Overview
The Subclass 191 is the permanent visa for people who have held a Subclass 491 or 494 regional provisional visa. To qualify you must have held the provisional visa for at least three years, complied with its conditions — including living, working and studying in a designated regional area — and met the income requirement by providing Australian Taxation Office notices of assessment for at least three income years. There is no new points test and no new skills assessment at the 191 stage, and once granted the 191 is full permanent residence with no regional condition.
The Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa is the permanent end point of the regional skilled pathway. If you have held a 491 or 494 provisional visa for at least three years, complied with its conditions and met the income requirement, the 191 turns that provisional status into full permanent residence — with no regional condition.
Who the 191 is for
The 191 is not a visa you apply for from scratch. It is for people already on the regional pathway: holders of the 491 (state- or family-sponsored) or the 494 (employer-sponsored) provisional visa. The 491 and 494 do the heavy lifting — points, nomination, skills assessment — and the 191 is the reward for seeing the regional commitment through.
The three-year rule and the income requirement
Two things matter most:
- You must have held the provisional visa for at least three years and complied with its conditions — living, working and studying only in a designated regional area.
- You must meet the income requirement by providing Australian Taxation Office notices of assessment for at least three income years. A taxable-income benchmark of around $53,900 a year is widely referenced; the amount is set by legislative instrument and can change, so confirm the current figure before lodging.
The practical lesson: keep clean tax and residence records from the day your provisional visa is granted. Three years later, those notices of assessment are your evidence.
What changes once the 191 is granted
The 191 is permanent, and the regional condition is removed. You can live, work and study anywhere in Australia, access Medicare, sponsor eligible family, and begin counting toward Australian citizenship. It is the same permanent residence you would reach through the 189 or 190 — arrived at by a different, regional road.
Common pitfalls
The most common problems are a low-income or gap year among the three you rely on, and time spent outside the designated region while on the provisional visa. Both go to whether you met the conditions and the income test. If either applies to you, get advice before lodging rather than after a refusal.
Fees and processing times shown above are sourced from the Department of Home Affairs and displayed with the date verified.
Who is eligible
- Hold, or have held, an eligible regional provisional visa — the Subclass 491 or the Subclass 494
- Have held that provisional visa for at least three years
- Have complied with the conditions of the provisional visa, including living, working and studying only in a designated regional area
- Meet the income requirement — provide Australian Taxation Office notices of assessment for at least three income years showing the required taxable income
- Continue to meet health and character requirements and have no adverse information
Costs
The application charge varies by stream for this subclass. A modest Visa Application Charge applies for the 191, with additional-applicant charges. Confirm the current figure on the official pricing estimator. Fees are indexed each year — see the official Visa Pricing Estimator for the current figure.
Processing times
See the official global visa processing times .
How to apply
- Confirm your three years and conditions. Check you have held the 491 or 494 for at least three years and complied with its regional living, working and study conditions.
- Gather three notices of assessment. Collect ATO notices of assessment for at least three income years while you held the provisional visa — this is the core evidence.
- Lodge the 191 online. Apply with your notices of assessment and evidence of regional residence. A bridging visa maintains your status while it is decided.
- Become a permanent resident. Once granted, the regional condition is gone — you can live and work anywhere and begin counting toward citizenship.
How it compares
| Feature | 491 | 494 | 191 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Provisional (5 yrs) | Provisional (5 yrs) | Permanent |
| Prerequisite | State or family sponsorship | Employer sponsorship | 3 yrs on a 491 or 494 |
| Regional condition | Yes | Yes | None once granted |
| Income evidence | — | — | 3 ATO notices of assessment |
| Leads to | 191 | 191 | Citizenship |
Frequently asked questions
How long must I hold the 491 or 494 before I can apply for the 191?
At least three years. The three years are counted from when the provisional visa was granted, and you must have complied with its conditions — living, working and studying in a designated regional area — across that period.
What income do I need for the 191?
The central requirement is to provide Australian Taxation Office notices of assessment for at least three income years while you held the provisional visa, showing taxable income at or above the required amount. A benchmark of around $53,900 a year is widely referenced; the figure is set by legislative instrument and can change, so confirm the current amount before you lodge and keep clean tax records from day one.
Do I need a new points test or skills assessment for the 191?
No. The points test and skills assessment happen at the provisional (491/494) stage. The 191 is about proving you held the provisional visa for three years, met its conditions, and satisfied the income requirement — not about being re-assessed on points.
Can I leave the regional area once I have the 191?
Yes. The 191 is permanent and carries no regional condition — you can live, work and study anywhere in Australia. The regional obligation only applies while you hold the provisional 491 or 494.
What if I didn't earn the required income in one of the three years?
This is exactly the kind of situation to get advice on before lodging. The requirement looks at your notices of assessment across income years while you held the visa; gaps, low-income years or time spent outside the region can affect eligibility. A registered migration agent can map which three income years you rely on.
Related visas
- /visas/skilled/visa-491/
- /visas/employer/visa-494/
- /visas/skilled/visa-190/
- /visas/skilled/visa-189/
- /citizenship/