Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa
(subclass 491)

A visa for skilled people nominated by a state or territory government to live and work in regional Australia

Stay

5 Years

Cost

From AUD4,045

Processing times

There are no standard processing times available for this pathway

With this visa, you can

  • stay in Australia for 5 years
  • live, work and study in a designated regional area of Australia
  • travel to and from Australia as many times as you want, while the visa is valid
  • apply for permanent residence after 3 years from the time your visa is granted

You must

  • be nominated to apply by a state or territory government agency, or an eligible relative must sponsor you
  • have an occupation on a relevant skilled occupation list
  • have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation
  • be invited to apply
  • satisfy the points test
 

Process

With this visa you can

  • stay in Australia for 5 years from the date we grant you the visa
  • live, work and study in a designated region of Australia
  • travel to and from Australia as many times as you want, while the visa is valid
  • apply for permanent residence, if eligible, through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) – which starts on 16 November 2022. You can’t apply for other permanent visas until you have held your subclass 491 visa for 3 years.

Designated regional area

  • You and all members of your family unit who are also holders of the visa, will need to live work and study in a designated regional area of Australia. Your nomination must not be withdrawn, or you will not be granted the visa.

Pathways to Permanent Residence

  • If eligible, you will be able to apply for permanent residence through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) – which starts on 16 November 2022.
  • Unless you have held your subclass 491 visa for 3 years, holders of the subclass 491 visa can’t:
    • Make a valid application for a subclass 820 (Partner) visa
    • Be granted any of the following visas:
      • Subclass 132 (Business Talent)
      • Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme)
      • Subclass 188 (Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional))
      • Subclass 189 (Skilled (Independent))
      • Subclass 190 (Skilled (Nominated))
      • Subclass 858 (Distinguished talent)

How long you can stay

This is a temporary visa. You can stay in Australia for 5 years from the date we grant your visa.

Stay longer

You can’t stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. Explore your visa options

Include family

You can include members of the family unit in your application. You can:

  • include them when you submit your visa application
  • add a dependent child after you submit but before we decide on your visa application.

Family members who apply for the visa must meet our health and character requirements.

Family members not accompanying you to Australia might also need to meet our health and character requirements.

If your partner or dependent children are not included in this application, tell us the reason why (for example, they already hold Australian citizenship or are a permanent resident).

Cost

From AUD4,045 for the main applicant.

There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you.

To work out what your visa will cost use the Visa Pricing Estimator. The estimator does not take into account the second instalment or other costs.

You might have to pay an extra charge for any applicant 18 years old or older who has less than functional English. This charge is called the second instalment. Pay it only when we ask you to. We ask for the charge only if we are going to grant the visa.

The second instalment charge for family members is AUD4,890.

The Visa Pricing Estimator does not include the second instalment or other costs. You might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics

Apply from

You can be in or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance when you apply for the visa and when we decide on your application.

If you apply in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa or a subclass 010 Bridging A visa, a subclass 020 Bridging B visa or a subclass 030 Bridging C visa, otherwise your application will not be valid.

Processing times

We assess applications on a case-by-case basis, and actual processing times can vary due to individual circumstances including:

  • whether you have lodged a complete application, including all necessary supporting documents
  • how quickly you respond to any requests for additional information
  • how long it takes to perform required checks on the supporting information provided
  • how long it takes to receive additional information from external agencies, particularly in relation to health, character, and national security requirements

Your obligations

You and your family must comply with all visa conditions and Australian laws.

Learn more about conditions for this visa.

Travel

You can travel out of Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

The time you spend outside Australia does not extend the visa.

Visa label

We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.

Be invited to apply

Be nominated or sponsored

Be this age

You must be aged under 45 to be invited to apply for the visa.

You can still apply for the visa if you turn 45 after we invite you to apply.

If you turn 45 after you submit your EOI but before we invite you to apply you will not receive an invite.

Have a suitable skills assessment

Be able to score 65 points or more

Have this level of English language

Meet the skills requirement

Your occupation must be on the combined list of eligible skilled occupations for a Skilled Regional (subclass 491) visa.

 

Meet our health requirement:

You and any family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health requirement. If requested, family members not accompanying you to Australia might also need to meet our health requirement.

 

Meet our character requirement

You and family members aged 16 years and over who apply for the visa with you must meet our character requirement. Family members not accompanying you to Australia must also meet the character requirement.

 

Have paid back your debt to the Australian government

If you or any family members (including those who do not apply for the visa with you) owe the Australian Government money, you or they must have paid it back or arranged to pay it back.

 

Sign the Australian values statement

If you are 18 years of age or older, you must:

  • have read, or had explained to you, the Life in Australia and
  • confirm you will respect the Australian way of life obey Australian laws when you sign an Australian Values Statement 
 

Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused

You might not be eligible for this visa if you have had a visa cancelled or refused while you were in Australia. Check if visa cancellation affects your eligibility.

Before you Apply

You must submit an expression of interest (EOI) through SkillSelect to let us know you want to apply for this visa

Gather your documents

You will need to provide documents to support the claims you make in your EOI and show you meet the other eligibility criteria

Apply for the visa

When you have your invitation you can apply online. You can be in or outside Australia. You have 60 days from the date of your invitation to apply for the visa.

After you apply

We will let you know when we have received your application. If you are granted a bridging visa you will receive notification of your visa grant

Visa outcome

You can be in or outside Australia when we decide your visa application but not in immigration clearance. We will let you know our decision in writing.

If we grant your visa, we will tell you:

  • your visa grant number
  • the date your visa starts
  • your visa conditions, if applicable

Keep a copy of the decision.

If we refuse your visa, we will tell you:

  • why we refused the visa
  • whether you have a right to a review of the decision

We will not refund the application charge if we refuse your application.

 
 

Coming to Australia

If you are outside Australia when the visa is granted, you must enter Australia before a date that we specify on your visa grant letter.

Before you leave 

Check your travel documents

You must have:

  • a valid visa to enter Australia
  • a valid passport or other travel document

At the border

Completing an Incoming Passenger Card

All people arriving in Australia must complete the Incoming Passenger Card. You will be given this card onboard.

Leaving the airport faster

We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. You might be able to leave the airport faster if you use SmartGate.

In Australia

  • stay in Australia while your visa is valid. The visa is valid for 5 years from the date it is granted. 
  • live, work and study in designated areas or specified regions of Australia in line with your visa conditions
  • travel to and from Australia as many times as you want, while the visa is valid
  • apply for permanent residency, if eligible, through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191)
  • work in any occupation and for any employer in line with the work and residence conditions attached to your visa.

To see your specific conditions, work and study requirements, use VEVO.

What you must do on this visa

You and your family members must comply with all visa conditions and Australian laws. See your conditions in your visa grant letter or VEVO.

Tell us if things change

Things you need to let us know about include:

  • changes to your phone number, email, address or passport
  • changes to your relationship status
  • the birth of a child

See how to tell us if there is a change in your situation.

See how long you can stay

This is a temporary visa.

To see when you must leave or apply for a further visa to remain in Australia, refer to your visa grant letter and the information in VEVO.

Staying longer

You can’t stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. You must apply for a new visa if you want to stay longer.

See your options.

If you want to stay in Australia permanently and you or your partner have satisfied the work and residence requirements, you might be eligible for Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191).

Travelling on your visa

You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

Time spent outside Australia does not extend the visa.

See your conditions in VEVO.

New Zealand passport holders

If an immigration officer processes your clearance at our border, we recommend you tell them:

  • you have a Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489)
  • you do not want a Special Category visa (subclass 444)

If you do not tell them, you might be granted the subclass 444 visa. Grant of a subclass 444 visa might affect your eligibility for permanent residency through a Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) and ultimately, your eligibility for permanent residency or  Australian citizenship.

Proving you have a visa

If you wish to provide evidence you have a visa and conditions to someone, use VEVO.

Working

You can work in any occupation and for any employer, in line with the work and residence conditions attached to your visa.

You will need to live and work in an area specified as a designated regional area

See your specific conditions in your visa grant letter or VEVO.

You are protected by Australian workplace law. See your workplace rights and entitlements.

Bringing family

Members of the family unit who did not apply for the visa with you can apply to join you in Australia later as subsequent entrants.

Leaving Australia

Before you leave

Check your travel documents

You must have a valid passport or other travel document to leave Australia and return.

If applicable ensure your visa is still valid and allows you to re-enter Australia. You can check your visa validity in VEVO.

At the Border

Leaving the airport faster

We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. You could leave the airport faster if you use a SmartGate.

After you leave

Get your superannuation (if you are leaving Australia and do not intend to return)

You are likely to have some money in a superannuation fund if you worked in Australia and you are:

  • 18 years old or older
  • paid AUD450 or more before tax in a month

See how to access your super.

Proving you have been to Australia

To prove you have been to Australia, request your international movement records by completing Form 1359 Request for international movement records (280KB PDF)