Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) Visa (Subclass 191)
Already hold a 491 or 494? The Permanent Regional Visa 191 is your route to permanent residence. We guide the full 491 to 191 move, checking income and residence requirements carefully so nothing gets missed.
Overview
The Subclass 191 is a permanent visa for holders of the Subclass 491 or the Subclass 494 who have lived and worked in a designated regional area. There is no points test at this stage, no new skills assessment, and no fresh nomination. Your eligibility rests entirely on your record during the provisional visa period. Once granted, the 191 gives you permanent residence, Medicare access, the ability to sponsor eligible family, and a pathway to citizenship.
Eligibility
- Have held a Subclass 491 or Subclass 494 visa for at least three years, counted from the grant date of the provisional visa.
- Have complied with the conditions of that visa, in particular the requirement to live, work and study only in a designated regional area.
- Provide ATO Notices of Assessment for at least three income years within the provisional visa period.
- Meet health and character requirements.
Income requirement
This is the part worth reading carefully, because a lot of online advice is out of date. The requirement is to provide ATO Notices of Assessment for three income years, showing you filed your tax returns and had taxable income while holding your provisional visa. The Department has clarified that there is no legislated minimum income threshold for the 191. Older articles often quote a figure of about $53,900, but no legislative instrument was ever put in place setting that as a minimum. What genuinely matters is that you lodged your tax returns and hold the notices to prove it. If your income was modest in a given year, that alone does not disqualify you, but missing tax returns will cause real problems.
Talk to Bullseye Consultant
Getting close to your three years on a 491? Have Bullseye Consultant check your dates, your tax records and your residence evidence before you lodge the 191.
Documents
- Your provisional visa grant notice and passport.
- Three ATO Notices of Assessment covering income years within your provisional visa period.
- Evidence of regional residence, such as leases, utility bills, bank statements and, if relevant, children’s school records.
- Evidence you complied with your visa conditions throughout the period.
- Health and character documents, and details of any family members you are including.
Processing time
Processing times for the 191 vary with the Department’s workload, and a complete file moves faster than one the Department has to chase. If your provisional visa is due to expire while the 191 is being decided, lodging a valid application generally means a bridging visa keeps you lawful with your existing rights until a decision is made. Front-loading the application with all three Notices of Assessment and your residence evidence is the simplest way to avoid delay.
Frequently Asked Questions about Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) Visa (Subclass 191)
Is there really no minimum income for the 191?
There is no legislated minimum income threshold. The requirement is to provide three ATO Notices of Assessment for income years within your provisional visa period, showing you filed tax returns and had taxable income. The commonly quoted $53,900 figure was never set in a legislative instrument.
When does my three years start?
The three-year clock starts from the grant date of your 491 or 494, not the date you arrived or first entered a regional area. Work out that date precisely before you plan your lodgement.
Do I need a new skills assessment or nomination?
No. The 191 has no points test, no new skills assessment and no new nomination. Your eligibility is based on your compliance and record during the provisional visa period.
Can I move to a big city once the 191 is granted?
Yes. Once the 191 is granted, the regional condition is gone. You can live and work anywhere in Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
Can I include family who were not on my 491?
You can include your partner and dependent children in the 191 application, even if they were not on your original provisional visa, provided they meet health and character requirements.
What if I missed lodging a tax return one year?
Missing Notices of Assessment are one of the most common reasons a 191 is delayed or questioned. If you have a gap, get advice before you lodge, because the fix depends on your circumstances.
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