491 Visa Australia

What Is the 491 Visa in Australia?

Quick answer: The 491 visa is Australia’s Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa. It is a five-year, points-tested visa for skilled workers nominated by a state or territory, or sponsored by an eligible relative living in a designated regional area. You need a positive skills assessment, Competent English, to be under 45 and at least 65 points – the nomination or sponsorship gives you 15 of them. After three years living and working regionally, you can apply for permanent residence through the subclass 191.

The 491 is part of Australia’s General Skilled Migration programme, alongside the 189 and 190 visas.

491 Visa Processing Time (2026)

The 491 visa processing time depends on your stream and how complete your application is. According to Home Affairs global processing times, as at 29 September 2026:

These figures only cover the visa stage, after you are invited. Before that, the time to get a state nomination or invitation varies widely by state, occupation and points – there is no fixed EOI processing time. Applications that are complete and decision-ready from day one are processed fastest.

491 Visa Requirements

• Nomination or sponsorship: by a state or territory government, or by an eligible relative in a designated regional area.
• Occupation: on the relevant skilled occupation list for your stream.
• Skills assessment: a positive assessment for your nominated occupation.
• Age: under 45 when invited.
• Points: at least 65 points, including 15 for nomination or sponsorship.
• English: at least Competent English (for example IELTS 6 in each band). Higher scores earn more points.
• Health and character: medical checks and police certificates.

Check your score with our Australia PR points calculator and read how the Australia PR points system works.

How to Get Nominated for a 491 Visa

State or territory nomination

Each state and territory runs its own 491 programme with its own occupation lists and criteria. Most require you to lodge an EOI in SkillSelect and, in many states, a separate registration of interest. Common criteria include having an occupation in demand, living or working in the state’s regional areas, a job offer, or extra points. Once a state nominates you, you are invited to apply.

Family sponsorship

An eligible relative can sponsor you instead of a state. They must be 18 or over, an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, and usually live in a designated regional area. Eligible relatives include a parent, child, brother or sister, aunt or uncle, niece or nephew, grandparent or first cousin (of you or your partner).

Victoria 491 Visa Requirements

Victoria is one of the most searched states for the 491. For 2026–27, Victoria has introduced:

• A Victorian Points Test (VPT): separate from the 65-point Home Affairs test, it scores age, English, experience, education, occupation skill level, partner skills and Victorian skilled earnings. Victoria invites the highest-scoring registrations of interest.
• New fees: AUD 60 for a registration of interest and AUD 180 for a 190 or 491 nomination application (plus GST if you are in Australia).
• Priority sectors: healthcare, social assistance, education and construction – including registered nurses, teachers, social workers, electricians, plumbers and carpenters.
• New ROI each year: registrations from the previous programme year do not carry over.

Victoria opens its 190 and 491 rounds in stages, so check the official Live in Melbourne website for the current 491 opening date and criteria before you register.

Regional areas in Victoria for the 491

For the 491, “regional Victoria” means everywhere outside metropolitan Melbourne. Cities such as Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton and the Latrobe Valley count as regional. Melbourne suburbs – including outer suburbs such as Wollert – are not regional for the 491. Always check your postcode on the Home Affairs designated regional areas list.

Skilled Occupation Lists for the 491

If you are moving to Australia from the UK, the first step is checking which skilled occupation list your job appears on:

• State/territory nominated 491: occupations on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) or Regional Occupation List (ROL), plus each state’s own nomination list.
• Family sponsored 491: occupations on the MLTSSL.
• State lists: states such as Victoria publish priority occupations each programme year.

Common 491 occupations include nurses, teachers, engineers, accountants, IT professionals and trades such as electricians, plumbers, carpenters and chefs.

491 Visa Fee (2026–27)

A main applicant with a partner and one child pays AUD 10,745 in visa charges. Some states also charge nomination fees – for example, Victoria charges AUD 60 for a registration of interest and AUD 180 for a nomination application. Budget separately for skills assessments, English tests, medicals and police certificates.

491 Visa Conditions

• Condition 8579: you must live, work and study only in a designated regional area.
• Regional areas: all of Australia except metropolitan Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane – so Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart and Darwin all count.
• Moving within regional areas: you can move between regional areas, but stay in touch with your nominating state about its expectations.
• Other visas: you generally cannot apply for most other skilled permanent visas until you have held the 491 for three years.

Is the 491 Visa Permanent? The 491 to PR Pathway

No – the 491 is a provisional (temporary) visa. Permanent residence comes through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa – subclass 191. To apply, you generally need to:

• have held your 491 for at least three years;
• have lived in a designated regional area for at least three years while holding it;
• have complied with your visa conditions; and
• provide Australian Taxation Office notices of assessment for three income years.

There is currently no minimum taxable income threshold for the 191. Once granted, the 191 gives full permanent residence – see our guide to Australian permanent residency.

491 vs 190 vs 494

Moving to Australia from the UK on a 491

UK applicants often find the 491 the most achievable skilled visa, especially in healthcare, education and the trades. UK passport holders are usually exempt from the English test for Competent English (though higher test scores earn more points), and you will need an ACRO police certificate. Younger applicants can also explore regional Australia first on a Working Holiday visa (417).

How GIEC Global’s Skilled Visa Consultants Help

The 491 involves skills assessments, points claims, EOIs and state criteria that change every year. As an Australia immigration consultant supporting clients in the UK and worldwide, GIEC Global’s immigration consultants:

• check your occupation, skills assessment and points before you lodge an EOI;
• identify the states – including Victoria – most likely to nominate you;
• prepare state registrations of interest and nomination applications;
• lodge a decision-ready 491 visa application for you and your family; and
• plan your 191 permanent residence application from day one.

Explore more on our Migrate to Australia page or read our Australia immigration FAQs.

Reviewed by the GIEC Global Australia immigration team. Processing times reflect Home Affairs data as at 29 September 2026; fees reflect 2026–27 charges; Victoria information reflects 2026–27 programme settings. Last reviewed 30 October 2026. Visa and state nomination rules change regularly – always confirm details on official government websites before applying.