Subclass 191 · Permanent Residence Skilled Regional

Permanent Residence Skilled Regional visa 191
the finish line for 491 holders

No points test. No age limit. Just three years of regional living, the income requirement met, and a clean application. If you've been on the 491 with your eyes on this moment - this is how it ends well.

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At a Glance

191 Permanent Residence

Type: Permanent
For holders of: 491 or 494
Time required: 3 years regional
Points test: None
Age limit: None
Family included: Yes

What the 191 Is

The 191 is the permanent residence visa for people who hold a regional provisional visa - mainly the 491 or the 494. You spend your time on the provisional visa living and working regionally, and once you've met the conditions, the 191 converts all of that into permanent residence. It's the planned destination of the regional pathway, not a separate gamble.

By the time you reach the 191, the hardest parts are behind you. There's no points test to pass and no age limit to beat. After it, you have the full benefits of permanent residence - and the road to citizenship opens up.

Three Things You Need

Condition 01

Three years on your 491 or 494

You need to have held an eligible regional provisional visa for at least three years before you can apply for the 191. The clock starts from grant date.

Condition 02

Living regionally throughout

You need to have been ordinarily resident in a designated regional area during that period. All of WA - including Perth - qualifies. Brief absences don't usually disqualify you, but your primary residence needs to be here.

Condition 03

Meeting the income requirement

You need to show a minimum taxable income for the required years, evidenced through your tax records. The figure is set by the government and reviewed over time. For most people in full-time work, it's very achievable - but the paperwork has to be right.

How We Help

The 191 looks simple from the outside, but it rests entirely on evidence built up over three years. If your income records or address history have gaps, that's a problem you want to spot early - not at lodgement. We review your situation while there's still time to fix things, then prepare the application so your years of effort actually pay off.

Start this conversation before you reach the three-year mark.

Give us your situation 6-12 months before you plan to apply. We check your income records, address evidence and visa compliance history so nothing surprises you when it counts. Book a visa assessment to review your 491 compliance history while there's still time to fix anything.

191 at a glance: what's tested and what isn't

Most of the assessment work happened back at the Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional visa stage. The 191 is the conversion step, and the table below shows what that means in practice.

Requirement	How it applies at the 191
Points test	None. There is no points test at the 191. Points mattered at the 491 stage (regional nomination attracts +15 points in WA, a state/regional figure, with Perth currently counting as regional). They are not re-scored here.
Age limit	None. The age rules applied when you were invited for the 491. The 191 has no upper age limit.
Time held	You must have held an eligible regional provisional visa (the 491, or in some cases the older 494) for at least three years before you apply.
Regional residence	You must have been ordinarily resident in a designated regional area during that period. All of WA, including Perth, currently qualifies.
Income requirement	You must show a minimum taxable income for the required years, evidenced through your Tax Office assessments. The figure is set by the government and reviewed over time, so we confirm the current amount that applies to you.
Application charge	There is a government charge, but the amount depends on your circumstances and family makeup. We quote in writing before you commit. See how we quote.
Processing time	Generally in the order of 6-12 months from lodgement, depending on your case and Department of Home Affairs processing at the time. This is a typical range, not a guarantee - current timeframes are published by Home Affairs.

191 versus staying on the 491 longer.

The 491 is a provisional visa with conditions and an expiry. The 191 is the planned exit to permanent residence: it removes the regional conditions, opens access to Medicare and the wider permanent resident entitlements, and starts the clock toward citizenship. There is no advantage to drifting past your three-year mark without applying - once you qualify, converting to permanent residence is the point of the whole pathway. See how the 491 visa works and its requirements if you are earlier in the journey.

Common Questions

How long do I have to wait for the 191?

You need to have held your eligible regional visa for at least three years before you can apply. Once those three years are behind you and the income and residence conditions are met, you're ready to lodge. There's no waiting beyond that - it's an application you control the timing of.

What's the income requirement?

You need to show a minimum taxable income for the required number of years, evidenced through your tax assessments. The figure is reviewed periodically - we'll confirm the current amount that applies to you. For most people in steady employment, it's a realistic threshold, but the tax records have to be clean and complete.

Is there a points test or age limit?

No to both. That's one of the biggest advantages of the 191. The points test and age rules came into play at the 491 stage. By the time you reach the 191, the assessment is about whether you've met the regional and income conditions - not about re-scoring your profile.

Can my family get permanent residence too?

Yes. Family members who held the provisional visa with you can be included in the 191 application, so the whole household moves to permanent residence together. We make sure everyone who should be on the application is, from the start.

I had a gap in my regional living. Does that matter?

It depends on the nature and duration of the gap. Brief absences for travel or work don't typically disqualify you, but longer periods away from WA can raise questions about whether you were ordinarily resident. This is exactly the kind of thing to bring to us early so we can assess it properly before you lodge.

How long does it take to be granted the 191 after I apply?

As a general guide, the 191 typically takes in the order of 6 to 12 months to be decided after lodgement, though this depends on your case and on Department of Home Affairs processing at the time. Department processing times move, so we work to the current published guidance rather than a fixed promise. A complete, well-evidenced application - clean income records and a clear address history - is the single biggest thing within your control that helps it move smoothly.

What are the most common reasons 191 applications are refused?

The recurring themes are gaps or inconsistencies in income documentation, periods of absence from the regional area during the holding period that undermine the "ordinarily resident" requirement, and compliance issues affecting a family member on the application. None of these are about whether you deserve the visa - they're about whether the evidence stacks up. That's why we push for an early review: most of these problems are fixable if you spot them well before you lodge, not at lodgement.

Do I need to pass health and character checks again for the 191?

In many cases the assessment is streamlined where nothing material has changed since your 491 was granted. Fresh checks tend to come into play if there has been a material change - for example a new visa refusal or cancellation, a criminal charge, or a significant new health condition. If you're unsure whether something in your history counts as material, raise it with us early; it's far better assessed before you lodge than after.

What happens to my rights once I get the 191?

The 191 is full permanent residence. The regional conditions fall away, so you can live and work anywhere in Australia, access Medicare and the services available to permanent residents, and travel in and out under the visa's travel facility. It also starts the clock toward Australian citizenship, which generally becomes an option after four years of residence including at least the final year as a permanent resident, subject to the usual character and residence requirements.

The Pathway

Where the 191 sits in the regional skilled journey

Step One

491 Skilled Work Regional

Where it starts. The provisional visa with +15 points and the three years to qualify. Perth counts as regional from day one.

About the 491

All Options

Skilled Migration Overview

Not on a 491 yet? See the full range of skilled visas and find the right starting point for your situation.

Skilled migration

Quick Check

Eligibility Assessment

Wherever you are on the journey - just starting or approaching year three - get an honest read on your next step.

Check eligibility

Written and reviewed by Brian Chan, Registered Migration Agent (MARN 2217857)

Visa Store Australia, Perth · Last reviewed June 2026 · Verify on the MARA register · General information only, not personal migration advice.

Three years of effort shouldn't come undone over paperwork.

Let's check your records now and prepare the application so your permanent residence is locked in properly.