Skilled Work Regional (provisional, +15)
The subclass 491 adds 15 points, the largest single factor on the whole test, in exchange for living and working in regional Australia for three years before permanent residence. For most applicants stuck in the 60s and 70s, it is the pathway that works. Score yourself with the nomination included.
Point values checked against the Department of Home Affairs subclass 491 points table · Last reviewed 21 September 2026
Your factor-by-factor breakdown, your gap to a competitive 491 score, and which regional areas and states are open for your occupation. Sent to email and WhatsApp.
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The subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional visa uses the same 11-factor points test plus 15 points for nomination by a state or territory or sponsorship by an eligible relative in a designated regional area. It is a five-year provisional visa, and after three years living and working regionally with taxable income at or above the threshold you can apply for the permanent subclass 191. Regional means everywhere except Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, including Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, Darwin and the Gold Coast.
The 491 is the government's tool for pushing skilled migrants outside the three biggest cities. In exchange for a commitment to live, work and study in a designated regional area, you receive 15 points, access to the broadest occupation list (MLTSSL, STSOL and ROL), and nomination programs that are generally less contested than the capital-city 190 streams. The visa is provisional: it lasts five years and converts to permanent residence through the subclass 191 once you have met the three-year residence and income conditions. The conditions are enforceable visa conditions, unlike the 190's moral commitment.
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Age 25–32 (18–24 and 33–39: 25; 40–44: 15; 45+: 0) | 30 max |
| English — proficient / superior | 10 / 20 |
| Skilled employment, overseas (3, 5, 8 yrs) | 5 / 10 / 15 |
| Skilled employment, Australia (1, 3, 5, 8 yrs) | 5 / 10 / 15 / 20 |
| Employment combined cap | 20 |
| Qualification — diploma/trade / bachelor or masters / doctorate | 10 / 15 / 20 |
| Specialist education (research STEM/ICT) | 10 |
| Australian study requirement | 5 |
| Regional study | 5 |
| Professional Year | 5 |
| NAATI credentialled community language | 5 |
| Partner — single or citizen/PR / skilled / competent English | 10 / 10 / 5 |
| State/territory nomination or eligible family sponsorship | 15 |
| Category | Areas | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Not regional | Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane | No 491 nomination; 190 only |
| Category 2 — cities and major regional centres | Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, Wollongong/Illawarra, Geelong, Hobart | Full 491 access; +1 year on a second 485 |
| Category 3 — regional centres and other areas | All other areas: Darwin, Cairns, Townsville, Ballarat, Bendigo, Launceston, Toowoomba and every other regional postcode | Full 491 access; +2 years on a second 485; priority processing |
Five jurisdictions are regional in their entirety: South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory. An applicant can hold a 491, live in Adelaide or Perth, and meet every condition.
With 15 nomination points, a 70-point base becomes 85, which is competitive in most regional programs in 2026. States still apply their own occupation lists and criteria, and many prioritise applicants already living or working regionally, or regional graduates. The eligible-relative route bypasses the state list entirely: if a parent, sibling, child, aunt, uncle, grandparent or first cousin who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible NZ citizen lives in a regional area, they can sponsor you.
Compare with the 190 calculator (+5, permanent immediately) and the 189 calculator (no nomination).
Common questions
15 points for nomination by a state or territory, or sponsorship by an eligible family member in a designated regional area. It is the largest single factor on the points test.
Everywhere in Australia except Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, Darwin, the Gold Coast, Newcastle and Wollongong are all designated regional areas.
65 including the 15 nomination points, so a base of 50 is the legal floor. Realistic nominations in 2026 have started around 75 to 80 total and are strong from 85.
No. It is a five-year provisional visa. After three years of regional residence and work with income at or above the threshold, you can apply for the permanent subclass 191, which has no points test.
Yes. A parent, child, sibling, aunt, uncle, grandparent or first cousin who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen and usually lives in a designated regional area can sponsor you, without a state nomination.
Taxable income at or above the threshold, most recently AUD 53,900 and indexed, for at least three income years while holding the 491.
Related
A free session models the 491 for your occupation across every regional program and tells you which state to target first.
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