Skilled Work Regional (491) and Permanent Regional (191)

The 491 is a 5-year provisional visa for skilled workers who'll live and work in "designated regional Australia". After 3 years of meeting the conditions, you can apply for the permanent 191.

What counts as regional

• Designated regional Australia for 491 purposes is everywhere in Australia except for the main metropolitan centres of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Yes — that includes Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin, Canberra and the Gold Coast, plus all genuinely regional towns.
• Verify the full postcode list at the link below — it shifts.

Who can nominate

• A state or territory government, or
• An eligible family member who lives in a designated regional area.

Conditions during the 491

• Live, work and study only in a designated regional area.
• Report your address and income annually.
• 5-year visa, with the 191 unlocked after 3 years of meeting conditions.

The 191 pathway

• After 3 years on the 491 (meeting income and residence conditions), you can apply for the 191 — permanent residence, no points test, no state lock-in once granted.
• The 491 income threshold is set annually — verify at https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skilled-regional-191

Common gotchas

• Working remotely for a Sydney-based employer while physically living in Wollongong is a grey area — the rule is about where you live and work physically. Get advice if your work pattern is borderline.
• The 3 years of qualifying income is a hard requirement. Time spent unemployed, on parental leave, or below the threshold doesn't count toward the 3 years.
• The 491 is provisional, not permanent. You don't get Centrelink waiting-period benefits and your access to some social security and government services is limited.

Where to read more

• Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491): https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skilled-work-regional-provisional-491
• Points table (491): https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skilled-work-regional-provisional-491/points-table
• Designated regional areas: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/regional-migration/eligible-regional-areas
• Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191): https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skilled-regional-191