Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional)

The 191 visa allows people who have lived and worked for at least three years in a designated regional area to reside permanently in Australia. Applicants must have held an eligible visa during that time. The minimum requirements for the 191 visa are set out below.

What You Can Do With This Visa

Benefit	Details
Stay	Remain in Australia permanently
Work	Work anywhere in Australia
Study	Study anywhere in Australia
Sponsor Family	Sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
Citizenship	Apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible

Eligibility Requirements (from November 2022)

Requirement	Details
Eligible Visa	Must hold a regional provisional visa subclass 491 or 494 visa when applying for the Subclass 191 visa
Visa Duration	Must have held that visa for at least three years
Income	Must have earned the minimum income for at least three years as the holder of a regional provisional visa
Compliance	Must have complied with the conditions of the regional provisional visa

Related: 191 visa income requirements

Visa Validity and Conditions

Aspect	Details
Visa Validity	Permanent visa – stay indefinitely
Travel Component	Valid for 5 years from date of visa grant
Condition 8579	Must live, work and study only in regional areas
Employer Sponsored	If employer sponsored, must work only in nominated position
Movement	Visa holders can move between regional areas

Regional Areas Definition

Regional areas are defined as any area excluding Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Regional Areas Include:

State/Territory	Regional Locations
Western Australia	Perth
Queensland	Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast
New South Wales	Lake Macquarie, Illawarra, Newcastle, Wollongong
Victoria	Geelong
South Australia	Adelaide
Tasmania	Hobart
ACT	Canberra

Effect on Current Regional Visas

Closed Visa	Closure Date	Transitional Arrangements
Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme Visa (subclass 187)	16 November 2019	For lodged and undecided applications
Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 489)	16 November 2019	For applicants targeting subclass 887

Skilled Migration Points Test Changes (from 16 November 2019)

The skilled migration points test changed on November 16, 2019. The changes affected subclass 491 applicants as well as applications for other skilled migration visas that have not been assessed at that time (but only in a way that is beneficial for applicants, by providing additional points).

New Points Details

Points Category	Points Available
State/Territory nomination or Family sponsorship (regional Australia)	15 points
Skilled spouse or de facto partner (Skills assessment + Competent English)	10 points
Spouse or de facto partner with Competent English only	5 points
STEM qualifications (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)	10 points
Applicants without a spouse or de facto partner	10 points

New Ranking Order for Invitations

Priority	Applicant Type
First	Primary applicants with a skilled spouse or de facto partner
Equal First	Primary applicants without a spouse or de facto partner
Second	Primary applicants with a spouse or de facto partner who can demonstrate competent English (but does not have skills for skilled partner points)
Third	Primary applicants with a partner who is ineligible for either competent English or skilled partner points

Note: Third priority applicants will be ranked below all other cohorts, if all other points claims are equal.

Visa Fees

Applicant Type	Fee
Primary Applicant	AUD 505.00
Additional Applicant over 18	AUD 250.00
Additional Applicant under 18	AUD 130.00

Citizenship

For citizenship purposes, your permanent residence starts on the day we grant the visa if you are in Australia.

Summary

Aspect	Detail
Visa Name	Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) Visa
Subclass	191
Visa Type	Permanent
Eligible Pathway Visas	Subclass 491 or 494
Regional Residence Required	Minimum 3 years
Income Requirement	Minimum taxable income for 3 years
Travel Facility	5 years
Cost (Primary Applicant)	AUD 505
Regional Definition	Everywhere except Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane

Book a meeting today for a commitment-free briefing with our Registered Migration Agents in Melbourne to find out more about your visa options.