491 to 191 Visa Australia 2026: PR Requirements, Income Rule and 3-Year Pathway

The Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa subclass 191 is the main permanent-residence pathway for eligible holders of the subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional and subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional provisional visas.

For many 491 holders, the critical questions are now straightforward: how long must the eligible visa have been held, what income evidence is required, whether there is a minimum salary threshold, and whether the regional visa conditions were complied with.

Subclass 191 processing notice: checked 10 November 2026

Home Affairs' Regional Provisional stream page lists the following application lodgement months as currently being processed. These are applications lodged in or before the stated month; the relevant location is where the primary applicant was when applying.

• March 2026: the primary applicant was in Australia at lodgement.

• March 2026: the primary applicant was outside Australia at lodgement and the application is not combined with another person's application at any time.

• January 2026: all other applications from applicants who were outside Australia when they applied.

These dates describe the Department's current processing work. They do not promise a decision by a particular date or mean every older application is finalised. Check the live notice before relying on a month, keep requested evidence current and respond promptly to Home Affairs requests. This processing update does not change the eligibility requirements explained below.

Official processing notice: Home Affairs — subclass 191 Regional Provisional stream.

You must hold an eligible visa for at least 3 years

Home Affairs states that an applicant in the Regional Provisional stream must hold an eligible visa when applying and must have held that visa for at least 3 years.

The eligible visas are subclass 491 and subclass 494.

There is no minimum income threshold

This is an important current rule. Home Affairs expressly states that there is no minimum income requirement for the Regional Provisional stream.

However, applicants must provide Australian Taxation Office Notices of Assessment for 3 income years out of the 5 years of the eligible visa.

That means the subclass 191 still has an income-evidence requirement, but not a prescribed minimum taxable-income threshold.

What if you owe money to the ATO?

Home Affairs asks applicants who owe money to the ATO to provide evidence that the debt has been repaid or that an approved payment plan is in place. This can help prevent processing delays.

Compliance with the 491 or 494 conditions matters

Applicants must have complied with the conditions of the eligible visa while in Australia. Home Affairs states that this requirement applies for the whole period the eligible visa is held.

For a 491 holder, that means the regional residence, work and study conditions attached to the visa should be taken seriously throughout the provisional period.

Do you need a new sponsor or nominator?

No. Home Affairs states that the subclass 191 Regional Provisional stream does not require a sponsor or nominator.

Subclass 191 cost in 2026

Home Affairs currently lists the Regional Provisional stream cost from AUD630, with limited concessions in specified circumstances.

Can a secondary 491 holder apply for subclass 191?

Family-member eligibility can be technically different from the primary-holder pathway. A secondary holder may have a subclass 191 pathway where the relevant statutory criteria are met, including the applicable eligible-visa history and visa-condition requirements.

No Further Stay conditions can create additional complexity for some family members. Legislation has specifically addressed waiver circumstances involving condition 8534 and a genuine intention to apply for subclass 191 after completing the relevant course of study.

See our guide to visa condition 8534 for that issue.

491 to 191 checklist

• Confirm you hold an eligible subclass 491 or 494 visa.

• Check that you have held the eligible visa for at least 3 years.

• Collect ATO Notices of Assessment for 3 income years out of the 5-year eligible visa period.

• Check that any ATO debt has been repaid or is subject to an approved payment plan.

• Review compliance with all conditions of the eligible regional visa.

• Prepare health, character and identity evidence as required.

Does time outside Australia extend the 491 visa?

No. Time outside Australia does not extend the visa validity period. Eligibility for subclass 191 should be assessed against the actual eligible visa history and applicable statutory requirements.

Can a 491 holder apply for other permanent visas before 3 years?

The subclass 491 framework restricts access to several other permanent visas until the holder has held the 491 for 3 years. The subclass 191 is the designed permanent-residence pathway for eligible regional provisional visa holders.

For the provisional visa itself, see our Subclass 491 Visa 2026 guide.

Official source

See the current Home Affairs subclass 191 Regional Provisional stream guidance and the Department's regional migration overview.

Important

This article provides general information only. Subclass 191 eligibility should be checked against the applicant's actual visa history, conditions, tax records and family composition.