Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)

Drafted from the official pages listed under Sources, last read on 29 October 2026. Rules, fees and thresholds change: check the official page before you act. This is not legal advice and does not guarantee any outcome.

Who it is for

The Government site describes subclass 491 as a temporary visa for skilled workers who want to live and work in regional Australia. You must be either nominated by a state or territory government or sponsored by an eligible relative who lives in a designated regional area.

The stay is 5 years. After 3 years of regional residence and work, holders who meet the requirements may apply for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191). Holders have access to Medicare, education and regional migration incentives, and eligible family members may be included.

See also the subclass 190 guide (permanent, state nominated) and the subclass 189 guide.

How it works

• Check that your occupation is on the relevant skilled occupation list and that you can reach at least 65 points.
• Obtain a skills assessment for your occupation (for example from VETASSESS: see the vetassess-australia guide).
• Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect.
• Be nominated by a state or territory, or sponsored by an eligible relative in a designated regional area. Nomination rules vary by state or territory.
• Receive an invitation. You then have 60 days to apply in ImmiAccount.
• Lodge the application with proof of nomination or sponsorship, skills evidence, and health and character checks, then wait for a decision.

Main requirements

• Occupation: Home Affairs says subclass 491 uses ANZSCO 2013 and the MLTSSL, STSOL and ROL lists. Its regional occupations page counts 504 eligible occupations for the state or territory nominated 491 and 212 for the family nominated 491.
• Points: at least 65. Use the points test on this platform for an estimate only.
• Skills assessment: required; age and English standards are not stated on the Government pages read for this guide, so check Home Affairs and the nominating state.
• Nomination or sponsorship: a state or territory nominates you, or an eligible relative sponsors you. The relative must live in a designated regional area.
• Regional living and work: designated regional areas only. The pages read do not list the areas: check Home Affairs.

Home Affairs says healthcare and teaching occupations receive priority for visa processing.

Costs and timing

Visa application charge. The Regulations that commence on 1 July 2026 amend many skilled-visa charges, but the part of the text read for this guide did not show the amount for subclass 491. Use the Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator for the exact amount for your case; this guide does not state a figure.

Nomination fee. States and territories may charge a fee of their own; check the nominating state.

Places. Home Affairs publishes yearly nomination allocations. For 2025-26 the subclass 491 allocation was 7,500 places in total (ACT 800, NSW 1,500, NT 800, QLD 750, SA 900, TAS 650, VIC 700, WA 1,400). The page read did not show 2026-27 figures, so a state may be open, limited or closed at any time. Home Affairs’ June 2026 program report records a 2025-26 regional planning level of 33,000 places.

Timing. The Government site says processing times vary and gives no figures. Any figure from Home Affairs is an estimate, not a promise.

Preparing your file

• Decide whether you could genuinely live and work in a designated regional area for the full period: the visa is built around it.
• Check the nominating state’s page for 491 pathways and its list of occupations before you submit an EOI.
• If a relative would sponsor you, confirm with Home Affairs that the relative and the area qualify.
• Prepare skills assessment, English test, identity, education and employment documents as for the subclass 190.
• Keep evidence of where you live and work from the day the visa is granted: you will need it for the permanent stage.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating the 491 as a permanent visa: it is provisional, and the 191 requires time spent living and working in a regional area.
• Choosing an area that is not a designated regional area for this visa.
• Assuming a state registration or an EOI is a visa application: it is not, and this platform does not lodge applications.
• Missing the 60-day deadline after an invitation or a state deadline.
• Using out-of-date occupation lists: they are updated by the Government.