Skilled Migration / Australia / Route
Australia · Investment route
A regional Australian employer sponsors you for a 5-year visa, with permanent residency through subclass 191 after 3 years. This is the visa that replaced the closed subclass 187.
Last updated: 2026-10-01
Programme overviewنظرة عامة
Overview
Advising UAE residents on Australian immigration from our Dubai office.
What you getالمزايا
5-year visa with a clear permanent residency pathway through subclass 191 after 3 years.
No points test — selection is by employer nomination, not by score.
Partner and dependent children included, with work and study rights.
Draws on a wider occupation list than subclass 189 — MLTSSL, STSOL and ROL all count.
Lower competition than the points-tested routes, where cut-offs now reach 80-100.
Investment & costsالتكاليف
Qualifying investment
Visa application charge (primary applicant)
Home Affairs VAC as displayed on 29 September 2026. Additional applicant charges apply.
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
Be nominated by an approved employer for a position in a designated regional area.
Be under 45 years of age, unless exempt.
Have an occupation on a relevant skilled occupation list, and a suitable skills assessment.
Meet the English language standard for your stream.
Meet health and character requirements.
Who cannot apply
No approved regional employer nomination.
Occupation not on MLTSSL, STSOL or ROL.
Aged 45 or over at application without an exemption.
Position located outside a designated regional area.
Language requirementاللغة
Minimum level
Competent English or the standard required for your stream
Accepted tests
The processكيف نعمل
Secure a regional job offer
Find an approved employer with a position in a designated regional area.
Skills assessment
Obtain a suitable skills assessment for your nominated occupation.
Employer nomination
Your employer lodges the nomination with Home Affairs.
Lodge the visa application
Apply for the subclass 494 and pay the visa application charge.
Health, character and decision
Complete medicals and police checks, then await the decision.
Live and work regionally, then apply for PR
After 3 years holding the 494 and meeting the income threshold, apply for subclass 191.
Risk notes
This is a provisional visa, not permanent residency. You hold it for 5 years and become eligible for the subclass 191 permanent visa after 3 years.
Subclass 191 requires you to have met a taxable income threshold for at least 3 of those years. If your salary dips below it, the permanent stage is at risk — plan for this before you accept the role.
Your visa is tied to the nominating employer and the regional location. Changing either has consequences.
Skilled visa income thresholds were indexed on 1 July 2026. Confirm the current figure with Home Affairs before relying on a salary number.
Compliance
Three streams: Employer Sponsored, Labour Agreement, and Subsequent entrant.
Occupation lists: MLTSSL, STSOL and ROL (ANZSCO 2013). All three were last re-issued effective 28 March 2026.
Home Affairs processing times: Employer Sponsored stream — 8 months for 50% of applications, 12 months for 90%. Labour Agreement stream — 4 months and 12 months.
Applications are processed in the order set by Ministerial Direction No. 122.
This visa, together with subclass 491 and subclass 191, was created by the Migration Amendment (New Skilled Regional Visas) Regulations 2019 — the same instrument that closed subclass 187 to new applications.
Questionsأسئلة شائعة
This route, answered.
No. It is a provisional visa valid for 5 years. You apply for the subclass 191 permanent visa after holding it for 3 years and meeting the taxable income threshold.
Start the Australia route.
A senior advisor will confirm the exact costs, timeline and documents for your case — privately, and entirely off the record.