Subclass 191 Visa – Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) Visa
VEMVisa | Australian Skilled Regional Migration
A practical guide to the permanent stage after an eligible subclass 491 or 494 visa, including ATO evidence, regional compliance and current processing updates.
The subclass 191 visa Australia pathway, formally the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa, lets an eligible holder of a subclass 491 visa or subclass 494 visa apply for permanent residence after meeting the applicable holding-period, tax-evidence and visa-condition requirements.
Reviewed 22 July 2026: Home Affairs currently lists the Regional Provisional stream charge from AUD630. There is no minimum income threshold, but applicants must provide ATO Notices of Assessment for three income years out of the five years of the eligible visa.
Stream warning: This guide covers the Regional Provisional stream for eligible 491 and 494 holders. The subclass 191 Hong Kong stream applies to certain Hong Kong or British National (Overseas) passport holders and has a different eligibility framework.
The subclass 191 Regional Provisional stream is the permanent stage for eligible 491 and 494 visa holders who meet the current criteria.
What is a Subclass 191 visa?
The Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa is a permanent visa. For the Regional Provisional stream, the applicant must hold an eligible subclass 491 or 494 visa at the time of application and must have held that visa for at least three years.
A points-tested five-year provisional visa supported by state or territory nomination, or eligible family sponsorship in regional Australia.
Subclass 494
A five-year provisional visa based on an eligible regional employer nomination rather than a SkillSelect points invitation.
Subclass 191
The permanent stage. It is not points-tested and does not require a new nomination, but the eligible-visa and compliance evidence must be established.
Feature
491
494
191 Regional Provisional stream
Status
Provisional
Provisional
Permanent
Starting mechanism
Points test plus nomination or family sponsorship
Regional employer nomination
Eligible visa, ATO evidence and compliance
Minimum holding period before 191
At least three years
At least three years
Assessed at application
After grant
Regional visa conditions continue
Regional visa conditions continue
Permanent resident; no extra two-year regional residence rule stated on the visa page
191 visa latest news: what changed or matters in 2026?
People searching for 191 visa latest news often find old fee figures, old processing percentages or outdated statements about income and post-grant regional obligations. The following are the most useful current checks as at 22 July 2026.
Fee update from 1 July 2026
Home Affairs lists the standard Regional Provisional stream charge from AUD630. A lower visa-cost arrangement can apply to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid application from 1 July 2026.
Current processing position
The official subclass page currently says the Department is processing visa 191 applications lodged from November 2025. This is a workload indicator, not a guaranteed decision date for every applicant. Review the Skilled visa processing priorities for the current framework.
No minimum income threshold
Applicants still need three ATO Notices of Assessment, but Home Affairs expressly states that there is no minimum income requirement for this stream.
No extra two-year regional rule after grant
The old article stated that a 191 holder must remain regional for another two years. The current Home Affairs material describes subclass 191 as permanent residence and does not impose that additional rule.
Good update practice: Use the live Home Affairs 191 page and the Australia visa processing-times guide rather than preserving a 2025 percentile table as though it applies permanently.
Subclass 191 visa requirements
The Regional Provisional stream is evidence-based. The key question is not whether you can obtain another invitation, but whether your eligible visa history and supporting records meet the permanent-stage rules.
Core visa requirements
Hold a subclass 491 or 494 visa when applying.
Have held the eligible visa for at least three years before applying.
Provide ATO Notices of Assessment for three relevant income years.
Have complied with the conditions of the eligible visa and relevant subsequent bridging visa.
Meet health, character and other public-interest requirements.
What is not normally required again
No new SkillSelect invitation.
No new points-test score.
No new state nomination for a former 491 holder.
No new employer nomination for a former 494 holder.
No minimum taxable-income amount, although the ATO evidence remains mandatory.
Location at lodgement: You can be in or outside Australia when applying and when the Department decides the application, provided you are not in immigration clearance. If applying in Australia, review your current status and travel arrangements before relying on any bridging visa outcome.
Income requirement and ATO Notices of Assessment
Home Affairs uses the phrase “income requirement”, but the Regional Provisional stream currently has no minimum income threshold. The documentary requirement is to provide Notices of Assessment issued by the Australian Taxation Office for three income years out of the five years of your eligible visa.
An income year can be relevant when it ended before the date of application and you held a regional provisional visa for all or part of that year. Do not substitute payslips, bank statements or an accountant’s estimate for the requested ATO Notices of Assessment.
Evidence
Planning point
ATO Notice of Assessment
Provide the official notice for three relevant income years. Include amended assessments where applicable.
Tax debt evidence
If you or a family member owes the ATO, provide evidence of repayment or an approved payment plan to reduce avoidable delays.
Supporting employment records
Payslips, contracts and employer letters can support residence and compliance history, but do not replace the three ATO notices.
Low or interrupted income
A low figure is not automatically disqualifying because there is no minimum threshold. The circumstances must still be consistent with visa-condition compliance.
Regional residence, work and visa-condition compliance
Home Affairs asks for evidence showing that, while holding the eligible visa, you lived, worked and studied in a designated regional area and complied with the conditions attached to that visa. This is broader than simply showing three annual tax records.
Review the exact conditions shown in your grant notice and VEVO record. Address changes, remote work, extended travel, employment outside the designated area and periods on a bridging visa may require a clear timeline and supporting documents.
Residence evidence
Leases, utility records, government correspondence, licence records and a coherent address history.
Work evidence
Employment contracts, payslips, employer statements, business records and location evidence where relevant.
Travel and exceptions
Movement records, explanations and evidence should make any time outside the regional area understandable and consistent.
How to apply for a subclass 191 visa
The application is lodged online. Use VEM’s ImmiAccount Australia guide if you need help navigating the government portal.
1
Confirm the eligible visa period
Check that you hold a 491 or 494 visa and have held it for at least three years before the intended application date.
2
Build the compliance timeline
Map residence, work, study, travel and visa conditions across the full eligible-visa period before choosing documents.
3
Collect the three ATO notices
Download the correct Notices of Assessment and amended notices for three relevant income years.
4
Lodge through ImmiAccount
Complete the online form, upload the supporting evidence, include eligible family members and pay the current application charge.
5
Respond and update details
Monitor correspondence, complete health or character steps when requested and update passport, address or family changes promptly.
6
Receive the written outcome
The Department can decide the application while you are in or outside Australia. Keep the grant or refusal notice with your records.
A subclass 191 application should connect the eligible-visa period, ATO records and regional-compliance evidence into one consistent timeline.
Subclass 191 visa document checklist
The ImmiAccount checklist can vary by family composition and history. Use this planning table before lodging, then follow the live government checklist for your application.
Document group
Examples
Purpose
Identity and civil status
Passport, birth certificate, name-change, marriage, divorce or custody records.
Establish identity and family composition.
Eligible visa evidence
491 or 494 grant notice, VEVO details and relevant bridging-visa records.
Show visa subclass, dates and conditions.
ATO evidence
Three Notices of Assessment and amended assessments where relevant.
Meet the mandatory tax-evidence requirement.
Regional residence
Leases, bills, government mail, licences and movement records.
Show where you normally lived during the visa period.
Work and study
Contracts, payslips, employer letters, business records and enrolment evidence.
Support regional activity and visa-condition compliance.
Health and character
Medical examinations and police certificates when requested.
Meet public-interest requirements for the applicant and relevant family members.
Document quality matters most when the evidence shows one consistent visa, tax, residence and work history.
191 visa processing time 2026
For people searching 191 visa processing time 2026, the most useful current subclass-specific statement is that Home Affairs says it is processing subclass 191 applications lodged from November 2025. The Department also directs applicants to its processing-time guide for recently decided cases.
The broader Skilled (Permanent) program recorded a median processing time of nine months for May 2026, but that category includes several permanent skilled visas. It should not be presented as a guaranteed subclass 191 timeframe.
Current indicator
How to interpret it
Processing applications lodged from November 2025
A current workload position shown on the 191 page, not a promise that every earlier application is finalised.
Skilled Permanent median: nine months
A whole-program statistic for May 2026, not a subclass-specific service standard.
Online processing-time guide
Shows recently decided applications and changes over time. It is a guide only and not personalised.
Do not keep the old 7-month/14-month table without a date and source. Processing may change because of priorities, application volume, health and character checks, document gaps and the number of migration-program places. Track the application in ImmiAccount and use the official guide for the current position.
Subclass 191 visa cost
From 1 July 2026, Home Affairs lists the standard Regional Provisional stream charge from AUD630. Additional applicant charges, payment surcharges and individual concessions can affect the amount due. Use the official Visa Pricing Estimator immediately before payment.
Budget separately for health examinations, police certificates, translations, biometrics where requested and optional professional assistance. A low government charge does not make an incomplete or inconsistent permanent-residence application low risk.
What can you do after a 191 visa grant?
Permanent residence
Live, work and study in Australia indefinitely as an Australian permanent resident.
Medicare
Enrol in Medicare subject to the normal Services Australia requirements.
Travel facility
Travel to and from Australia for five years, then consider a Resident Return Visa if needed.
Family and citizenship
Potentially sponsor eligible relatives and later apply for Australian citizenship if eligible.
Read VEM’s Australian PR visa guide for the distinction between permanent residence, the five-year travel facility and citizenship.
When can professional assistance help?
Straightforward applications can be prepared independently. Professional review may be useful where the regional timeline is fragmented, employment locations are unclear, family composition changed, tax records were amended, visa conditions may not have been followed or previous immigration issues exist.
Only a registered migration agent, Australian legal practitioner or exempt person can provide immigration assistance. Review VEM’s guide to choosing an Australian immigration agency before appointing a representative.
Need a structured review of your 491 or 494 history?
VEM can review the proposed application date, ATO notices, regional evidence and potential compliance gaps before lodgement.
Home Affairs currently says it is processing subclass 191 applications lodged from November 2025 and directs applicants to the processing-time guide for recently decided cases. The broader Skilled Permanent median was nine months for May 2026, but that is not a guaranteed subclass-specific timeframe.
What is the most important 191 visa latest news?
As checked on 22 July 2026, the standard charge starts at AUD630, the Department is processing applications lodged from November 2025, and the Regional Provisional stream has no minimum income threshold. Applicants still need three ATO Notices of Assessment.
Do I need a minimum income for visa 191?
No minimum taxable-income amount currently applies to the Regional Provisional stream. You must still provide ATO Notices of Assessment for three income years out of the five years of your eligible visa.
Can I apply before holding a 491 or 494 visa for three years?
No. For the Regional Provisional stream, you must hold an eligible 491 or 494 visa when applying and must have held that visa for at least three years before the application date.
Do I have to remain in regional Australia for two years after the 191 grant?
The current Home Affairs material does not impose an additional two-year regional residence obligation after subclass 191 is granted. The visa is permanent and lets the holder work and study in Australia. Your compliance before grant remains central to the application.
Can family members be included in the 191 application?
Eligible members of the family unit can be included. Their identity, relationship, health and character evidence may be required, and family members not migrating can also be relevant to health or character assessment.
Mr. Phong Cao is a licensed migration agent by MARA (MARN: 1577877). He is also a member of the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA: 12648), one of the most reputable organizations in the field of immigration in Australia. In addition, Mr. Phong Cao holds a QEAC certification in study abroad consulting (QEAC: K580) and Australian real estate investment (RA85931). With over 12 years of experience in Australian immigration, he provides comprehensive solutions for studying and settling in Australia.
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3 thoughts on “Subclass 191 Visa – Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) Visa”
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Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an extremely long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up.
Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyway,
just wanted to say excellent blog!
Hello there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it’s truly informative.
I am going to watch out for brussels. I will appreciate if you continue this
in future. Lots of people will be benefited from your writing.
Cheers!
Very nice post. I simply stumbled upon your blog and wanted to saythat I’ve really enjoyed browsing your blog posts.After all I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I’m hoping you write once more very soon!