Subclass 491 · WA
Western Australia regional nomination
Five-year provisional visa with fifteen bonus points. 1,400 places allocated for 2025-26. Pathway to permanent residence through the 191 after three years of regional compliance.
The Western Australia Government nominates skilled migrants for the Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa. The program is administered by WA Migration Services and uses a Invitation to apply, based on EOI ranking mechanism. For the 2025-26 program year, WA received 1,400 491 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 WA, holders may apply for the Subclass 191 permanent residence visa.
Regional area scope
All of Western Australia is regional for the 491, including Perth which is Category 2. WA is the largest geographic regional area in the country.
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
Occupation must be on the federal MLTSSL, STSOL, or ROL. Western Australia refines selection through the Western Australian Skilled Migration Occupation List (WASMOL), Schedule 1 and Graduate streams.
WA-specific commitment
WA Migration Services nominates applicants who commit to live and work in Western Australia for the first two years following arrival or visa grant. WA prioritises applicants residing in Western Australia at the time of invitation. English language exemptions apply to citizens of the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand, and the Republic of Ireland.
Priority sectors
Western Australia prioritises mining and resources, construction, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, agriculture and aquaculture, energy and renewables, tourism.
From the 491 to the 191
After three years of compliant residence, work, and study in a designated regional area within Western Australia (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 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 consultationCommon questions
What areas of Western Australia qualify as regional for the 491?
How does the WA 491 nomination process work?
What is the WA 491 allocation for 2025-26?
Which occupations qualify?
What conditions apply once granted?
What are WA's priority sectors for the 491?
Information current as at 30 April 2026. Western Australia program settings, occupation lists, and regional postcodes are revised through the program year. Confirm current settings at migration.wa.gov.au before lodging an application.