491 or 494 visa when you apply;
- have held the eligible visa for at least 3 years;
- have complied with the conditions of your eligible visa; and
- meet the other subclass 191 requirements, including the relevant health, character and Australian values requirements.
You do not need a new state or territory nomination or employer sponsorship to apply for the subclass 191 visa.
Holding a 491 or 494 visa for three years does not automatically grant permanent residence. You must make a separate subclass 191 application and satisfy the visa criteria at the time of application.
Subclass 191 Visa Requirements
To meet the 191 visa requirements, you must satisfy all three of the following at the time you apply:
Hold an eligible visa for at least three years
You must hold a subclass 491 or subclass 494 visa and have held that eligible visa for at least three years before applying for the subclass 191 visa.
Provide ATO Notices of Assessment
You must provide Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Notices of Assessment for three income years out of the five years of your eligible visa.
Importantly, there is currently no minimum income requirement for the subclass 191 Regional Provisional stream. The requirement is to provide the specified ATO Notices of Assessment.
Comply with your provisional visa conditions
You must have complied with the conditions of your eligible 491 or 494 visa for the period you held it. This is particularly important because the 191 visa is a permanent residence pathway based on your circumstances and compliance during your provisional regional visa period.
You must also meet applicable health and character requirements, sign the Australian Values Statement where required, and satisfy other standard visa criteria.
Regional Provisional Visas (491 and 494) to 191 Permanent Visa Pathway
The subclass 191 visa provides a permanent residence pathway for eligible holders of the subclass 491 and subclass 494visas.
491 to 191
If you hold a subclass 491 visa, you may progress to the subclass 191 visa after holding the eligible visa for at least three years, provided you have complied with its conditions and meet the other 191 requirements.
494 to 191
If you hold a subclass 494 visa, the same three-year requirement applies. You must also have complied with the conditions attached to your 494 visa, including its regional and employment requirements.
You do not need a new sponsor or nominator for the subclass 191 visa.
The 191 visa is a separate permanent visa application. Completing three years on a 491 or 494 does not automatically result in permanent residence.
Regional Conditions on Your Qualifying Provisional Visa (Before You Can Apply for the 191)
Your pathway to the subclass 191 visa depends on complying with the conditions of your eligible subclass 491 or 494 visa during the relevant provisional visa period.
If you hold a subclass 491 visa
As a subclass 491 visa holder, condition 8579 requires you to live, work and study only in a designated regional area of Australia. See our designated regional areas page for the full postcode list.
You are not required to remain in the same regional area, provided you continue to meet the applicable regional requirements.
If you hold a subclass 494 visa
Subclass 494 holders are also subject to condition 8579, requiring them to live, work and study only in designated regional Australia.
In addition, condition 8608 imposes specific employment requirements. Depending on the applicable 494 stream, you must work only in your nominated occupation and for the relevant nominating employer, business or associated entity. If you cease compliant employment, condition 8608 also provides a limited period (180 Days) in which you may remain without that employment before further visa consequences arise.
For both 491 and 494 visa holders, maintaining compliance with these conditions is important when progressing to permanent residence through the subclass 191 visa.
The Department may require evidence of your regional residence and employment when assessing your 191 visa application.
Income Requirements for the 191 Visa
There is no minimum income requirement for the subclass 191 Regional Provisional stream.
However, you must provide Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Notices of Assessment for three income years out of the five years of your eligible subclass 491 or 494 visa. These documents are used to establish your taxable income history during the relevant period.
If you or a family member included in the application owes money to the ATO, DHA requires evidence that the debt has been paid or that an approved payment arrangement is in place.
The old requirement sometimes published online about earning a particular minimum income for three years should not be used for current 191 applications.
What Does “Three Relevant Income Years” Mean for the 191 Visa?
For the subclass 191 visa, you must provide ATO Notices of Assessment for three income years out of the five yearsyou held your eligible subclass 491 or 494 visa.
A relevant income year is an income year that has ended before you lodge your 191 visa application and during which you held your eligible 491 or 494 visa for all or part of that year.
For example, if your 491 or 494 visa was granted in February, the financial year ending the following 30 June can still be a relevant income year, even though you held the visa for only part of that financial year.
Therefore, an applicant who reaches the three-year 491 or 494 visa requirement may potentially have three relevant completed income years available without having to wait five years from the date the visa was granted.
There is no minimum income threshold for the subclass 191 Regional Provisional stream. The requirement is to provide the required ATO Notices of Assessment for three relevant income years.
Book your free 191 visa consultation with VisaAid’s registered migration consultants to confirm your eligibility and prepare your application.
Effect on Legacy Regional Visas
The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187) and the Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) closed to new applicants on 16 November 2019. Transitional arrangements apply to applications lodged before that date that remain undecided, and to applicants on the 489 pathway targeting the permanent 887 Skilled Regional visa.
If you hold a subclass 489 visa and are working toward your permanent residence, your pathway to the 887 visa remains valid under the transitional framework. Speak to a VisaAid migration consultant to confirm your current position.
How to Apply for the 191 Visa
The subclass 191 visa application is lodged online through ImmiAccount. You can apply while you are in or outside Australia, provided you are not in immigration clearance.
You should provide the required information and supporting evidence with your application and pay the applicable visa application charge when lodging.
191 Visa Processing Time
The subclass 191 visa processing time varies depending on individual circumstances, the completeness of the application and the time required for health, character and other checks. DHA’s processing-time guide provides an indication based on recently decided applications and is not a guarantee for an individual application.
191 Visa Cost
The 191 visa cost depends on the current visa application charges and the number of applicants included in the application. Visa charges can change, so the current DHA Visa Pricing Estimator should be checked before lodgement. Additional costs may apply for health examinations, police certificates or biometrics where required.
From 1 July 2026, eligible citizens of Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste may qualify for a lower visa application charge.
What Happens After the 191 Visa Is Granted?
The subclass 191 visa is a permanent visa. Once granted, eligible visa holders can live, work and study anywhere in Australia, rather than being subject to the regional restrictions attached to their provisional visa.
The visa includes a 5-year travel facility from the date of grant, allowing you to travel in and out of Australia freely. After 5 years, apply for a Resident Return Visa before departing to retain your re-entry rights.
Permanent residents may also be eligible to:
- enrol in Medicare;
- sponsor eligible family members for permanent residence; and
- apply for Australian citizenship when they meet the citizenship requirements.
The subclass 191 therefore completes the permanent residence stage of the 491 to 191 or 494 to 191 regional migration pathway.
Key steps during your 491 or 494 visa period
Your pathway to subclass 191 permanent residence can depend on your compliance and records during your provisional visa period. It is therefore important to:
- Keep evidence of your regional residence — such as lease agreements, utility bills, bank statements and other documents showing where you lived.
- Lodge your tax returns and retain your ATO Notices of Assessment — the 191 visa requires Notices of Assessment for three income years out of the five years of your eligible visa.
- Maintain compliance with your visa conditions — particularly the regional residence and employment conditions that apply to your 491 or 494 visa.
- For 494 visa holders, ensure your nominated employment remains compliant with the requirements of condition 8608, including the applicable occupation and employer requirements.
