Subclass 491 · ACT
Australian Capital Territory regional nomination
Five-year provisional visa with fifteen bonus points. Pathway to permanent residence through the 191 after three years of regional compliance. The ACT's first 2026-27 invitation round was for the 190 only.
The Australian Capital Territory Government nominates skilled migrants for the Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa. The program is administered by ACT Government Migration and uses the Canberra Matrix. The ACT's 2025-26 allocation was 800 491 places. Its 2026-27 allocation has not yet been announced, and as at 15 October 2026 the Department of Home Affairs has not published 2026-27 state and territory allocations. The ACT's tentative 2026-27 schedule lists a 190-only round in the week starting 12 October 2026 and further rounds in the weeks starting 25 January, 22 March and 24 May 2027, subject to change.
The 491 is provisional for five years. Holders must comply with condition 8579 (live, work, and study only in a designated regional area) throughout the visa period, and ACT nominees also commit to living and working in Canberra for at least two years. After holding the 491 for at least three years and complying with its conditions, holders may apply for the Subclass 191 permanent residence visa.
Regional area scope
The Department of Home Affairs lists Canberra as a designated regional area in Category 2, 'Cities and Major Regional Centres'. Canberra qualifies for the 491. Confirm a specific postcode against the Home Affairs list of designated regional areas.
ACT 491 eligibility
Federal eligibility
Standard 491 federal criteria: under 45 at invitation, a suitable skills assessment, Competent English, at least 65 points (including the fifteen points for state nomination), health and character. The ACT accepts Competent English for 491 nomination unless the assessing authority requires a higher level.
Nominated occupation
Occupation must be on the latest ACT Nominated Migration Program Occupation List (105 ANZSCO unit groups, last updated 10 October 2025) and on the Home Affairs list of eligible skilled occupations for the 491. The Doctorate Streamlined and Canberra resident Small Business Owner pathways do not require an occupation on the ACT list.
ACT-specific commitment
Canberra residents must have lived in Canberra (or within a 30-minute commute in NSW) for at least three months at the date of Matrix submission, and have worked in Canberra at least 15 hours a week in at least 13 of the 15 weeks before submission. Overseas applicants must be living overseas, must not have lived in Australia for the last 12 months, and need at least one year of full-time post-graduate work experience in the nominated occupation in the last five years. Every ACT 491 nominee commits to living and working in Canberra for at least two years from visa grant, or from arrival for those moving from overseas.
Priority sectors
The ACT states that Matrix submissions with a nominated occupation in a critical sector (care, education, construction, renewables, experience and advanced technology) may be prioritised.
From the 491 to the 191
After holding the 491 for at least three years while living, working, and studying in a designated regional area within Australian Capital Territory (or elsewhere in regional Australia), 491 holders may apply for the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa. The 191 regional provisional stream has no minimum income requirement. The applicant must provide ATO notices of assessment for three income years out of the five years of the eligible visa, and must have complied with the conditions of that visa.
Compliance is documented through residential leases, utility bills, employment contracts, payslips, ATO records, and bank statements showing regional transactions. Sparse documentation creates doubt at the 191 stage. Maintaining contemporaneous records throughout the provisional period is essential.
Speak with an immigration lawyer about your ACT 491 application
We assess your profile against ACT's priority sectors and the regional area scope, advise on the realistic prospect of nomination, and prepare both the state and federal applications to a litigation-ready standard.
Book a consultationAustralian Capital Territory 491 nomination activity
Checked on 22-10-2026 against Home Affairs SkillSelect and the Australian Capital Territory nomination page.
- Subclass 491 nominations recorded in SkillSelect, 1 July 2026 to 31 August 2026
- Fewer than 5
- Latest round published by Australian Capital Territory
- 12 October 2026: 261 subclass 190 invitations across the Canberra Matrix streams; no subclass 491 invitations.
Common questions
What areas of Australian Capital Territory qualify as regional for the 491?
How does the ACT 491 nomination process work?
What is the ACT 491 allocation for 2026-27?
Which occupations qualify?
What conditions apply once granted?
What are ACT's priority sectors for the 491?
Information current as at 15 October 2026. Australian Capital Territory program settings, occupation lists, and regional postcodes are revised through the program year. Confirm current settings at act.gov.au/migration before lodging an application.