Australia Offers Foreigners 5-Year Regional Visa With Pathway to Permanent Residency

• The Australian Government's Department of Home Affairs has published updated details on its five-year Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa
• The base application fee for the regional visa starts from AUD 6,140, with reduced fees available for eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens from July 2026
• Successful applicants must live and work in designated regional areas, with a pathway to permanent residency opening after three years on the visa

Australia's Department of Home Affairs has released updated information on the Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa, a five-year provisional visa that offers skilled migrants a structured route into regional Australia and, eventually, permanent residency.4

The visa allows holders to live, work, and study in designated regional areas, travel freely in and out of Australia for the full five-year period, and apply for permanent residence after completing at least three years on the visa.

What the Australia Subclass 491 visa costs

Read also

Australia lists 5 conditions foreigners must meet to secure 5-year regional visa

The base application fee starts at AUD 6,140, which is roughly equivalent to ₦6.1 million. The Department of Home Affairs noted that fee concessions are available in limited circumstances.

From 1 July 2026, eligible citizens of Pacific Island nations and Timor-Leste who submit a valid application will qualify for a reduced rate.

Applicants are encouraged to use the official Visa Pricing Estimator to determine the exact cost for their specific situation.

Processing times differ based on the applicant's category and location. The department prioritises applications under Ministerial Direction No. 119.

As of 2026, applications tied to Australian law enforcement or defence interests are being processed as received.

For those in construction, healthcare, and teaching who were already inside Australia when they applied, the department is currently working through cases from May 2026.

All other onshore applications are being processed from March 2025, while offshore submissions are being handled from February 2025.

Australia: Who qualifies and where they must live

To be eligible, applicants must secure a nomination from either an Australian state or territory government or obtain sponsorship from a qualifying relative residing in a designated regional area. These regional zones cover large portions of the country outside major cities such as Sydney and Melbourne.

Read also

Australia publishes age requirements for Ghanaians and other foreigners applying for Work and Holiday visa

Visa holders are required to remain within those specified regional locations for the duration of the visa. This condition is central to the programme's goal of addressing skill shortages outside Australia's main urban centres by attracting qualified professionals from abroad.

The most compelling feature of the Subclass 491 is its link to permanent residency. After three years on the provisional visa, holders become eligible to apply for the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa, provided they satisfy the required income thresholds and residency obligations during that period.

5 Conditions for Australia's 5-year regional visa

YEN.com.gh also published the five conditions foreign nationals must meet to qualify for the five-year provisional visa designed for skilled workers prepared to live and work in regional parts of the country.

For many applicants, the visa could offer more than a temporary opportunity abroad; it may become a pathway towards permanent residency.

But first, candidates must clear key hurdles, including the points test, a skills assessment and nomination or sponsorship.

Source: YEN.com.gh