Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
This temporary visa lets nominated or sponsored skilled workers live, work and study in a designated regional area of Australia, with a pathway to permanent residence.
Why this page is in English
This page explains your legal rights and how FairLanding works. Because the exact wording matters for legal accuracy, we keep it in English only — the same language as the official Fair Work and Department of Home Affairs documents it refers to.
If anything here is unclear, you have a few free options:
- •Use your browser's built-in translate feature (right-click the page and select "Translate")
- •Call 131 450 (Translating and Interpreting Service) for a free phone interpreter in over 150 languages
- •Email us at hello@fairlanding.com.au and we'll explain it in plain language
We'd rather you ask a question than guess. Your rights are the same whether you read this page in English or with a translation.
With this visa, you can
stay in Australia for 5 years from the date we grant you the visa
live, work and study in a designated regional area of Australia
attend free English language classes through the Adult Migrant English Program, if eligible
travel to and from Australia as many times as you want, while the visa is valid
apply for permanent residence, if eligible, through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) — you cannot apply for other permanent visas until you have held your subclass 491 visa for 3 years
How long you can stay
This is a temporary visa. You can stay in Australia for 5 years from the date we grant your visa.
You can't stay longer by extending this visa — you would need to explore other visa options.
Designated regional area: you and all members of your family unit who also hold the visa must live, work and study in a designated regional area of Australia. Your nomination must not be withdrawn, or you will not be granted the visa.
Pathway to permanent residence: if eligible, you can apply for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191), available from 16 November 2022. Unless you have held your subclass 491 visa for 3 years, you cannot make a valid application for a subclass 820 (Partner) visa, and cannot be granted subclass 132 (Business Talent), 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme), 188 (Business Innovation and Investment Provisional), 189 (Skilled Independent), 190 (Skilled Nominated), or 858 (Global Talent).
Include family
You can include members of the family unit in your application. You can include them when you submit your visa application, or add a dependent child after you submit but before we decide on your visa application.
Family members who apply for the visa must meet health and character requirements. Family members not accompanying you to Australia might also need to meet health and character requirements.
If your partner or dependent children are not included in this application, tell us the reason why (for example, they already hold Australian citizenship or are a permanent resident).
Cost
The visa costs AUD $6,140.00 for the main applicant (concessions apply in limited circumstances). There is also a charge for each family member who applies with you.
You might have to pay an extra charge for any applicant 18 years old or older who has less than functional English. This charge is called the second instalment. Pay it only when we ask you to — only if we are going to grant the visa. The second instalment charge for family members is AUD $4,890.00.
From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid visa application. We will charge eligible applicants the lower visa application cost during the application process in ImmiAccount, recognised by the valid passport from a specified country used in the application. Family members are also eligible, based on the primary applicant's passport.
Eligible passports: Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
Apply from
You can be in or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when you apply for the visa and when we decide on your application.
If you apply in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa or a subclass 010 Bridging A visa, a subclass 020 Bridging B visa or a subclass 030 Bridging C visa, otherwise your application will not be valid.
Processing times
Use the visa processing time guide tool for an indication of processing times — it shows times for recently decided applications and is a guide only, not specific to your application.
Actual processing times can vary due to individual circumstances including: whether you lodged a complete application with all supporting documents, how quickly you respond to requests for additional information, how long required checks take on supporting information, and how long it takes to receive information from external agencies (health, character, national security).
Travel
Your obligations: you and your family must comply with all visa conditions and Australian laws — see the conditions for this visa for details.
You can travel out of Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid.
The time you spend outside Australia does not extend the visa.
Visa label
We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.
Sourced directly from the Department of Home Affairs — last verified 26 July 2026. This is general information, not migration advice. Always confirm current requirements at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au or consult a MARA-registered migration agent.