491 vs 190 Visa: Differences, Benefits & Best One for You

491 vs 190 Visa: Which Skilled Visa Pathway Suits You

The key difference between the 491 Visa and the 190 Visa lies in their residency conditions, regional obligations, and benefits.

The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 491) allows you to live and work in an Australian regional area for five years. Meanwhile, the Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190) or 190 Visa grants you direct permanent residency.

Both the 491 Visa and the 190 Visa are points-tested and require a nomination from a state or territory Government, but the 190 Visa offers direct PR upon its approval, while the 491 Visa offers a PR pathway after you live and work in the regional area for at least 3 years immediately on this visa.

Key takeaways: 491 Visa is a provisional visa with a PR pathway, while 190 Visa grants direct PR upon its approval.

Introduction of the 491 Visa

The 491 Visa is specifically designed to attract skilled workers to live and work in an Australian regional area. You must receive a nomination from a state or territory government or be sponsored by an eligible family member who lives in a designated regional area.

Holding a 491 Visa allows you to live, work, and study in regional areas for five years.

The 491 Visa offers a permanent residency pathway through the 191 Visa. To qualify, you must live and work in the regional area for at least three years on the 491 Visa.

Migrating to a regional area might not sound promising, but have you considered these reasons? Spoiler alert: these may catch your interest!

Summary of the 190 Visa

The 190 Visa is a permanent skilled visa requiring a nomination by a state or territory Government.

Upon its approval, you become an Australian permanent resident. With this visa, you can live and work anywhere within the nominating state or territory.

You must meet the minimum point threshold of 65, hold a positive Skills Assessment, and be nominated by the state or territory Government.

Skilled migrants often prefer the 190 Visa for its direct permanent residency and flexibility to work in any areas within the nominating state.

Still wondering why people decide to migrate to Australia? Here are the reasons!

The Difference between 491 Visa and 190 Visa in Point Test

The 491 Visa and 190 Visa use the same point test system, in which your points will be calculated based on:

• age,
• English proficiency,
• educational background,
• work experience,
• marriage status, and
• state nomination.

However, if you receive a nomination or sponsorship by an eligible family member for a 491 Visa, you will get an additional 15 points. Meanwhile, the 190 Visa grants 5 additional points for the state nomination.

These additional points can significantly increase your chance of getting an invitation, especially if your current points are below the minimum threshold of 65 points.

491 Visa vs 190 Visa: What are the Benefits?

Both the 491 Visa and 190 Visa offer great benefits to support your career goals.

Benefits 491 Visa Offers:

• Easier to obtain due to low competition and higher additional points
• Opportunities to work in regional areas with strong workforce demand
• Straightforward PR pathway after holding the visa for 3 years

Benefits 190 Visa Offers:

• Direct permanent residency upon visa grant
• Freedom to live and work in any city or region within the nominating state or territory
• Direct access to Medicare and other government benefits

Choosing Between the 491 Visa and 190 Visa

You should consider these aspects in deciding between a 491 Visa or a 190 Visa:

• Your lifestyle: do you prefer the urban, slow-paced lifestyle or vice versa?
• Work opportunities: is your occupation in high demand or not?
• Long-term settlement plans: do you prefer to become an Australian PR directly, or do you prefer to try living in the country temporarily first?

If you prefer a slow-paced lifestyle, supported by the fact that your occupation is highly needed in a regional area, and you need higher additional points, the 491 Visa may suit you better.

However, if you have high points already and your occupation is highly needed in a certain state, the 190 Visa could be a convenient way to migrate to Australia.

We strongly advise you to assess your personal circumstances, the demand for your occupation and the nomination requirement with a registered migration agent. That way, you can ensure that you apply for the best pathway.

491 Visa vs 190 Visa: Which one is the best?

The 491 Visa and 190 Visa will lead you to Australian permanent residency: 491 Visa requires you to apply for 191 Visa after 3 years holding it, but 190 Visa directly grants you one.

The 491 Visa is great if you prefer to explore the country first, while the 190 Visa is suitable if you’re ready for permanent settlement in a specific state.

Understanding the differences and benefits each visa offers to you will help you decide and plan a strategic migration journey that aligns with your goals.