At least 3 yearsHolding the eligible 491 or 494 visa
3 income yearsMain applicant's ATO assessments
No minimum incomeAssessment evidence still matters
01 Check your pathway02 Gather your evidence03 Reconcile & prepare to lodge
Before you start
This checklist covers the 191 Regional Provisional stream for subclass 491 and 494 holders. It helps you organise an application; ticking every box does not establish eligibility.
Applying under the Hong Kong stream? That is a separate pathway for eligible Hong Kong or British National (Overseas) passport holders with qualifying 457, 482 or 485 visas. Its visa and regional-residence tests differ. Use the Home Affairs Hong Kong stream checklist, rather than applying the tax list below to your case.
For the Regional Provisional stream, keep three checks separate:
Visa held: the main applicant must hold an eligible 491 or 494 visa and have held that visa for at least three years when applying. Multiple visas cannot be added together to meet that holding requirement.
Tax evidence: provide the main applicant’s ATO assessments for three relevant income years, including amendments. There is currently no minimum income requirement for this stream.
Conditions and other criteria: check your visa-condition history, health, character and relevant family criteria. A three-year anniversary is not an automatic permanent visa.
Treat the labels below as preparation guidance. Some entries are eligibility checks or supporting-record suggestions; others apply only to your circumstances. The current Home Affairs instructions and any requests for your application determine what you need to supply.
Ticks are saved in this browser when storage is available. They are not sent to WiseKangaroo. This revised list starts fresh from the earlier version.
Prepare and apply
Plan document validity. AFP certificates are valid for 12 months from issue for immigration purposes. Health results are generally valid for 12 months, but new examinations are not automatically needed for every 491/494 holder moving to 191. Follow the Home Affairs health timing instructions. Do not assume an English test is needed simply because it appeared on another visa checklist.
Start with a timeline. Put your grant date, expiry date, address changes, work locations, study and travel in date order. Attach supporting filenames to each entry so gaps are easy to spot. For practical examples, use our 491 to 191 evidence guide.
Check the tax years separately. A relevant income year must end before you apply, and you must have held a regional provisional visa for all or part of that year. Three tax years and three years holding the visa are different tests. The definitions and assessment rules appear in clauses 191.111 and 191.222 of the Migration Regulations.
Find missing assessments early. Look in your myGov inbox, or in ATO online services under My profile → Communication → History. The ATO explains how to obtain a notice of assessment. If you lodged non-lodgment advice or never received an assessment, resolve the tax and migration questions before relying on that year.
Review location and employment questions. Keep evidence of where you actually lived, worked and studied. An employer’s head-office address may not explain a remote-work arrangement. Start with the regional postcode checker, then confirm the official designation for the relevant date. For 491 holders, condition 8579 uses the visa-grant reference point; for 494 holders, it uses the relevant nomination. Condition 8578 requires specified changes to be notified within 14 days. See Schedule 8 of the Regulations. Have possible breaches assessed rather than trying to solve them with more paperwork.
Complete the Australian Values Statement. For the declaration step, follow the Home Affairs Australian values instructions, including reading or having the Life in Australia booklet explained.
Lodge and keep track. Follow the Home Affairs steps in ImmiAccount, attach the evidence and pay the applicable charge. Keep your TRN and check for requests. Before overseas travel, check that you have a visa allowing your return. Use the current visa pricing estimator and processing-time guide; figures change and are not a promise for your application.
Do I need to earn a particular salary for the 191 visa?
Home Affairs currently states that there is no minimum income requirement for the Regional Provisional stream. The ATO assessment requirement still applies. This does not remove a 494 holder's employment conditions or the rules applying to an employer's nomination.
Can my partner be the main applicant?
A partner who independently meets the primary criteria may be able to apply as the main applicant. Compare both people's visa histories and evidence before choosing, and seek advice if the position is unclear. A family member included as a secondary applicant has separate criteria and should not automatically be given the main applicant's three-assessment requirement.
Are leases, payslips and bills all compulsory?
They are examples of evidence that may help demonstrate compliance. Choose records that explain your actual history. If you lived with relatives or worked at multiple locations, identify the evidence gap and get advice on how to address it accurately.
Does applying let me move to a metropolitan area?
Do not assume that lodgement changes your conditions. Check your current visa, any bridging visa and the conditions that apply before changing where you live, work or study.
Do I need certified copies and NAATI translations for everything?
The stream's preparation instructions say clear colour scans or photographs do not need certification. Non-English documents need English translations alongside the originals. Translators in Australia must be NAATI accredited; overseas translators have different requirements. Follow the current Home Affairs instructions.
General preparation guidance only. Your required evidence depends on your stream and circumstances. Check the linked official instructions before applying, and seek individual advice for an eligibility or compliance question.
