A new permanent resident visa pathway to Australia – Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) subclass 191 visa – will come into effect from November 2024.

Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) – This visa is for people who have lived, worked and studied in designated regional area Australia on a previous, eligible visa.

Under this visa candidate can

• stay permanently
• Sponsor eligible relatives for permanently residence
• Apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible.
• travel to and from Australia for 5 years
• Candidate can avail in Australia’s public health care scheme
• work and study anywhere in Australia

Minimum Requirements for Permanent Residence(Skilled Regional) subclass 191 visa:

•  Candidate must hold an eligible visa
• Candidate must have lived for at least 3 years and have a taxable income at or above a specific income threshold for at least three years
• both primary and secondary applicants have complied with the conditions of the eligible visa you hold or have held

How to secure Permanent Residence under the new 191 visa?

From November 2024 applicants will be able to apply for Permanent Residence under the new 191 visa. To be eligible, applicants must:

• Hold one of the new skilled provisional visas (subclasses 494 or 491)
• Evidence that you have resided and worked in regional Australia for at least three years
• Prove earnings of at least $ 53,900 AUD for three years. If you have a spouse included in the application then only one of you must to show this salary level (through tax returns). This person will be the main applicant for the subclass 191 visa.

If you reside or work in the metropolitan areas of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast or Perth, you will be in breach of your provisional visa conditions and not be eligible to apply for permanent residency under the subclass 191 visa.

Current 489 visa holders will continue to apply for permanent residency under the visa subclass 887. The criterion for this visa will remain the same, in which 489 visa holders must live and work in regional Australia for a minimum of two years before applying. You will not be impacted by the new subclass 191 visa and lengthier residential requirements.