Permanent Residence Regional (191)
No points test, no new skills assessment, no age limit. Three years of regional life and income, shown with your tax notices.
- Category
- Regional
- For
- 491 and 494 holders after 3 years
- Key test
- Minimum taxable income for 3 income years
- Government charge
- A$630 main applicant
- Our fee
- From A$1,650
Start here
Do this
- Lodge tax returns on time every year
- Keep leases and bills showing regional addresses
- Check which 3 income years to use
- Apply before your visa expires
Avoid this
- Late tax returns
- Moving outside a regional area
- Assuming salary equals taxable income
- Leaving it until the last month
What a wrong turn can cost: Missing the income test or your visa expiry can mean losing PR eligibility after years of regional life.
Are you on the right track?
- Have you held your 491 or 494 for 3 years?
- Do you have 3 ATO notices of assessment above the threshold?
- Have you always lived and worked regionally?
Unsure about any of these? Talk it through on a free call — you're not alone in this.
Is this you?
- You're on a 491 or 494 and approaching 3 years.
- You had a low-income year and you're worried.
- Your provisional visa is getting close to expiry.
Who qualifies
- Held a 491 or 494 for at least 3 years.
- Followed the visa conditions (regional living and work).
- Taxable income at or above the threshold for 3 income years, shown on ATO notices of assessment.
Step by step
- Eligibility checkYears, income and addresses.
- Gather evidenceNotices of assessment and regional records.
- LodgeBefore your provisional visa expires.
Document checklist
Your ticks are saved on this device only.
Common problems
Myths and facts
How we help you with Permanent Residence Regional
- 1UnderstandAn eligibility check of years, income and addresses.
- 2PlanA written plan with the 3 income years to use.
- 3PrepareEvidence gathered and checked.
- 4LodgeLodged before your visa expires.
- 5DestinationPR grant explained.
What you'll receive
How we keep in touch: A simple, quick process: weekly updates until lodgement.
Three ways to do it
An honest look at your options. Some people do this themselves, and that can work well.
| Topic | With Omar Nafiz | Doing it yourself | With another provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income years | Best 3 years chosen | Often the first 3 | Varies |
| Evidence | Checked against the conditions | Assumed | Varies |
| Timing | Before expiry, planned | Last minute | Varies |
| Cost | A$1,650 | A$630 charge only | Varies |
| Family | Included and explained | Easy to miss | Varies |
A situation like yours
An illustrative situation, in Omar's words. Names and details are fictional. See all situations.
Three years regional, and one low-income year
- Age 41
- English Competent
- 🏡 Permanent Residence Regional
The situation. Kwame is 41. He is on a 491 and nearly three years in. He is worried about one low-income year and his age.
How I'd approach it
What I check first. The 191 has no points test, no new skills assessment and no age limit. So his age and English points do not count here. What counts is three years of regional life and income, shown with his tax notices. I read those first.
The options. Gather the tax notices and the evidence of living and working regionally. Lodge when he is eligible and before his 491 gets close to expiry.
Age and English. For the 191, the 15 points his age would score on a points test, and his Competent English, are not part of the assessment.
My caution. I need to see the low-income year before I say anything about it. The government charge for the 191 regional provisional stream is A$630 for the main applicant (as at 1 July 2026).
Illustrative situation. The names and details are fictional.
Questions people ask
Is it salary or taxable income?
Taxable income, as shown on your ATO notice of assessment.
What's the deadline?
Apply before your 491 or 494 expires.
Pricing
Consultation
A full review of your situation and a written plan.
191 application
Eligibility check, document review and lodgement.
Government visa charge (Department of Home Affairs, as at 1 July 2026)
| Visa | Main applicant | Extra 18+ | Extra under 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent Residence Regional (191), Regional Provisional stream | A$630 | A$315 | A$160 |
Checked 22 October 2026. Official pricing table · Estimate for your family
Our prices as at 22 October 2026. Packages are paid in stages, only after you sign a written service agreement. All services and fees.
Book
Talk to us about Permanent Residence Regional
Start with a free 15-minute phone call. If you need full advice, book a A$110 consultation — it comes off your package.
Often considered alongside
Figures checked 8 October 2026. Visa rules and charges change — we confirm everything for your situation before you pay for a package.