Permanent Residence Visa 191: Skilled Regional

What is Visa 191?

Also known as the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) Visa, subclass 191 visas are for skilled individuals who hold a subclass 491 or 494 visa and have been living and working in designated regional areas for 3 years. After receiving the 191 visa, you can live and work anywhere in Australia with permanent resident benefits, including:

• Live and stay in Australia permanently
• Access to Medicare, Australia’s comprehensive healthcare program
• Work and study privileges
• Unrestricted travel to and from Australia for up to five (5) years
• Become eligible for Australian citizenship after four (4) years

Visa 191 Requirements

To ensure the success of your application, you must prepare and fulfil the following subclass 191 visa requirements for permanent residency:

Hold a Qualifying Visa

One important 191 visa requirement is that you must hold a qualifying visa relevant to your application. For your 191 visa application to permanent residency, you must have held a subclass 494 visa or 491 visa for at least 3 years.

ATO-Issued Notices of Assessment

While there is no minimum 191 visa income requirement, it is required that you present notices and proof of assessment from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). The income assessment must be for the three (3) out of the five (5) years you’ve held your qualifying visa.

Compliance with your Current Visa

Another key requirement for a 191 visa application is that you must have fulfilled and complied with the conditions of your regional provisional visa, which is either a subclass 494 (employer-sponsored) or subclass 491 (State-nominated).

Pass Health Examinations

The Department and the Australian Government want to make sure you’re perfectly healthy to work in Australia. The 191 visa medical requirements are also intended to protect the entire Australian community from public health safety risks, especially in cases involving active tuberculosis.

Have No Criminal Records

Aside from health checks, a character assessment is also a key criterion set by the Department to safeguard the country from potential security risks. As such, you must not have been previously convicted of any crime or engaged in any criminal activities.

191 Visa English Requirements

A passing English language proficiency test is not a 191 visa requirement for the main applicants. However, a ‘Functional’ level of English is mandatory for secondary applicants such as a de facto partner and a dependent child under 18.

Clean Immigration History

If you’ve been previously refused a visa, the Department will look into it and assess why your application for that visa was rejected. In essence, you must have no record of visa refusals and cancellations that will negatively affect your ongoing application.

191 Visa Documents Required

Be ready to prepare these documents required for 191 visa applicants like you:

Work and Residency Documents

For work documents, payslips and/or reference letters

Proof of Sufficient Funds

As stated above, there is no minimum income requirement for this visa, but you must provide notices of income assessment conducted and issued by ATO.

Identification Documents

Copies of your valid passport with photos, personal details, and dates of issuance and expiry, as well as a national ID card. If you changed your name, you must provide proof, such as your marriage/divorce certificates or evidence of name change issued by a relevant authority.

Relationship Documents

If you are applying with a partner or dependent child, or have been with a partner but separated or widowed, relationship requirements for 191 visa include marriage, separation, or death certificates.

Character Documents

You are required to undergo a character check by providing police certifications issued by the Australian Federal Police. You must likewise provide police certificates for every country (including your native country) you have ever lived in for at least 12 months since turning 16.

Partner/Spouse Documents

You must show evidence of you and your de facto partner’s legitimate relationship, such as joint bank accounts and/or mortgages, as well as proof of your relationship being registered by an Australian State or Territory. You must also establish proof that you’re together for at least 12 months.

Documents For Other Dependants

For additional applicants under or over 18, you must provide their individual identification documents, proof of relationship with you, and parental responsibility documents, where applicable.

For the exhaustive list of 191 visa requirements update, kindly visit the Department of Home Affairs’ official website.

Income Requirements for Subclass 191 (Skilled Regional)

The Department of Home Affairs does not require a minimum income threshold for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191).

While earlier legislation proposed a minimum earning benchmark, there is currently no minimum salary or earnings amount required to qualify.

• What You Must Provide: Primary applicants must submit three (3) Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Notices of Assessment (NOAs) issued across the five years of holding an eligible provisional visa (Subclass 491 or 494).
• No Dollar Cap: Your taxable income on these assessments can be of any amount. You simply need to have lodged your tax returns and received official ATO assessments for three income years while complying with your visa conditions.

191 Visa Application Process With Parish Patience

191 Visa Processing Time and Fees

The visa is processed individually. So, processing timeframes vary. To speed up processing, submit all required documents in your application and respond swiftly to requests for extra information.

Currently, processing time for 191 visas takes within four (4) months.

This can take longer or shorter depending on a range of factors, including volume of applications and individual complexity.

Meanwhile, the 191 visa costs for specific applicants are as follows:

• Main applicant – A$505
• Additional applicants over 18 years of age – A$250
• Additional applicants under 18 – A$130

Why Apply For This Visa With Parish Patience?

Long history of legal service

Entrust your visa goals and needs only to an Australian immigration agency that’s been in existence since 1888, making it one of the oldest law firms in Australia.

High visa success rate

Operating as a law firm since 1888, our long history of service has made us among the most trusted legal partners for all things immigration and Australian visas.

Experienced visa experts

Our immigration lawyers and registered migration agents know the ins and outs of Australian immigration, and are constantly up-to-date with the latest regulations.

Does the Visa 191 Have an Age Restriction?

While there are no age restrictions when applying for a 191 permanent visa, you must be under 45 years of age when you
applied for your previous provisional regional skilled visa (subclass 491). Before announcing the start of applications for the 191 visa, the Department may specify relevant guidelines or updates for applicants, which may include an age limit for this type of visa.

How Long is the 191 Visa Valid For?

Subclass 191 visa is the permanent resident visa pathway for holders of provisional Subclass 494 or 491. This visa lets you stay, live, study, and work in Australia indefinitely. After four (4) years or more of permanent residency, you can apply for Australian citizenship and become a full-fledged Australian citizen by conferral.