The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is for skilled workers and families willing to live, work and study in a designated regional area of Australia — broadly, anywhere outside Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane — in exchange for a genuine pathway to permanent residence.
It's a five-year provisional visa. While it's current you can work and study in the regional area, your family can live, work and study anywhere in Australia, and you can travel to and from Australia freely. After three years, eligible holders can apply for the permanent Subclass 191 visa.
You can come to the 491 through either:
Occupation requirements can differ depending on which of these two routes you use.
A spouse or de facto partner and dependent children can be included. As with the 494, the regional living requirement is generally about where the primary applicant is based — family members aren't necessarily restricted to the same region for work or study.
For this visa, regional simply means anywhere other than the three biggest cities. It's a broad definition that covers everywhere from large regional centres to small country towns, so it's worth checking the specific area you have in mind against the current designated list rather than assuming based on the town's size alone.
Get a positive skills assessment for your occupation.
Lodge your EOI through SkillSelect.
Secure state/territory nomination, or arrange eligible family sponsorship.
Lodge the visa application, including any family members, once invited.
Contact me to talk through your regional visa options.
The information on this page is general only and doesn't constitute migration advice for your circumstances. Regional area definitions, nomination criteria and points thresholds are reviewed periodically and can change. Meeting the minimum points threshold does not guarantee nomination, an invitation, or a visa grant.
