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Australia Regional Migration: Subclass 491 and 191 Visas in 2026

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Australia continues to prioritise regional migration to boost population and skills outside major metropolitan areas. The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa subclass 491 and the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa subclass 191 are key pathways for skilled migrants willing to live and work in regional Australia.

The Skilled Regional visa subclass 489 was closed in November 2019 and replaced by subclass 491. Contact Visas Simply to discuss your regional migration options. Call 1300 307 451.

Understanding the TSS 482 Visa: Australia Temporary Skill Shortage Visa Explained

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The Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa subclass 482 replaced the old 457 visa in March 2018. If you are searching for information about the 457 visa, please note that this visa has been abolished and the TSS 482 visa is its replacement.

The TSS 482 visa allows businesses to address labour shortages by sponsoring skilled workers from overseas. It has two streams: the Short-term stream (up to 2 years) and the Medium-term stream (up to 4 years). Occupations eligible for each stream are listed on the STSOL and MLTSSL respectively.

Visas Simply can help you navigate the TSS 482 visa application process. Call us on 1300 307 451.

Major Changes to Australian Skilled Migration 2025-2026

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Australian immigration has undergone significant changes in 2025 and 2026. The Department of Home Affairs has updated skilled migration pathways, including changes to the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa subclass 482 and the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) subclass 186.

Key updates include revisions to the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), streamlined pathways to permanent residency for skilled workers, and updated work experience requirements. The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) continues to handle migration review cases following the abolition of the Migration Review Tribunal (MRT) and Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT).

Contact Visas Simply today. Our MARA-registered migration agents will assess your eligibility and guide you through the entire process. Call 1300 307 451.

Immigration SA is introducing some changes to its general skilled migration nomination policies.

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Immigration SA is introducing some changes to its general skilled migration nomination policies.

  1. Rewarding international students that have been long-term residents of South Australia

  2. Expansion of the high performing graduate category for South Australian graduates

  3. Removal of the minimum bachelor’s degree requirement under the Chain Migration category

Rewarding international students that have been long-term residents of South Australia
Immigration SA recognises the long pathway that some students take to achieving their career and permanent residency goals.
Immigration SA particularly would like to recognise those current and former students that have contributed to and remained in South Australia (and no other jurisdiction) for many years, showing their ongoing commitment to the state.
From 28 February 2019, Immigration SA will offer state nomination for the Provisional 489 visa to any applicant who:
  • Is a current or former international student residing in South Australia; AND
  • Has resided continually in South Australia since March 2012 or earlier and continues to reside in South Australia; AND
  • Is currently:
    • working in South Australia in any occupation (does not have to be at a skilled level) for at least the last 3 months (minimum of 40 hours per fortnight); OR
    • studying a course with a minimum duration of one academic year in South Australia.
Finer detail:
  • This policy is being introduced as a pilot initially. Immigration SA reserves the right to change its nomination requirements, whilst Commonwealth requirements may also change.
  • Applicants will need to show evidence that they have remained in South Australia continuously since March 2012. This includes confirmation of the various courses enrolled in, visa subclasses held and residency over time.
  • Applicants who have lived, studied or worked in another Australian jurisdiction for any period of time since 2012 will not be eligible. Verification checks will apply.
  • Short visits home or holidays will not break the SA residency requirement, provided that evidence of continued connection to South Australia is provided (i.e. continued enrolment and/or employment and relevant visa held).
  • To be considered a former international graduate of South Australia, you must have completed a CRICOS registered course with a minimum duration of 46 weeks.
  • If currently studying, this course must also be CRICOS registered for a minimum of 46 weeks.
  • The applicant must meet all other state nomination and Department of Home Affairs’ requirements. As per any application for state nomination, a valid Skills Assessment and English language test result is required. For the latter, only the minimum Department of Home Affairs requirement of ‘Competent’ English is necessary (unless a higher level is required for registration purposes – see 6.5 and 9.10).

Expansion of the high performing graduate category for South Australian graduates 

Immigration SA offers state nomination without the need for work experience to students able to obtain a skills assessment where they can meet the high performing graduate settings.
For South Australian graduates with a bachelor’s degree graduates or a masters by coursework after a South Australian bachelor’s degree, this work experience waiver required a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 6.0. This mark remains for those seeking nomination for a permanent 190 visa.
For other students who have performed very well in their studies, but not to a GPA of 6.0 and above, Immigration SA will offer Provisional visa nomination (subclass 489) to those scoring a GPA of 5.20 to 5.99. This will allow these students to spend longer in South Australia than via other temporary pathways available, giving them more time to establish their careers.
This expansion is most relevant to those students completing courses where an occupational skills assessment is possible immediately upon course completion, such as engineering and accounting/business degrees. Some courses, particularly those assessed by VETASSESS, require at least 12 months of skilled work experience before a skills assessment can be awarded.
To access this waiver, the applicant must have completed their South Australia degree within the last two years and continued to live in South Australia since then.
Minor change to Chain Migration Policy (removal of bachelor’s degree requirement)
Since its introduction in July 2014, chain migration has allowed a pathway for many migrants to join with their family members in South Australia.
For applicants with an eligible family member already residing in South Australia, the chain migration pathway offers access to occupations on the Supplementary Skilled List, but since its introduction, this required a minimum bachelor’s degree or higher.
This bachelor’s degree requirement has now been removed, meaning access to a range of trade occupations that are not on the State Nominated Occupation List is now possible for those with eligible family in South Australia.
The chain migration pathway continues to offer access to a provisional visa, not a permanent visa.
It remains important that chain migration applicants carefully consider their likelihood of achieving skilled employment in their nominated occupation or any other occupation when making the decision to migrate, as they are being nominated primarily based on their close family links. We expect that the existing family member will be on hand to provide considerable settlement support as required.

Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) has announced changes to the Trade Skills Assessment programs for TSS, OSAP and TRS. The following changes apply to all applications received from 1st March 2019.

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CHANGES TO TRADE SKILLS ASSESSMENTS


Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) has announced changes to the Trade Skills Assessment programs for TSS, OSAP and TRS.  The following changes apply to all applications received from 1st March 2019.

  1. Changes to the employment and training requirements for Pathway 1 assessments

The amount of verifiable employment evidence a Pathway 1 applicant must submit for their nominated occupation has been changed as follows:

  • Licensed trade with no formal training – six years work experience
  • Licensed trade with formal training – four years work experience
  • Non-licensed trade with no formal training – five years work experience
  • Non-licensed trade with formal training – three years work experience.

 

Additionally, all applicants must have completed at least 12 months of employment in their nominated occupation in the three years prior to lodging their application.

*TRA has defined ‘formal training’ as training that aligns with the national training standards in the applicant’s country of training.

NOTE: The requirements for Pathway 2 assessments are unchanged.


  1. Changes to assessment fees

Fees for Trade Skills Assessments are now set by Trades Recognition Australia.  Payment of these fees must be made directly to TRA.   Information regarding the new fees is available at: https://www.tradesrecognitionaustralia.gov.au/news-media/news/new-payment-arrangements-tss-program-osap-and-trs


  1. Changes to the evidence-submission and payment process

From the 1st March 2019, VETASSESS requires new applications to be accompanied by ALL required Stage 1 documentary evidence. After applying and uploading evidence, you will make payment directly to TRA.

NOTE: Agents and applicants will NOT be able to upload further evidence after making payment.

Please refer to the below diagram:

  1. Postal application forms no longer accepted

VETASSESS is no longer accepting postal applications.  All applications must be submitted online.

Working Holiday Visa Changes: The availability of a third-year visa will attract working holiday makers to work for longer in regional Australia.

Australia Visa

Working Holiday Maker visa program

The Australian Government has announced changes to the Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visa program to support regional and rural communities.

Changes to the WHM visa program include:

From 5 November 2018, expanding the regional areas where subclass 462-visa holders can work in agriculture (plant and animal cultivation) to qualify for a second year of stay in Australia. Currently only those who work in Northern Australia are eligible.
From 5 November 2018, increasing the period in which subclass 417 and 462 visa holders can stay with the same agricultural (plant and animal cultivation) employer, from 6 to 12 months.
The option of a third-year for subclass 417 and 462 visa holders who, after 1 July 2019, undertake 6-months of specified work in a specified regional area during their second year.
Over the coming weeks, offering an increase in the annual caps to a number of countries that participate in the subclass 462 visa program.
Increase the eligible age for subclass 417 visa applicants from Canada and Ireland to 35.
How will these changes address regional workforce shortages

The key focus is on providing farmers with immediate access to workers in key parts of regional Australia. The changes aim to increase the number of Working Holiday Makers available for seasonal work needs.

Employers will be able to retain trained and experienced employees doing agricultural (plant and animal cultivation) work for up to 12-months, rather than the previous 6-months.

The availability of a third-year visa will attract working holiday makers to work for longer in regional Australia.

What does plant and animal cultivation include

Plant and animal cultivation includes most agricultural work, such as:

the harvesting and/or packing of fruit and vegetable crops
pruning and trimming vines and trees
general maintenance crop work
cultivating or propagating plants, fungi or their products or parts
immediate processing of plant products
maintaining animals for the purpose of selling them or their bodily produce
immediate processing of animal products including shearing, butchery, packing and tanning
manufacturing dairy produce from raw material.
What additional parts of regional Australia will be included in the expanded arrangements

From 5 November 2018, this will be extended to regional areas in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia, and all of Northern Territory, South Australia, and Tasmania. Details of specific postcodes will be published on the Department’s website shortly.

Are any changes being made to the subclass 462 Northern Australia initiatives

No change is being made to the existing Northern Australia concessions:

subclass 417 & 462 visa holders can continue to work with one employer in northern Australia for up to 12 months in Aged & Disability Care; Agriculture; Construction; Mining; and Tourism & Hospitality
subclass 462 visa holders can continue to complete specified work in northern Australia in tourism and hospitality or agriculture, forestry and fishing industries, to become eligible for a second-year visa.
How long will subclass 462-visa holders need to work in the additional regional areas to get the second year

Participation in the second-year program is voluntary. Subclass 462-visa holders need to complete a total of three-months (88 calendar days) of specified work to be eligible to apply for their second-year visa. They may combine work completed in any existing specified industry and location with new industries and locations to meet the work requirement.

What types of work completed will count towards third-year eligibility

Specified work for the third-year visa are the same as the eligibility for specified work for the second-year visa.

For further information please feel free to contact our office and we are more than willing to assist you.