Subclass 491 · TAS
Tasmania regional nomination
Five-year provisional visa with fifteen bonus points. 650 places allocated for 2025-26. Pathway to permanent residence through the 191 after three years of regional compliance.
The Tasmania Government nominates skilled migrants for the Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa. The program is administered by Migration Tasmania and uses a Migration Tasmania Application Gateway mechanism. For the 2025-26 program year, TAS received 650 491 places from the Department of Home Affairs.
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 TAS, holders may apply for the Subclass 191 permanent residence visa.
Regional area scope
The whole of Tasmania, including Hobart, is a designated regional area. Hobart is Category 2; the rest of Tasmania is Category 3.
TAS 491 eligibility
Federal eligibility
Standard 491 federal criteria: under 45 at invitation, positive skills assessment, Competent English, at least 65 points (including the fifteen-point nomination bonus), health and character.
Nominated occupation
Occupation must be on the federal MLTSSL, STSOL, or ROL. Tasmania refines selection through the MLTSSL and STSOL (no separate Tasmanian-only occupation list).
TAS-specific commitment
Tasmania operates several pathways: Tasmanian Skilled Employment (TSE) for onshore applicants with Tasmanian work experience, Tasmanian Graduate for graduates of Tasmanian institutions, Established Resident, and Offshore. Onshore pathways generally require six to nine months of Tasmanian employment. Tasmania uses weekly invitation rounds.
Priority sectors
Tasmania prioritises health and aged care, education (including childcare), hospitality, construction, trades, advanced manufacturing, agriculture and aquaculture.
From the 491 to the 191
After three years of compliant residence, work, and study in a designated regional area within Tasmania (or elsewhere in regional Australia), 491 holders may apply for the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa. The 191 has no minimum income threshold under current criteria. The applicant must provide three Notices of Assessment from the ATO covering income years during the regional provisional visa, and must demonstrate substantial compliance with 8579 throughout.
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 TAS 491 application
We assess your profile against TAS'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 consultationCommon questions
What areas of Tasmania qualify as regional for the 491?
How does the TAS 491 nomination process work?
What is the TAS 491 allocation for 2025-26?
Which occupations qualify?
What conditions apply once granted?
What are TAS's priority sectors for the 491?
Information current as at 30 April 2026. Tasmania program settings, occupation lists, and regional postcodes are revised through the program year. Confirm current settings at migration.tas.gov.au before lodging an application.