Skilled Regional – Permanent (191)

On the 16th of November 2019 two new temporary regional visas became available:

• Skilled Employer Sponsored (494): an employer sponsored visa for people sponsored by an employer in regional Australia.
• Skilled Work Regional (491): a points-tested visa for people who are nominated by a State or Territory government or sponsored by an eligible family member (residing in regional Australia) to live and work in regional Australia.

Holders of the new skilled regional temporary visas are required to live and work in regional Australia. Visas will be granted with a validity period of up to five years. After three years of living and working in regional Australia provisional visa holders may apply for the new Skilled Regional – Permanent (191) visa after the 16th of November 2022.

Requirements for permanent residency (191):

• hold a regional provisional visa subclass 491 or 494 visa when applying for the 191 visa,
  and have held that visa for at least three years;
• have earned a minimum income for at least three years as the holder of a
  regional provisional visa; and
• have complied with the conditions of the regional provisional visa (i.e. lived and worked in regional Australia).

Regional Australia

The legal definition of what constitutes ‘regional Australia’ has been simplified and now includes all of Australia except metropolitan Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Perth and the Gold Coast are defined as regional Australia.