Two Nomination Pathways for Subclass 491
Pathway 1: State Nomination
Nomination by an Australian state or territory regional development authority (e.g. Regional Development Australia committees in NSW, WA Regional lists, SA regional stream). Occupations can be selected from MLTSSL, STSOL, or Regional Occupation List (ROL).
Pathway 2: Family Sponsorship
Sponsorship by an eligible family member who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible NZ citizen residing in designated regional Australia. Sponsor can be a parent, sibling, child, aunt/uncle, niece/nephew, grandparent, or first cousin.
What Counts as "Designated Regional Australia"?
Under current Department of Home Affairs definitions, all of Australia is classified as designated regional EXCEPT Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. This means major metropolitan hubs such as:
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Perth (Western Australia) — Entire state of WA is designated regional.
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Adelaide (South Australia) — Entire state of SA is designated regional.
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Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Cairns (Queensland).
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Newcastle, Wollongong, Central Coast (New South Wales).
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Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo (Victoria) and all of Tasmania, ACT, and Northern Territory.
Transitioning from Subclass 491 to Subclass 191 Permanent Residency
Subclass 491 visa holders can apply for permanent residency via Subclass 191 once they meet the following:
- Hold the Subclass 491 visa for at least 3 years.
- Comply substantially with Visa Condition 8579 (live, work, and study only in designated regional areas).
- Provide Notices of Assessment (NOAs) from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) for 3 income years showing lawful residence and employment.