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PERMANENT RESIDENCE (SKILLED REGIONAL) VISA – SUBCLASS 191

  • Migration
  • General Skilled migration
  • Permanent Residence Visa - Subclass-191

Permanent Residence Visa - Subclass-191

The Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 191) is a new permanent residence visa for skilled workers who have lived and worked in a specified regional area of Australia on a provisional visa for at least three years. This visa will provide a pathway to permanent residence for those who have met the criteria for the provisional visa, but have been unable to meet the criteria for the permanent visa. The application can not be lodged while the applicant is outside Australia, to apply for a 191 visa the applicant must be in Australia.

  • The applicant can live in Australia indefinitely.
  • The applicant can bring their family to live with them in Australia.
  • The applicant can study in Australia if they choose to.
  • The applicant can register for Medicare, Australia's scheme for health care.
  • The applicant can sponsor eligible family members or relatives.
  • The applicant can travel in and outside Australia for up to 5 years, After that, he has to apply for a Resident return visa or Australian Citizenship.
  • The applicant can apply for citizenship if eligible.
  • The Minimum Income Requirement Has Been Removed. There is no fixed salary threshold.
  • The applicant must have held a subclass 491 visa or a subclass 494 visa? No This remains mandatory.
  • The applicant must be a resident in regional areas and have worked in regional areas.
  • Primary applicants must provide Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Notice of Assessments (NOA) for three income years out of the five years they held the eligible provisional visa.
  • This visa is not points-tested. There is no need to score points.
  • The applicant must have at least a proficient English language.
The time it takes to process your application may vary case by case, There’s no standard processing time available. However, your application may get delayed if:
  • If the applicant does not complete the form correctly.
  • If the applicant did not include all the required documents.
  • If the Department of Home Affairs requires more information from you.
  • It may take longer for DHA to verify your information.

Eligibility Criteria

To practice for the Subclass 191 visa, you need to meet the subsequent necessities:

  • You must have held a Subclass 491 or 494 visa for a minimum of three years.
  • During some time on that visa, you need to have complied with local conditions, as in line with visa condition 8579, this indicates residing, running, or analyzing in a designated local vicinity.
  • You must provide ATO Notice of Assessment for each of the three income years. These must be the years for which your taxable income was assessed while you held the 491 or 494 visa.
  • Rather than a fixed minimum salary, the visa requires that your income has been assessed by the ATO for each year; there is no rigid minimum income threshold under current rules.
  • You and any dependents must meet health and character requirements, including police clearances and medical exams if requested by the Department of Home Affairs.

Documents Required

When applying, you must put together a comprehensive set of files to support your case, consisting of:

  • Identity documents: passport, birth certificate, any national ID
  • Proof of your 491/494 visa status and duration
  • ATO Notices of Assessment for three years
  • Evidence that you lived and/or worked in regional Australia: rental agreements, utility bills, payslips, employer letters
  • Police certificates (if required)
  • Health examination results (if requested)

Key Benefits of the Subclass 191 Visa

  • Grants Permanent Residency (PR), giving you long-term rights in Australia
  • After grant, you can reside anywhere in Australia, not just in regional areas
  • Medicare access for you and eligible family members
  • Ability to sponsor dependents for visas
  • A pathway to Australian citizenship, once residency requirements are met

Important Policy Updates (2025)

  • There is no longer a fixed minimum salary requirement for Subclass 191. Instead, applicants must show their taxable income as assessed by the ATO.
  • Visa condition 8579 remains crucial: compliance means not just living in regional Australia, but actually working or studying in regional areas during your provisional visa period.
  • Your three years of taxable income do not necessarily need to be consecutive, but they must correspond to the years your 491/494 visa was active and must have full ATO assessment records.

Application Process

  1. Confirm your eligibility: check your 491/494 visa duration and regional compliance.
  2. Gather all required documents: ATO assessments, evidence of residence and employment, identity proofs, etc.
  3. Lodge your visa application online using ImmiAccount.
  4. Respond to any additional requests from Home Affairs for health or character checks.
  5. Once everything is verified, you’ll receive your Subclass 191 visa grant, and become a permanent resident.

Processing Time & Costs

  • Processing times (2025): Usually around 9 to 12 months, though some instances might also absorb up to 15 months, relying on document best, ATO report clarity, and how quickly additional exams are cleared.
  • Visa application fee (approximate):
    • Primary applicant: AUD 505
    • Secondary applicant (18+): AUD 250
    • Secondary under 18: AUD 130
  • Note: Additional costs may apply for medical checks, police certificates, and English language charges (for dependents who don’t meet functional English).

Types of Employer Sponsored Visas