Subclass 491 · QLD
Queensland regional nomination
Five-year provisional visa with fifteen nomination points. Pathway to permanent residence through the 191 after three years of regional compliance. ROIs for 2025-26 are closed, and the 2026-27 opening date has not yet been published.
The Queensland Government nominates skilled migrants for the Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa. The program is administered by Migration Queensland and uses a Registration of Interest (ROI) mechanism. As at 27 October 2026, ROIs for the 2025-26 program are closed because all nomination places were filled, and Migration Queensland has not yet published its 2026-27 settings or opening date. As at 15 October 2026, Home Affairs had not published 2026-27 state allocations, and it recorded fewer than 5 subclass 491 nominations by Queensland from 1 July to 31 August 2026.
Checked on 27-10-2026 against Migration Queensland, important announcements.
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. After three years of compliant residence in QLD, holders may apply for the Subclass 191 permanent residence visa.
Regional area scope
Home Affairs classes most of Australia outside Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane as designated regional areas, so Queensland outside Brisbane is regional for the 491. The Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast are Category 2 (Cities and Major Regional Centres); the rest of regional Queensland is Category 3. Whether an address qualifies is decided by the Home Affairs postcode list.
QLD 491 eligibility
Federal eligibility
Standard 491 federal criteria: under 45 at invitation, a suitable skills assessment, at least Competent English, at least 65 points (including the fifteen nomination points), health and character.
Nominated occupation
Onshore candidates need an occupation on the Queensland Onshore Skills List; candidates outside Australia need one on the Queensland Offshore Skills List. Each list shows the subclasses an occupation may be nominated for.
QLD-specific commitment
Under the 2025-26 settings, onshore and Queensland graduate candidates must have lived and worked in regional Queensland for the 6 months immediately before registering, in work of at least 20 hours a week after completing their qualification; offshore candidates need at least 1 year of skilled employment. Every 491 nominee commits to living and working in regional Queensland for at least 3 years after grant. The Small Business Owner pathway (491 only) closed for 2025-26; candidates who started an eligible business under its Pathway 2 before 19 September 2025 may register when the 2026-27 program opens. These requirements may change for 2026-27.
Selection factors
Migration Queensland considers skills and qualifications, work experience, salary, location of employment, age, English, and a partner's skills and English, and aims to support the occupations that need skilled workers the most, including in regional, rural and remote areas.
From the 491 to the 191
After three years of compliant residence, work, and study in a designated regional area within Queensland (or elsewhere in regional Australia), 491 holders may apply for the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa. The 191 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, must have complied with condition 8579, and must have substantially complied with the visa's other conditions.
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 QLD 491 application
We assess your profile against Queensland's requirements 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 consultationQueensland 491 nomination activity
Checked on 22-10-2026 against Home Affairs SkillSelect and the Queensland nomination page.
- Subclass 491 nominations recorded in SkillSelect, 1 July 2026 to 31 August 2026
- Fewer than 5
- Latest round published by Queensland
- No round figures to report from the Queensland page. Its own updates are linked below.
Common questions
What areas of Queensland qualify as regional for the 491?
How does the QLD 491 nomination process work?
Is Queensland accepting 491 ROIs now?
Which occupations qualify?
What conditions apply once granted?
How does Queensland select 491 candidates?
Information current as at 27 October 2026. Queensland program settings, occupation lists, and regional postcodes are revised through the program year, and the 2026-27 settings had not been published at that date. Confirm current settings at migration.qld.gov.au before lodging an application.