Australia Skilled Regional Visa (Subclass 491) in 2026

The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is a points-tested visa for skilled applicants who will live, work and study in designated regional Australia. It is not permanent residence at grant.

Two sponsorship or nomination bases

A 491 applicant can be nominated by an Australian state or territory government or sponsored by an eligible relative. The applicant also needs an eligible occupation, a suitable skills assessment, an invitation and enough points. Home Affairs uses 65 points as the minimum threshold, but that score does not guarantee invitation. Applicants generally must be under 45 when invited.

State/territory nomination programs set additional criteria. Family sponsorship has its own relationship, residence and eligibility requirements. These are different legal bases and should not be blended together in an application strategy.

Five-year provisional visa

Subclass 491 is granted for five years. Holders must comply with the regional conditions attached to the visa. They can work and study in designated regional areas and include eligible family members.

Home Affairs' current 2026 listing shows a main-applicant charge from AUD 6,140. Exact charges vary with family composition and other factors.

Permanent residence pathway

Eligible 491 holders can later seek the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa subclass 191 after meeting its requirements. Home Affairs describes the regional pathway as becoming available after three years for eligible provisional regional visa holders. This is a pathway, not an automatic conversion: the applicant must satisfy the subclass 191 criteria in force when applying.

491 versus 494

Subclass 491 is points-tested and based on state/territory nomination or eligible-relative sponsorship. Subclass 494 is based on a regional employer nomination. Both are regional provisional visas and can connect to subclass 191, but their entry requirements are fundamentally different.

Compare subclass 189 and subclass 190 if immediate permanent skilled status is the better fit.

Return to the Australia visa hub, Oceania or work visa routes.

Source: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs, verified 16 September 2026.

Official and supporting sources

Related routes in Australia