Skilled Migration / Australia / Route
Australia · Investment route
The permanent visa that subclass 491 and 494 holders convert to after three years in regional Australia. No sponsor, no nominator, and it costs from AUD 630.
Last updated: 2026-10-01
Programme overviewنظرة عامة
Overview
Advising UAE residents on Australian immigration from our Dubai office.
What you getالمزايا
Permanent residency — live, work and study anywhere in Australia.
No sponsor and no nominator required.
The Regional provisional stream costs from AUD 630, a fraction of Australia's other permanent skilled visas.
Partner and dependent children can be included.
Pathway to Australian citizenship.
Investment & costsالتكاليف
Qualifying investment
Visa application charge — Regional provisional stream
From AUD 630. Concessions apply in limited circumstances.
Visa application charge — HKSAR and BN(O) passport stream
From AUD 6,135. For HKSAR or British National (Overseas) passport holders. Concessions apply in limited circumstances.
Government & due-diligence fees
Figures are indicative and exclusive of professional fees. Your advisor confirms an exact, written cost breakdown for your family size.
Eligibilityالأهلية
Requirements
Regional provisional stream: hold an eligible regional visa for at least 3 years and comply with its conditions.
Regional provisional stream: have had a taxable income at or above the relevant income threshold for at least 3 years while holding that visa.
Regional provisional stream: have lived and worked in a designated regional area of Australia on that eligible visa.
Hong Kong stream: hold a Hong Kong passport or a British National (Overseas) passport, and meet the visa and residence requirements.
Meet health and character requirements.
Who cannot apply
Fewer than 3 years holding the eligible regional visa.
Taxable income below the threshold in any of the 3 required years.
Breach of the conditions attached to the eligible visa.
Living or working outside a designated regional area while holding the provisional visa.
The processكيف نعمل
Hold an eligible regional visa
Subclass 491 or subclass 494, held for at least 3 years.
Live and work regionally
Remain in a designated regional area and comply with every condition on your provisional visa.
Meet the income threshold
Have a taxable income at or above the threshold for at least 3 years while holding the visa. Keep your notices of assessment.
Lodge the subclass 191 application
Apply directly — no sponsor or nominator is needed. The Regional provisional stream starts from AUD 630.
Health, character and decision
Complete medicals and police checks, then await the decision.
Risk notes
The income test is where this visa is lost. You must have met the taxable income threshold for at least 3 years, and Home Affairs does not publish the amount on the visa page. Confirm the current threshold with an adviser before you rely on a regional salary offer.
Home Affairs publishes no static processing time for subclass 191. Its page directs applicants to the processing time guide tool, and XIPHIAS checks the current position when you lodge.
Complying with your provisional visa conditions matters as much as the income. A period living or working outside the designated regional area can end the pathway.
Compliance
Two streams: Regional provisional, and Hong Kong.
The Regional provisional stream requires holding an eligible visa for at least 3 years, complying with its conditions, and meeting a taxable income threshold for at least 3 years while holding it.
Subclass 491 and subclass 494 are the two skilled regional provisional visas that lead here.
No sponsor or nominator is required.
From 1 July 2026 a lower visa application charge applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens.
The taxable income threshold amount is not published on the Home Affairs visa page. XIPHIAS confirms the current threshold against your notices of assessment before you apply.
Home Affairs page last updated 1 July 2026.
Questionsأسئلة شائعة
This route, answered.
People who have held an eligible regional visa — subclass 491 or 494 — for at least 3 years, complied with its conditions, lived and worked in a designated regional area, and met a taxable income threshold for at least 3 of those years. There is also a separate Hong Kong stream.
Start the Australia route.
A senior advisor will confirm the exact costs, timeline and documents for your case — privately, and entirely off the record.