The subclass 191 visa — officially the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa — is the final step to permanent residency for skilled workers who have spent at least three years living and working in regional Australia on a subclass 491 or subclass 494 provisional visa. It is one of Australia’s most straightforward PR pathways: no points test, no employer sponsorship, no state nomination, and no age limit.
Here is a complete guide to the subclass 191 visa in Australia for 2026, based on publicly available information from the Department of Home Affairs.
What Is the Subclass 191 Visa?
The subclass 191 is a permanent residency visa that allows eligible holders to live and work in Australia indefinitely — not just in regional areas, but anywhere in Australia. Once granted, it removes all location restrictions and gives you the same rights as other Australian permanent residents, including access to Medicare, the ability to sponsor eligible family members, and the pathway to Australian citizenship.
The visa has two streams:
Regional Provisional Stream — for holders of the subclass 491 or subclass 494 provisional visa who have completed at least three years in regional Australia. This is the most common stream.
Hong Kong Stream — for holders of Hong Kong or British National (Overseas) passports who have held certain eligible visas for at least three years and lived in a designated regional area. This stream is not covered in detail in this guide.
The Regional Provisional Stream of the subclass 191 commenced on 16 November 2022 — three years after the subclass 491 and 494 provisional visas launched in November 2019.
Where the 191 Fits in the Regional Pathway
The subclass 191 is the end point of Australia’s regional skilled migration pathway. Here is how the pathway works:
| Step | Visa | Duration | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Subclass 491 (points-based) or Subclass 494 (employer-sponsored) | 5 years provisional | Regional Australia only |
| 2 | Subclass 191 — permanent | Indefinite | Anywhere in Australia |
After holding a subclass 491 or 494 visa for at least three years and meeting the residency and income evidence requirements, you apply for the 191. There is no second sponsorship, no new nomination, and no new points test — your eligibility is based entirely on your record during the provisional visa period.
For the full guide to the subclass 494 employer-sponsored pathway, see our subclass 494 visa guide. For the points-based pathway, see our subclass 190 visa guide and our subclass 189 visa guide.
Eligibility Requirements — Regional Provisional Stream
To be granted the subclass 191 under the Regional Provisional Stream, you must meet all of the following:
Hold an eligible provisional visa for at least 3 years You must have held a subclass 491 or subclass 494 visa for a minimum of three years before applying. You cannot combine multiple visas — for example, two years on a 494 and one year on a 491 — to reach the three-year requirement. The three years must be on a single eligible visa.
Lived, worked, and studied in a designated regional area During those three years, you must have lived, worked, and studied only in a designated regional area. Regional Australia means everywhere except the metropolitan areas of Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Hobart, Darwin, Canberra, and all regional towns and rural areas are included.
Complied with all conditions of your provisional visa You must have fully complied with the conditions of your 491 or 494 visa during the three-year period. For 494 holders this means complying with Condition 8579 — living and working only in regional Australia in your nominated occupation.
Provide ATO Notices of Assessment for 3 income years You must provide Notices of Assessment (NOA) issued by the Australian Taxation Office for at least three income years within the five-year validity period of your provisional visa. This demonstrates that you filed your tax returns and had taxable income while holding the provisional visa.
Important clarification on income: As of June 2023, there is no legislated minimum income threshold for the subclass 191 visa. Some older sources cite a figure of $53,900 per year — however, no legislative instrument was ever put in place specifying a minimum. What is required is the ATO notices of assessment for three years — proof that you worked and filed tax returns. Even if your income was low, you must have filed returns and obtained these notices. If you have not lodged your tax returns for the relevant years, do this before applying.
Meet health and character requirements You and all family members included in your application must meet Australian health and character requirements. If your health and police checks from the 491 or 494 application have expired, updated checks will be required.
No age limit, no points test, no English requirement There is no age limit for the subclass 191. There is no points test. There is no mandatory English language test requirement. However, if you or any family member aged 18 or over has less than functional English, a second instalment charge of $4,885 applies before the visa can be granted.
What Documents Do You Need?
The key documents for a subclass 191 application in the Regional Provisional Stream are:
- Copy of your current subclass 491 or 494 visa grant
- Passport and identity documents
- ATO Notices of Assessment for 3 income years within the provisional visa period — this is the most critical document
- Evidence of living in a regional area: lease agreements, utility bills, bank statements showing local addresses, school enrolment records for children
- Evidence of working in a regional area: employment contracts, payslips, employer letters, tax records
- Updated police clearances if required
- Updated health examination results if required
- Documents for any family members included in the application
Tip: Keep records throughout your provisional visa period — residential addresses supported by bills, employment records with exact dates, and tax returns lodged each year. These documents form the foundation of your 191 application.
How to Apply
Step 1 — Confirm eligibility Check that you have held your 491 or 494 visa for at least 3 years, have lived and worked in regional Australia throughout, and have your ATO Notices of Assessment for 3 income years ready.
Step 2 — Lodge tax returns If you have not lodged tax returns for all relevant years, do so before applying. The ATO notices are mandatory.
Step 3 — Gather documents Collect all identity, residence, employment, income, health, and character documents. Include documentation for all family members you are including in the application.
Step 4 — Lodge via ImmiAccount Submit the subclass 191 application online through ImmiAccount at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. You can be inside or outside Australia when you apply. Pay the visa application fee at lodgement.
Step 5 — Respond promptly to requests The Department may request additional documents or information. Respond as quickly as possible — delays in responding directly extend your processing time.
Critical: You must include all eligible family members at the time you lodge the application. You cannot add family members after the application has been submitted.
Cost — What You Pay
The subclass 191 is one of Australia’s most affordable PR visa fees:
| Applicant | Fee |
|---|---|
| Primary applicant | ~$475 AUD |
| Additional applicant (18 or over) | ~$240 AUD |
| Additional applicant (under 18) | ~$120 AUD |
| Second instalment (less than functional English, 18+) | $4,885 AUD |
Fees are subject to annual increase — confirm the current fee on the Department of Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator before lodging.
Additional costs to budget for: updated health examinations if required, police clearances from relevant countries, document translation if required.
Processing Times in 2026
The subclass 191 is processed significantly faster than most other PR visas because the eligibility criteria are relatively straightforward to verify:
| Benchmark | Processing time |
|---|---|
| 50% of applications | Within 7–9 months |
| 90% of applications | Within 12–16 months |
These are indicative timelines from the Department of Home Affairs. Actual processing time depends on the completeness of your application, whether health and character checks need to be updated, and departmental workload at the time.
Submitting a front-loaded, decision-ready application with all three ATO notices, updated police checks, and comprehensive regional residence evidence is the most effective way to avoid delays.
What You Get — Benefits of the Subclass 191
Once the subclass 191 is granted, you are a permanent resident of Australia with the following rights:
- Live and work anywhere in Australia — the regional restriction from your 491 or 494 visa is removed
- Study anywhere in Australia without restriction
- Travel to and from Australia for 5 years from the date of grant (extendable with a Subclass 155 Resident Return Visa when it expires)
- Enrol in Medicare — Australia’s public health system
- Sponsor eligible family members for permanent residence
- Apply for Australian citizenship once you meet the residency and other eligibility requirements — time spent in Australia on certain temporary visas may count towards the citizenship residency calculation
For context on what it costs to live in Australia as a permanent resident, see our cost of living guide and our Australia Centrelink payments guide for welfare entitlements available to permanent residents.
Key Differences — 191 vs Other PR Pathways
| Feature | Subclass 191 | Subclass 190 | Subclass 186 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Requires points test | No | Yes (65+ points) | No |
| Requires employer nomination | No | No | Yes |
| Requires state nomination | No | Yes | No |
| Age limit | None | Under 45 | Under 45 |
| English requirement | No mandatory test | Yes | Yes |
| Regional living required | Yes (3 years prior) | No | No |
| Fee (primary applicant) | ~$475 | ~$4,640 | ~$4,640 |
The 191 is the most affordable and least bureaucratic PR pathway — but it requires the upfront commitment of at least three years in regional Australia on a provisional visa first.
Key Takeaways — Subclass 191 Visa Australia 2026
The subclass 191 is the permanent residency endpoint for holders of the subclass 491 and subclass 494 provisional visas. After three years living and working in regional Australia, you apply with ATO Notices of Assessment for three income years and evidence of regional residence. There is no points test, no employer nomination, no age limit, and no minimum income threshold. The fee is approximately $475 for the primary applicant. Processing takes 7 to 16 months. Once granted, you can live and work anywhere in Australia permanently.
For those just starting the regional pathway, see our subclass 494 visa guide for the employer-sponsored route and our skills assessment guide for the qualifications step that comes first.
This article is for general informational purposes only and reflects the author’s own research and understanding of publicly available information from the Department of Home Affairs. Visa requirements, fees, and processing times change regularly. Always verify current requirements at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au or through a registered migration agent.
