Visa processing times / Subclass 491 · 中文

491 Skilled Regional Visa processing time

Name: 491 Skilled Regional Visa processing times (Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491))
Creator: AusVisaClock

As of 2 November 2026, Home Affairs reports that 90% of recently decided Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (State/Territory Government Nominated Regional) applications were finalised within 30 months, and half within 17 months.

Half decided within

17 months

9 in 10 decided within

30 months

Estimate my decision date

State/Territory Government Nominated RegionalUpdated 2 November 2026

30 months

for 90% of applications

Applications decided in the period ending 30 September 2026

25% decided within6 months
50% decided within17 months
75% decided within19 months
90% decided within30 months

Source: Department of Home Affairs, global visa processing times.

Key facts

As of 2 November 2026, Home Affairs reports that 90% of Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (State/Territory Government Nominated Regional) applications were decided within 30 months, 75% within 19 months, 50% within 17 months and 25% within 6 months.
The figures cover applications decided in the period ending 30 September 2026 and are measured from lodgement to decision.
Across the 2 491 streams, Family Sponsored Regional was quickest (90% within 7 months) and State/Territory Government Nominated Regional slowest (90% within 30 months).
Home Affairs revises these processing times about once a month.

Checked against Home Affairs every day. Last checked 11 November 2026.

Cite this page

AusVisaClock. “491 visa processing time.” Updated 2 November 2026. https://ausvisaclock.com/491-visa-processing-time/

The figures come from the Department of Home Affairs. You may quote them with a link to this page.

491 processing times by stream

Family Sponsored Regional is the quickest stream (90% within 7 months); State/Territory Government Nominated Regional is the slowest (90% within 30 months).

Stream	25%	50%	75%	90%	Spread
State/Territory Government Nominated Regional	6 months	17 months	19 months	30 months
Family Sponsored Regional	71 days	4 months	5 months	7 months

Updated 2 November 2026 for applications decided in the period ending 30 September 2026.

When could my 491 be decided?

Enter the date you lodged. We add the department’s published percentiles to it and show where today falls: how many applications like yours were decided in the time you have already waited.

This runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to us unless you save it to an account.

Stream

Date you lodged your application

Share of applications decided	By

Your dates will move.

Home Affairs revises these figures about once a month, so your 50% and 90% dates change with them. Pro checks every morning and emails you the new dates the day the 491 figures move.

Or save it free

How the 491 wait has moved

The gap between the median and the 90th percentile is about 13 months, so a minority of applications take far longer than most.

Trend starts with the next release.

AusVisaClock records every release the department publishes from November 2026. Once the next one is out, this chart shows how the 90% time for State/Territory Government Nominated Regional has moved, and Pro members get an email the day it changes.

491 visa processing time questions

How long does the 491 visa take?

In the department’s latest figures (published 2 November 2026, for applications decided in the period ending 30 September 2026), 50% of Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (State/Territory Government Nominated Regional) applications were decided within 17 months, 75% within 19 months and 90% within 30 months. Times differ by stream: see the table above.

What do the 25%, 50%, 75% and 90% figures mean?

They are percentiles of recently decided applications. “90% within 30 months” means nine in ten applications decided in the reporting period took 30 months or less from lodgement to decision. They describe applications that have already been decided, so they lag behind changes in the queue and do not guarantee a time for any single application.

My 491 application is past the 90% time. What now?

Some applications take longer, for example when the department asks for more information, health or character checks are still open, or the application was incomplete when lodged. The department says it is usually not useful to contact it before the processing time has passed. After that, you can check your ImmiAccount and use the department’s enquiry form. For advice about your own application, speak to a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner.

How often are these processing times updated?

The Department of Home Affairs revises its global processing times about once a month, a few weeks after the end of each reporting period. AusVisaClock checks the department’s figures every day, updates this page when they change, and keeps each release so you can see the trend.