Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) Visa (191)

The Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) is the final step for skilled workers who have held a 491 or 494 visa and built a life in regional Australia. Unlike the visas that come before it, the 191 doesn't involve a new points test, a new skills assessment, or a new state nomination. It's granted based on your time spent living, working and studying in a regional area, and on meeting a minimum income requirement, which makes it one of the more straightforward permanent visa applications once you're eligible.

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What is the 191 visa

The 191 sits at the end of the regional pathway. If you currently hold, or have held, a Skilled Work Regional (491) or Skills in Demand Regional (494) visa, you may be eligible once you've met the residence and income conditions attached to that visa.

To be eligible, you generally need to:
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Have held an eligible regional provisional visa (491 or 494) for at least three years
Have complied with the visa conditions on that provisional visa, living, working and studying only in a designated regional area
Have met the minimum income requirement for at least three years while holding that visa
Meet health and character requirements

The income requirement explained

The income requirement is central to a 191 application and is usually the part applicants have the most questions about. You'll generally need to show your taxable income met the required threshold for at least three of the years you held your provisional visa, evidenced through tax returns and Notices of Assessment from the Australian Taxation Office. The threshold is reviewed periodically, so the figure that applied when you first got your 491 or 494 may not be the current one. Confirm the exact threshold and evidence requirements with our team before you lodge, since a gap here is the most common reason a 191 application stalls.

The residence requirement explained

Alongside income, you need to show you genuinely lived in a designated regional area for the required period, not just held an address there. This is usually evidenced through things like lease agreements, utility bills, employment records and school enrolments for any children. If your regional area's classification changed while you held your 491 or 494, or if you spent time outside the regional area during that period, get advice before applying, since this is assessed closely and inconsistencies can delay or jeopardise your application.

Who should apply for the 191

You should start preparing your 191 application if you:

1. Currently hold a 491 or 494 visa and are approaching or past the three-year mark
2. Have consistently met the income requirement during that time
3. Have kept records that show your regional residence clearly

If you're not yet at the three-year mark, there's no need to rush, use this time to make sure your income and residence records are in order.

Application process

The 191 process is more about evidence than eligibility criteria, since most of the qualifying work happens automatically while you hold your 491 or 494.

1. Confirm you've held your 491 or 494 for at least three years
2. Gather income evidence (tax returns and ATO Notices of Assessment) for the required years
3. Gather residence evidence for your regional area
4. Lodge your 191 application
5. Complete health and character checks
6. Receive a decision on your application