Australian Permanent Residency Pathways
| 189 Visa | 190 Visa | 491 Visa | |
| Direct PR? | Yes | Yes | No |
| Can live anywhere? | Yes | No | No |
| Full Family Visa? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Need State Nomination? | No | Yes | Yes |
| Competition Level? | High | Moderate | Moderate |
Key benefits:
- Permanent visa, valid indefinitely
- Live and work anywhere in Australia with no location restrictions
- No employer, family, or state sponsorship required
- Submit an EOI through SkillSelect and wait for an invitation
- Once invited, you have 60 days to lodge your full visa application
- Your spouse and dependent children can be included in the application
Requirements for 189 Visa
- Under 45 years of age
- Occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list
- Positive skills assessment from the relevant skills assessment authority in Australia
- Competent English (IELTS 6+ or equivalent)
- Minimum 65 points on the points test
- No employer or state sponsorship required — live and work anywhere in Australia
The 189 is the most competitive of the three visa types. Invitation scores have been rising steadily, and for popular occupations like software engineer or accountant, you may need 90 points or more to receive an invitation within a reasonable timeframe.
The Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) is Australia’s most competitive PR pathway, with invitations issued through SkillSelect based on points ranking and occupation ceilings. In recent program planning cycles, only a limited number of places—around tens of thousands across skilled visas—are allocated annually, making high scores and priority occupations critical.
Subclass 190 — Skilled Nominated Migration Pathway
The visa subclass 190 is also a permanent residency visa that requires sponsorship from an Australian state or territory government. In exchange for the nomination — which adds 5 points to your score — you commit to living and working in that state for a minimum of two years after the skilled migration Australia is approved.
This visa suits you if you have a solid points score but perhaps not enough to compete for the 189, or if you are genuinely interested in living in a particular state.
Key benefits:
- Permanent visa, valid indefinitely
- Nomination from a state or territory government is mandatory
- Each state runs its own nomination program with its own occupation list and requirements
- Nomination adds 5 points, boosting your effective score
- Must reside in the nominating state for at least two years
- After two years, you can freely move to any part of Australia
Requirements for Subclass 190 – Skilled Nominated
- Under 45 years of age
- Occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list
- Positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority
- Competent English (IELTS 6+ or equivalent)
- Minimum 65 points on the points test (nomination adds 5 points)
- Must be nominated by an Australian state or territory government
- Commit to living and working in the nominating state for 2 years
States that commonly nominate skilled workers include New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania. Each state prioritizes occupations based on its own economic needs, so it is worth researching which state is actively nominating your occupation.
Subclass 491 — Skilled Work Regional Migration
The visa subclass 491 is a temporary visa that gives you the opportunity to live and work in a designated regional area of Australia for up to five years. It is not a permanent visa from the start, but it is a clear and well-defined pathway to permanent residency through the Subclass 191 visa.
This visa suits you if your current points score is not high enough for the 189 or 190, or if you are open to living in regional Australia where the cost of living is lower and the lifestyle can be very attractive.
Key benefits:
- Provisional (temporary) visa, valid for 5 years.
- Must live and work in a designated regional area throughout the visa period
- Sponsored by a state or territory government OR by an eligible relative living in a designated regional area
- Sponsorship adds 15 points — the largest single points boost available
- After three years of living in a regional area and meeting an income threshold, you can apply for the Subclass 191 permanent visa
- Regional areas include dozens of cities and towns outside Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane — including Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Darwin, Gold Coast, Newcastle, and many others
Requirements for Subclass 491 – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional)
- Under 45 years of age
- Occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list
- Positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority
- Competent English (IELTS 6+ or equivalent)
- Minimum 65 points on the points test (nomination adds 15 points)
- Must be nominated by a state/territory or sponsored by an eligible relative in a regional area
- Must live and work in a designated regional area for 5 years
- Leads to permanent residence via Subclass 191
For the 491 visa, all of regional Australia qualifies — which is essentially everywhere except Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Perth.
States where the entire state is considered regional (100% eligible):
- Tasmania
- South Australia
- Northern Territory
- Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
For many Bangladeshi applicants, the 491 visa is the most achievable starting point for skilled migration Australia. It opens the door to Australia even when your points score is in the 65 to 80 range, and it gives you five years to gain Australian work experience, improve your English, and build a life before transitioning to permanent residency.
The Pathway from 491 to Australian Permanent Residency (Subclass 191)
For many Bangladeshi professionals, the Subclass 491 is not the final destination — it is the smarter starting point. This temporary regional visa comes with a direct road to permanent residency through the Subclass 191 (Permanent Residence – Skilled Regional) visa. Unlike the 189 or 190, you do not re-enter SkillSelect or compete in a points pool again. If you meet the conditions, you apply directly and convert your temporary status to permanent.
To be eligible for Subclass 191, you must meet all three conditions:
- Live in a designated regional area of Australia for at least 3 years on your 491 visa — verified through lease agreements, utility bills, and residential records
- Earn a minimum of AUD 53,900 per year (indexed figure — always confirm the current threshold) from genuine employment in that regional area for all three years
- Maintain full compliance with your 491 visa conditions throughout the period
Designated regional areas cover most of Australia, excluding Greater Sydney, Greater Melbourne, Greater Brisbane, Gold Coast, and the ACT. Cities like Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Geelong, and Newcastle all qualify — and many Bangladeshi families are settling well in these cities with strong job markets and growing South Asian communities.
Once the 191 is granted, all regional restrictions lift. You can live and work anywhere in Australia, sponsor eligible family members, and access full permanent resident benefits. After four years of residence, Australian citizenship also becomes an option.
The honest reality: the 491 to 191 pathway is one of the most achievable routes to Australian PR for Bangladeshi applicants right now. The three-year commitment is real, the income threshold requires stable employment quickly, and regional living is a genuine lifestyle shift — but for those who plan properly, it is a clear, structured, and increasingly popular road to a permanent future in Australia.