Subclass 491 · WA
Western Australia regional nomination
Five-year provisional visa with fifteen nomination points. WA issued its first 2026-27 invitations on 14 October 2026, 391 of them for the subclass 491. Pathway to permanent residence through the 191 after three years.
The Western Australia Government nominates skilled migrants for the Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa through its State Nominated Migration Program, administered by WA Migration Services. WA invites candidates directly from their SkillSelect Expressions of Interest. WA issued its first 2026-27 invitations on 14 October 2026, for priority trade and non-trade occupations: 1,227 in total, 836 for subclass 190 and 391 for subclass 491. The subclass 491 invitations were 0 under WASMOL Schedule 1, 362 under WASMOL Schedule 2, 13 in the Graduate stream (higher education) and 16 in the Graduate stream (vocational education and training). Home Affairs recorded 120 subclass 491 nominations by WA between 1 July and 31 August 2026.
Checked on 27-10-2026 against WA Migration Services, State Nominated Migration Program, current invitation round.
The 491 is provisional for five years. Holders must live, work and study in a designated regional area. After holding the 491 for at least three years, and having complied with its conditions, holders may apply for the Subclass 191 permanent residence visa.
Regional area scope
All of Western Australia is a designated regional area for migration purposes. Home Affairs classes Perth as Category 2 (Cities and Major Regional Centres); the rest of the state falls in Category 3 (Regional Centres and Other Regional Areas).
WA 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
Under the 2025-26 settings, the occupation in your skills assessment must be on WASMOL Schedule 1 or Schedule 2 (General stream) or the Graduate Occupation List (Graduate stream), and eligible for the subclass 491. WASMOL Schedule 1 applicants also need at least one year of Australian or overseas work experience in the occupation in the last 10 years. The WA employment contract requirement does not apply to 491 applicants.
WA-specific commitment
Nominees commit to live and work in Western Australia for two years after arrival or visa grant; a person not yet in WA must move within three months of the grant and register their arrival. Candidates invited on the basis of WA residence must show at least three months of continuous residence in WA immediately before the invitation. Holders of a passport from the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, the United States of America or Ireland do not need to sit an English test for WA State nomination.
Priority sectors
Under the 2025-26 ranking system, candidates residing in WA rank first, followed by occupations in priority WA industry sectors: building and construction trades, other building and construction occupations, healthcare and social assistance, hospitality and tourism, and education and training. WA may change these priorities for 2026-27.
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 Western Australia (or elsewhere in regional Australia), holders may apply for the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa. Home Affairs sets no minimum income requirement for the 191 for 491 holders. The applicant must provide ATO notices of assessment for three income years out of the five years of the 491, and must have complied with the conditions of the visa for the whole period it was held.
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 WA 491 application
We assess your profile against WA'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 consultationWestern Australia 491 nomination activity
Checked on 22-10-2026 against Home Affairs SkillSelect and the Western Australia nomination page.
- Subclass 491 nominations recorded in SkillSelect, 1 July 2026 to 31 August 2026
- 120
- Latest round published by Western Australia
- 14 October 2026: 1,227 invitations for priority trade and non-trade occupations: 836 subclass 190 and 391 subclass 491.
Common questions
What areas of Western Australia qualify as regional for the 491?
How does the WA 491 nomination process work?
Has Western Australia opened its 2026-27 program?
Which occupations qualify?
What conditions apply once granted?
What are WA's priority sectors for the 491?
Information current as at 27 October 2026. WA issued its first 2026-27 invitations on 14 October 2026; the ranking settings described are those published on WA's program page. Confirm current settings at migration.wa.gov.au before lodging an EOI.