General Skilled Migration (GSM) visa pathways for skilled professionals seeking to live, work and build their future in Australia through eligible permanent or provisional skilled migration options.
Do you want to live and work in regional Australia while building a pathway towards permanent residence? The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491) may allow eligible skilled professionals and their families to live, work and study in designated regional areas of Australia.
The visa can allow eligible applicants and their family members to live, work and study in designated regional areas for the duration of the provisional visa.
Subclass 491 can also provide a pathway towards permanent residence through the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa, provided the visa holder meets the relevant requirements.
At Jurist Migration, we assess your qualifications, occupation, experience, points position and personal circumstances to help you understand whether the regional skilled migration pathway may be suitable for your Australian future.
To be eligible for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491), applicants generally need to satisfy a range of requirements.
The exact occupation, nomination and eligibility requirements can vary depending on the stream and current program settings.
Subclass 491 is designed for skilled migrants who intend to live and work in designated regional areas of Australia.
Regional Australia includes a wide range of locations across the following states and territories.
| State / Territory | Regional Areas |
|---|---|
| New South Wales (NSW) | Eligible designated regional areas across NSW |
| Victoria (VIC) | Eligible designated regional areas across Victoria |
| Queensland (QLD) | Eligible designated regional areas across Queensland |
| Western Australia (WA) | Eligible designated regional areas across Western Australia |
| South Australia (SA) | Eligible designated regional areas across South Australia |
| Tasmania (TAS) | Eligible designated regional areas across Tasmania |
| Australian Capital Territory (ACT) | Canberra and eligible surrounding areas |
| Northern Territory (NT) | Eligible designated regional areas across the Northern Territory |
Regional classifications should be checked against the current Department of Home Affairs requirements before selecting a location.
The Subclass 491 visa is points-tested. Your points can be influenced by several factors based on your circumstances.
| Category / Points Factor | How It May Affect Your Points |
|---|---|
| Age | Points vary according to your age at the relevant stage of the application. |
| English Language | Competent, Proficient or Superior English may affect your points. |
| Skilled Employment | Eligible skilled employment in Australia and/or overseas may contribute points. |
| Qualifications | Eligible doctoral, bachelor, master, diploma or trade qualifications may contribute points. |
| Australian Study | Eligible Australian study may provide additional points. |
| Regional Study | Additional points may apply for eligible study in regional Australia. |
| Specialist Education | Eligible specialist educational qualifications may provide additional points. |
| Professional Year | An eligible Professional Year may provide additional points. |
| Community Language | Eligible credentialed community language may provide additional points. |
| Partner Skills | Eligible partner skills may contribute points. |
| Regional Nomination / Family Sponsorship | Eligible nomination or family sponsorship can provide 15 additional points. |
The current minimum points threshold for the skilled visa invitation process is 65 points, although reaching the minimum threshold does not guarantee an invitation.
The first step is generally to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect.
Your EOI provides information about your:
For Subclass 491, applicants may then be considered for State or Territory nomination or eligible family sponsorship, depending on the stream. Invitation and nomination outcomes can depend on your points score, occupation, state or territory requirements, program priorities and available places. Meeting the minimum points threshold does not guarantee an invitation.
Subclass 491 is a provisional regional visa designed for skilled migrants who intend to live and work in regional Australia.
Visa holders should carefully consider the conditions and future visa options that apply to their individual circumstances before making further migration decisions.
The Subclass 491 pathway can lead to permanent residence through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) Visa (Subclass 191) when the relevant eligibility requirements are satisfied.
The Subclass 491 visa provides a pathway to permanent residence through the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa.
Eligible 491 holders may be able to apply for Subclass 191 after meeting the applicable requirements, including the required period of holding the regional provisional visa and demonstrating the required regional residence and other criteria.
The Department of Home Affairs confirms that Subclass 191 provides an independent permanent residence pathway for eligible Subclass 491 and Subclass 494 holders.
Planning your regional migration pathway from the beginning can help you understand both your immediate 491 requirements and your longer-term permanent residence options.
The Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) is a points-tested skilled migration pathway for eligible skilled workers who are not sponsored by an Australian employer or state or territory government.
Applicants need to satisfy the applicable requirements relating to factors such as occupation, skills assessment, English language ability, points, age, health, character and invitation.
Subclass 189 is an independent skilled migration pathway and does not generally require sponsorship from an Australian employer.
Points can be based on factors such as age, English language ability, qualifications, skilled employment and other eligible criteria. Your total points position should be assessed according to the rules applicable to your circumstances.
A suitable skills assessment is generally an important requirement for applicants nominating a skilled occupation. The relevant assessing authority depends on the occupation.
