Overview

The Skilled Regional (Residence) visa (Subclass 191) enables eligible provisional regional visa holders to transition to permanent residence status after living and working in regional Australia.

Key Features

• Grants permanent Australian residence to holders.
• Two streams available – Regional Provisional and Hong Kong Regional.
• Requires minimum 3 years residing/working in regional areas.

Eligibility Factors

To be eligible, applicants must have:

• Held provisional regional visa for at least 3 years
• Lived/worked in regional area as required
• Met income threshold through regional work
• Complied with all previous visa conditions

Hong Kong Stream

• Hold HK/BNO passport
• Meet additional prior Australian residence rules

Other Conditions

• Health, security and character clearances

Successful applicants receive:

• Unrestricted rights to live/work in Australia
• Access to healthcare, education and welfare
• Ability to sponsor eligible family members

Conclusion

The Subclass 191 visa aims to facilitate greater regional settlement for migrant families who have demonstrated a longer-term commitment.