Subclass 491 · SA
South Australia regional nomination
Five-year provisional visa with fifteen bonus points. 900 places allocated for 2025-26. Pathway to permanent residence through the 191 after three years of regional compliance.
The South Australia Government nominates skilled migrants for the Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa. The program is administered by Migration SA and uses a Registration of Interest (ROI) mechanism. For the 2025-26 program year, SA received 900 491 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 SA, holders may apply for the Subclass 191 permanent residence visa.
Regional area scope
The entire state of South Australia is a designated regional area, including Adelaide which is Category 2. SA is one of the most accessible jurisdictions for the 491.
SA 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. South Australia refines selection through the South Australian Skilled Occupation List.
SA-specific commitment
SA prioritises onshore applicants already residing and working in South Australia. SA international graduates have streamlined access. Offshore applicants are invited directly from EOIs lodged in SkillSelect.
Priority sectors
South Australia prioritises health, engineering (including defence and space), ICT, education, business, defence and shipbuilding, agriculture and wine, advanced manufacturing.
From the 491 to the 191
After three years of compliant residence, work, and study in a designated regional area within South 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 SA 491 application
We assess your profile against SA'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 South Australia qualify as regional for the 491?
How does the SA 491 nomination process work?
What is the SA 491 allocation for 2025-26?
Which occupations qualify?
What conditions apply once granted?
What are SA's priority sectors for the 491?
Information current as at 30 April 2026. South Australia program settings, occupation lists, and regional postcodes are revised through the program year. Confirm current settings at migration.sa.gov.au before lodging an application.