Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional)
The 191 visa allows individuals who have lived and worked in a designated regional area for at least three years to permanently reside in Australia. Applicants must have held an eligible visa during this time. The minimum requirements for the 191 visa are outlined below.
With this visa, you can:
- Stay permanently in Australia
- Work and study anywhere in Australia
- Sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
- Apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible
Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional):
To qualify for the permanent visa (from November 2022), applicants must:
- Hold a regional provisional visa (subclass 491 or 494) at the time of applying for the Subclass 191 visa and have held it for at least three years
- Have earned the minimum required income for at least three years as a holder of a regional provisional visa
- Have complied with the conditions of the regional provisional visa
The visa is valid for 5 years. Conditions will require visa holders to live, work, and study only in regional areas (condition 8579), and if employer-sponsored, only in the nominated position. Visa holders can move between regional areas. Regional areas exclude Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, but include Perth, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Lake Macquarie, Illawarra, Geelong, Newcastle, Wollongong, Adelaide, Hobart, and Canberra.
Holders of the new provisional visas will generally be unable to apply for most other skills-based visas in Australia unless they have spent at least three years in a designated regional area, except in exceptional circumstances. Additionally, like with the subclass 457 and 482 visa programs, holders of new provisional visas may be negatively affected by sponsor non-compliance.
Changes to the Permanent Visa:
From November 2022, to meet the requirements for the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional), applicants must have held a subclass 491 or 494 visa for at least three years, complied with the conditions of that visa, and met the minimum taxable income requirements.
Effect on Current Regional Visas:
The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme Visa (subclass 187) and the Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 489) have been closed to new applicants since November 16, 2019. Transitional arrangements will apply to applications lodged before this date and to those targeting the permanent Skilled Regional Visa (subclass 887).
Skilled Migration Changes:
The skilled migration points test changed on November 16, 2019, affecting subclass 491 applicants and other skilled migration visas. The new points details are:
- 15 points for nomination by a State or Territory government agency or sponsorship by a family member residing in regional Australia
- 10 points for a skilled spouse or de facto partner (with Skills assessment and Competent English) OR
- 5 points for a spouse or de facto partner with ‘competent English’
- 10 points for certain Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) qualifications
- 10 points for applicants without a spouse or de facto partner
The ranking order for invitations has also changed:
- Primary applicants with a skilled spouse or de facto partner
- Primary applicants without a spouse or de facto partner
- Primary applicants with a spouse or de facto partner who has competent English but does not qualify for skilled partner points
- Primary applicants with a partner who is ineligible for either competent English or skilled partner points
How Long You Can Stay:
This is a permanent visa, allowing you to stay in Australia indefinitely. It includes a travel component that expires 5 years after the visa is granted. For citizenship purposes, your permanent residence begins on the day the visa is granted if you are in Australia.