Last updated: 30 March 2026

191 Visa Requirements: Income Threshold, Regional Residency, and How to Qualify

The subclass 191 visa is the permanent residency endpoint for holders of the subclass 491 and subclass 494 provisional regional visas. It is one of the most straightforward permanent visa pathways in the Australian migration system: no points test, no skills assessment, no employer nomination, and no state nomination. You qualify by meeting three objective criteria — holding the right visa, living in a regional area for three years, and earning above the income threshold.

This guide covers every requirement in detail, including the income threshold and how it is calculated, the regional residency rules and which postcodes qualify, the documents you need, and the step-by-step application process.

Overview of 191 Visa Requirements

The 191 visa is a conversion pathway. You are not competing against other applicants in a points pool or waiting for an invitation. If you meet the requirements, you are eligible to apply.

For a broader overview of the visa including post-grant rights and the pathway to citizenship, see our subclass 191 visa overview.

Requirement 1: Hold a Qualifying Provisional Visa

You must be the primary holder of a subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional — Provisional) or subclass 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional — Provisional) visa at the time you apply for the 191.

Subclass 491 holders. The 491 is a points-tested, state-nominated or family-sponsored provisional visa. It requires you to live and work in a designated regional area for at least 3 years. If you currently hold a 491, you entered the regional pathway through the SkillSelect system and are now working toward the income and residency thresholds for the 191.

Subclass 494 holders. The 494 is an employer-sponsored provisional visa for regional areas. Your employer nominated you for a position in a designated regional area, and you have been working in that area on the 494. The pathway to the 191 is the same — meet the residency and income requirements.

Secondary applicants. If you were included as a secondary applicant (family member) on someone else’s 491 or 494 visa, you cannot apply for the 191 in your own right unless you also hold a qualifying visa as a primary holder. Secondary applicants are included in the primary holder’s 191 application.

What if my 491 or 494 has expired? You must hold the qualifying visa at the time of 191 lodgement. If your 491 or 494 has expired or been cancelled, you are not eligible. The 491 is valid for 5 years, giving you a 2-year window after meeting the 3-year threshold to lodge the 191.

Requirement 2: Three Years of Regional Residency

You must have lived in a designated regional area of Australia for at least 3 years while holding your 491 or 494 visa. This is a physical presence requirement — you need to have actually resided in a regional area, not simply held an address there.

What Counts as a Designated Regional Area

Designated regional areas cover most of Australia outside the major metropolitan centres. The following areas are classified as regional for the purposes of the 491, 494, and 191 visas:

The Department of Home Affairs publishes a definitive list of designated regional postcodes. Before relying on a specific location, confirm that its postcode is classified as regional on the Department’s website. Postcode boundaries can be complex — a single suburb may span regional and non-regional postcodes.

How the 3-Year Period Is Measured

The 3-year period runs from the date your 491 or 494 visa was granted. Only time spent physically present in a designated regional area while holding the qualifying visa counts.

Absences from Australia. Time spent outside Australia does not count toward the 3-year requirement. If you travel overseas for work, holidays, or family reasons, those days are excluded from your regional residency count. There is no published maximum absence limit, but extended time outside Australia reduces your qualifying time.

Absences within Australia. Time spent in non-regional areas of Australia (for example, visiting Sydney or Melbourne) in short periods is generally not a problem. However, the Department expects your primary place of residence to be in a regional area. If you maintain a regional address but spend most of your time in a capital city, this may not satisfy the requirement.

Multiple regional addresses. Moving between different regional areas is permitted. You do not need to live in the same regional town for all 3 years. As long as each address is within a designated regional area, the time counts.

Evidence of Regional Residency

You need documented evidence that you lived in a designated regional area for the required period. The following documents carry the most weight:

• Residential lease agreements showing a regional address
• Utility bills (electricity, gas, water, internet) in your name at a regional address
• Local council rates notices
• Bank statements showing a regional address
• Employment records showing a regional workplace
• School enrolment records for children at regional schools
• Statutory declarations from community members, landlords, or employers
• Medicare records or health insurance correspondence at a regional address

Provide evidence covering the full 3-year period. Gaps in your address history — periods where you cannot produce evidence of a regional address — may delay your assessment.

Requirement 3: Income Threshold

The income threshold is the most technically specific requirement of the 191 visa. You must demonstrate that your taxable income reached at least $53,900 in each of 3 income years while holding your 491 or 494 visa.

Current Threshold

The minimum taxable income threshold is $53,900 per income year. This figure is set by legislative instrument and is indexed periodically. Always confirm the current threshold on the Department of Home Affairs website before lodging — relying on outdated figures can lead to premature applications.

How Taxable Income Is Calculated

Taxable income is the figure that appears on your Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Notice of Assessment for each income year. It is calculated as:

Assessable income (salary, wages, business income, investment income, other income) minus allowable deductions (work-related expenses, self-education, other deductible items) = taxable income.

This is not your gross salary. It is not your take-home pay. It is the specific figure the ATO calculates and reports on your Notice of Assessment.

The 3-Year Requirement

You need to meet the $53,900 threshold in at least 3 separate income years. These years:

• Must fall within the period when you held your 491 or 494 visa
• Do not need to be consecutive
• Are assessed on a standard Australian financial year basis (1 July to 30 June)

If you commenced your 491 visa partway through a financial year, the Department may apply a pro-rata calculation for that year. For example, if your 491 was granted on 1 January and you earned $30,000 from January to June, the Department assesses whether that pro-rated amount meets the threshold proportionally.

What If My Income Was Below the Threshold in Some Years?

You only need 3 qualifying years. If you earned below the threshold in your first year but above it in years 2, 3, and 4, you still qualify. You do not need every year to meet the threshold — just 3 of them.

If your income has been consistently close to but below the threshold, review your tax returns carefully. Reducing optional deductions (where legitimate) may push your taxable income above the threshold. A tax professional can advise on this without compromising your tax compliance.

How the Department Verifies Income

The Department of Home Affairs accesses your income data directly from the ATO. You provide your ATO Notices of Assessment as supporting evidence, and the Department cross-references this with ATO records. There is no self-declaration — the figures must match.

Health and Character Requirements

Standard Australian visa health and character requirements apply to you and any family members included in your 191 application.

Health

You must undergo health examinations arranged through a Department-approved panel physician. The Department will provide a referral (HAP ID) through ImmiAccount after you lodge your application. Common examinations include a general medical examination, chest X-ray, and additional tests based on your medical history.

Arrange your health examination promptly after lodgement. Panel physician appointments can take weeks to schedule, and results take time to process. This is a common bottleneck in 191 processing.

Character

You and all family members aged 16 and over must provide police clearance certificates from:

• Australia (obtained through the Australian Federal Police)
• Every country where you have lived for 12 months or more in the past 10 years

Some countries take months to issue police clearances. Start this process before you lodge your 191 application. Having clearances ready at lodgement significantly reduces processing time.

Documents Checklist

The following documents are required or strongly recommended for a 191 visa application.

Ensure all documents not in English are accompanied by certified NAATI translations. All copies should be certified by an authorised certifier.

Application Process Step by Step

Step 1: Confirm Your Eligibility

Before lodging, verify:

• Your 491 or 494 visa is still current
• You have held the visa for at least 3 years
• Your ATO Notices of Assessment show taxable income of $53,900 or more in at least 3 income years
• You have lived in a designated regional area for the entire 3-year period

Step 2: Prepare Your Documents

Compile all documents from the checklist above. Order police clearances from all relevant countries early — some clearances take months to arrive. Organise your address history chronologically and ensure there are no unexplained gaps.

Step 3: Lodge Through ImmiAccount

Log in to your ImmiAccount, select the subclass 191 visa, complete the application form, upload all supporting documents, and pay the application fee. The fee is AUD $415 for the primary applicant.

Step 4: Complete Health Examinations

After lodgement, you will receive a HAP ID through ImmiAccount. Use this to book an appointment with a panel physician. Complete the examination as soon as possible — delays here are the most common cause of extended processing.

Step 5: Respond to Any Requests

The Department may request additional documents or clarification. Respond promptly. Every day of delay at your end adds at least that much to your processing time.

Step 6: Receive Your Decision

Most 191 applications are decided within 3 to 6 months. You will be notified through ImmiAccount. If approved, your permanent visa is granted from the date of decision.

After the 191 Is Granted

Once granted, the 191 visa removes all regional restrictions. You are a permanent resident with the same rights as holders of any other permanent visa.

• No location restriction. Condition 8579 no longer applies. You can live, work, and study anywhere in Australia — including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, or any other capital city.
• Full work rights. Work for any employer in any industry without restriction.
• Medicare access. Full access to the public healthcare system.
• 5-year travel facility. Enter and leave Australia freely for 5 years from the date of grant.
• Pathway to citizenship. You become eligible for Australian citizenship after residing in Australia for 4 years (including at least 12 months as a permanent resident). Time on your 491 or 494 visa counts toward the 4-year total.

For the full 491 to 191 pathway including timeline planning, see our dedicated guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the income requirement for the 191 visa?

You must have earned a minimum taxable income of $53,900 per year for at least 3 income years while holding your 491 or 494 visa. This figure is assessed from your ATO Notice of Assessment and is indexed periodically. Your taxable income includes salary, wages, self-employment income, and investment income minus allowable deductions. It does not include employer superannuation contributions.

What postcodes count as regional for the 191 visa?

Designated regional areas include most of Australia outside greater Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Perth metropolitan areas. This covers the entirety of South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and the ACT, plus regional areas of NSW, Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia. Cities like Newcastle, Wollongong, Geelong, Sunshine Coast, and Cairns are classified as regional. The Department of Home Affairs publishes the definitive postcode list.

Can I move to Sydney or Melbourne after getting the 191 visa?

Yes. Once the 191 visa is granted, you are a permanent resident with no location restrictions. Condition 8579 — which required you to live, work, and study in a designated regional area — no longer applies. You are free to live anywhere in Australia from the date of grant.

Do I need a new skills assessment for the 191 visa?

No. The 191 does not require a skills assessment, a points test, or an employer nomination. Your eligibility is based entirely on holding a qualifying visa (491 or 494), meeting the 3-year regional residency requirement, and satisfying the income threshold. It is a conversion pathway — not a fresh application for permanent residency in Australia.

How much does the 191 visa cost?

The primary applicant fee is AUD $415 — the lowest of any permanent skilled visa. Additional applicants aged 18 and over pay $210, and those under 18 pay $105. Beyond the visa fee, budget for health examinations ($300 to $500 per adult) and police clearances ($50 to $200 per country). There are no skills assessment or state nomination fees. For a single applicant, total costs typically fall below AUD $1,000.

What documents do I need for the 191 visa application?

Key documents include your ATO Notices of Assessment for 3 income years meeting the $53,900 threshold, evidence of regional residential address history (lease agreements, utility bills, council records), current and expired passports, police clearance certificates from all countries where you lived for 12 months or more in the past 10 years, and health examination results. All non-English documents must have certified NAATI translations.

Next Steps

If you are approaching 191 eligibility:

1. Review your ATO Notices of Assessment. Confirm you have reached $53,900 taxable income in at least 3 income years.
2. Document your regional address history. Gather lease agreements, utility bills, and council records covering the full 3-year period.
3. Start police clearances early. Clearances from some countries take months. Begin this process now.
4. Check your 491 visa requirements status. Ensure your provisional visa is still current and you are within the 5-year validity period.
5. Lodge as soon as you are eligible. The 191 is a straightforward application with fast processing. There is no advantage to waiting.
6. Plan your next chapter. Once the 191 is granted, the regional obligation ends. Start thinking about where you want to live and work as a permanent resident with full freedom of movement.