491 Regional Visa: State Nomination Compared, All 8 States (2026)
How subclass 491 state nomination works across all eight Australian states and territories: the points it adds, the broad regional definition, and the path from a 491 grant to subclass 191 permanent residence. Figures as at September 2026.
Read the full guide, with official sources →
Watch
Chapters
- 0:00 Regional means everywhere
- 0:11 491 nomination: +15 points
- 0:31 8 separate programs —
- 0:51 No minimum income —
- 1:01 191 processing: 12 to 24 months
- 1:13 You can apply to more
- 1:33 After the grant, those 3 cities
- 1:45 Where to read more
Transcript
Only three cities in Australia don't count as regional for this visa: Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.
State nomination on a subclass 491 adds 15 points to your points test score — three times the 5 points a subclass 190 adds.
Everywhere outside those three metro areas counts — Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin, Canberra, and the Gold Coast are all regional under this visa.
Eight states and territories each run their own subclass 491 program, with their own list of in-demand occupations.
After 3 years holding a subclass 491 in a regional area, applicants can apply for the subclass 191 — lodged within 5 years of the 491 grant.
There's no minimum income requirement for the subclass 191. What's required is ATO notices of assessment for at least 3 of those income years.
Processing for the subclass 191 currently runs 12 to 24 months, putting the whole path from a 491 grant to a 191 grant at around 4 to 5 years.
There's no penalty for applying to more than one state at once, and matching your occupation to each state's real demand improves the odds of nomination.
The most common mistake is applying for nomination in an occupation that doesn't genuinely match real experience — that leads to refusal or complications later.
After the 491 is granted, moving into Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane still breaks the visa's condition — full freedom of movement only starts once the subclass 191 is granted.
The full guide, with the official sources, is on migratio.com.au. The link is in the description. And if you'd like to talk it through, you can compare registered migration agents there, and see their fees before you book anything.
Short versions
- Only 3 cities aren't regional (0:38)
- 15 points vs 5 — the 491 edge (0:37)
- 3 years on a 491, then what? (0:41)
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