Permanent Residency
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Explore PR OptionsVisa overview
What is the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa?
The Subclass 491 visa is a five-year provisional skilled visa for people nominated by an Australian state or territory government or sponsored by an eligible relative. It permits holders to live, work and study in designated regional areas of Australia, subject to visa conditions.
Eligible holders may later apply for the Subclass 191 permanent residence visa after holding their eligible regional provisional visa for at least three years and meeting the applicable requirements.
Subclass 491 is not permanent residence on grant. State nomination rules and invitation availability vary by jurisdiction and can change during the program year.
Key features
Subclass 491 visa benefits
Five-year visa
Stay in Australia for up to five years from grant.
Regional opportunities
Live, work and study in designated regional locations.
Family inclusion
Include eligible members of your family unit, subject to requirements.
Permanent residence pathway
Potential eligibility for Subclass 191 after three years.
Who can apply?
Subclass 491 eligibility requirements
- Be under 45 at the time of invitation.
- Have an eligible nominated occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list.
- Hold a suitable skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority, valid under the visa rules.
- Have at least Competent English at invitation.
- Meet the 65-point minimum and substantiate the points claimed in your Expression of Interest (EOI).
- Be nominated by a state/territory government agency or sponsored by an eligible relative in a designated regional area.
- Receive an invitation and meet health, character and other visa requirements.
Meeting 65 points does not guarantee nomination or an invitation. Each state or territory may impose additional criteria for its nomination pathway.
Points-tested migration
How many points are required for a 491 visa?
The minimum is 65 points, including 15 points for an eligible regional nomination or approved family sponsorship. The score needed to receive an invitation may be higher.
| Points factor | Potential points |
|---|---|
| Age | 15–30 |
| English language ability | 0 / 10 / 20 |
| Overseas skilled employment | 0–15 |
| Australian skilled employment | 0–20 |
| Qualifications | 10–20 |
| Partner or single-applicant points | 5–10, depending on circumstances |
| Australian study, regional study, specialist education, professional year and credentialled community language | Additional points where eligible |
| State/territory nomination or eligible family sponsorship | 15 |
Overseas and Australian skilled employment points have a combined maximum of 20. Review the Australia PR guide for related pathways.
Language requirements
Subclass 491 English language requirements (2026–27)
Applicants generally need Competent English at invitation. Proficient English earns 10 points and Superior English earns 20 points under the skilled migration points test.
Score key: L = Listening, R = Reading, W = Writing, S = Speaking. All four component scores must meet their respective minimums; these are not overall scores.
Tests taken on or after 7 August 2025
| Accepted test | Competent (0 points) | Proficient (10 points) | Superior (20 points) |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic / General Training | L: 6R: 6W: 6S: 6 | L: 7R: 7W: 7S: 7 | L: 8R: 8W: 8S: 8 |
| PTE Academic | L: 47R: 48W: 51S: 54 | L: 58R: 59W: 69S: 76 | L: 69R: 70W: 85S: 88 |
| TOEFL iBT | L: 16R: 16W: 19S: 19 | L: 22R: 22W: 26S: 24 | L: 26R: 27W: 30S: 28 |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced | L: 163R: 163W: 170S: 179 | L: 175R: 179W: 193S: 194 | L: 186R: 190W: 210S: 208 |
| CELPIP General | L: 7R: 7W: 7S: 7 | L: 9R: 8W: 10S: 8 | L: 10R: 10W: 12S: 10 |
| LANGUAGECERT Academic | L: 57R: 60W: 64S: 70 | L: 67R: 71W: 78S: 82 | L: 80R: 83W: 89S: 89 |
| Michigan English Test (MET) | L: 56R: 55W: 57S: 48 | L: 61R: 63W: 74S: 59 | Not listed for Superior English |
| Occupational English Test (OET) | L: 290R: 310W: 290S: 330 | L: 350R: 360W: 380S: 360 | L: 390R: 400W: 420S: 400 |
Example: PTE Proficient English requires L: 58, R: 59, W: 69 and S: 76.
Earlier test results may remain acceptable under transitional rules, depending on the visa subclass and validity period. These are the older scoring thresholds (L/R/W/S):
| Test | Competent | Proficient | Superior |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic / General Training | L: 6R: 6W: 6S: 6 | L: 7R: 7W: 7S: 7 | L: 8R: 8W: 8S: 8 |
| PTE Academic | L: 50R: 50W: 50S: 50 | L: 65R: 65W: 65S: 65 | L: 79R: 79W: 79S: 79 |
| TOEFL iBT | L: 12R: 13W: 21S: 21 | L: 24R: 24W: 27S: 23 | L: 28R: 29W: 30S: 26 |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) | L: 169R: 169W: 169S: 169 | L: 185R: 185W: 185S: 185 | L: 200R: 200W: 200S: 200 |
| OET | L: BR: BW: BS: B | L: BR: BW: BS: B | L: AR: AW: AS: A |
Important: Australian visa test rules changed on 7 August 2025. Results from tests taken on or before 6 August 2025 may be accepted up to 6 August 2028, subject to visa-specific validity and other conditions. TOEFL iBT tests must be registered through the required Australian visa pathway; certain earlier TOEFL testing dates were not accepted. Fully online or at-home tests are not accepted. IELTS One Skill Retake and MET Single Section Retake are accepted only where applicable. Always verify the rules for your visa and test date.
Official Department of Home Affairs requirements: Competent English, Proficient English and Superior English.
Two routes
State nomination or eligible family sponsorship
State or territory nomination
Apply through a participating jurisdiction's nomination process. Occupation lists, residence rules, work requirements and invitation criteria differ between states and territories.
Eligible relative sponsorship
An eligible relative living in a designated regional area may sponsor an applicant, subject to the Department's relationship, status and residence rules.
A SkillSelect EOI is required for the invited pathway. Neither sponsorship nor nomination alone guarantees visa grant.
Government visa charges
Subclass 491 visa fees in 2026–27
The following are standard Australian government visa application charges for applications lodged from 1 July 2026. Family-member charges are added to the main applicant fee.
| Applicant / fee category | Amount (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Main applicant | AUD 6,140 |
| Additional applicant aged 18 or over (including spouse/partner) | AUD 3,070 per applicant |
| Additional dependent child under 18 | AUD 1,535 per child |
| Second instalment (where an additional adult applicant does not meet functional English) | AUD 4,890 per applicable adult, payable only if requested before grant |
Example family visa costs
| Family composition | First-instalment total (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Single applicant | AUD 6,140 |
| Main applicant + spouse | AUD 9,210 |
| Main applicant + spouse + one child under 18 | AUD 10,745 |
| Main applicant + spouse + two children under 18 | AUD 12,280 |
Additional expenses may include skills assessments, English tests, medical examinations, police checks, biometrics and professional service fees. State nomination charges may also apply, depending on the jurisdiction and pathway.
Important: The second instalment is not included in the family examples and is payable only where applicable and requested. Limited concessions may apply to eligible passport holders. Confirm charges at lodgement using the Department of Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator. Processing times vary and are not guaranteed.
Application journey
How to apply for Subclass 491 from India
1
Check occupation and eligibility
Confirm your occupation, assessing authority, age, English requirements and likely points score.
2
Obtain a skills assessment and English results
Arrange valid supporting evidence before invitation, observing validity periods.
3
Submit an EOI in SkillSelect
Select the Subclass 491 pathway and indicate state nomination or eligible family sponsorship. An EOI is free and is not a visa application.
4
Seek nomination or qualify for sponsorship
Follow the relevant state/territory process or family-sponsored invitation route.
5
Receive an invitation
If invited, lodge the visa application within 60 calendar days.
6
Lodge through ImmiAccount
Provide supporting documents and pay the applicable visa charge.
7
Complete checks and await decision
Meet health and character requirements and respond to Department requests.
Processing times fluctuate with application volumes, priorities and individual circumstances. Use the Department's current processing-time guide rather than a fixed estimate.
Permanent residence
Subclass 491 to Subclass 191 pathway
Eligible 491 holders may apply for Subclass 191 (Regional Provisional stream) after holding an eligible visa for at least three years, complying with relevant visa conditions and meeting the Subclass 191 requirements.
Applicants generally must provide Australian Taxation Office notices of assessment for three income years during the eligible visa period. There is no general minimum taxable-income threshold for this stream; the former page's statement about a fixed minimum salary was misleading.
Subclass 191 is a separate application. It is not an automatic conversion after three years.
Preparation checklist
Documents commonly required
- Passport and identity documents
- Skills assessment
- English test evidence
- Education credentials and transcripts
- Employment references and payment evidence
- Nomination or family sponsorship records
- Relationship documents for included family
- Health, character and police documents as requested
Requirements vary by applicant and pathway. Follow the official application checklist and invitation instructions.
Subclass 491 FAQs
No. It is a five-year provisional visa with a potential pathway to permanent residence through Subclass 191.
At least 65 points, including the applicable 15 points for nomination or sponsorship. A higher score may be necessary to receive an invitation.
Yes. Eligible applicants may submit a SkillSelect EOI while outside Australia and apply after receiving an invitation.
A job offer is not a universal federal requirement for Subclass 491. Individual state or territory nomination pathways may impose employment or job-offer conditions.
Up to five years from visa grant, subject to the visa conditions.
Eligible members of your family unit can generally be included, subject to applicable requirements and additional charges.
The Regional Provisional stream does not impose a general minimum taxable-income threshold. Eligible applicants must provide ATO notices of assessment for three income years and satisfy the other requirements.
There is no guaranteed timeframe. Refer to the Department of Home Affairs visa processing time guide for recently decided applications.
Possibly. Accepted tests and scores changed on 7 August 2025, and transitional rules may apply to earlier results. Check the official requirements for your test date.
