Subclass 491 visa: fees and processing times explained

The official sources do not state a specific visa application charge for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491) visa. The fee is set out in the Visa Pricing Table on the Department of Home Affairs website, which you must check to confirm the amount that applies to your application. The sources do, however, explain when an additional subsequent temporary application charge may apply to a subclass 491 application, and they give the current median processing time for skilled temporary visas. This article sets out what the official material establishes and what you need to verify directly.

What the sources establish about subclass 491

The official guidance covers the subclass 491 visa in two respects. First, the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491) visa is listed as one of the visa subclasses covered by Ministerial Direction 119, which sets processing priorities for certain skilled visas and came into effect on 25 July 2026. Second, the median processing time published for the Skilled (Temporary) visa category, which includes subclass 491, is 98 days as at July 2026.

The sources do not give a dollar figure for the subclass 491 base application charge. They also do not give a subclass-specific processing time for 491; the 98-day figure is a median across the Skilled (Temporary) category, and the Department notes that processing times vary between different visas within a category.

The subsequent temporary application charge and subclass 491

The subsequent temporary application charge (STAC) is a charge that applies to certain temporary visas, payable by each person in the application and based on their individual visa history. It is payable in addition to any other visa charges that apply at the time of lodgement. The charge is not paid for bridging, criminal justice or enforcement visas, or for permanent visas.

Whether the STAC applies to a subclass 491 application depends on the applicant’s circumstances. The Department provides a four-step calculation to determine whether the charge applies to each applicant. The steps are:

Step	Question	Outcome if yes	Outcome if no
1	Are you in Australia applying for a visa of a kind specified in Table 1?	Go to step 2	Charge is $0
2	Do you hold, or was the last substantive visa you held, a visa of a kind specified in Table 2?	Go to step 3	Charge is $0
3	Did you apply for a visa specified in Table 2 when you were in Australia?	Go to step 4	Charge is $0
4	Do any of the listed situations apply (new-born child, operation of law, ministerial intervention, no application made, or education provider default)?	Charge is $0	STAC applies

Table 1 lists temporary visas being applied for. The subclass 491 visa is not listed in Table 1 in the official guidance. Table 1 lists subclasses 408, 407, 482, 500, 590 and 600. Table 2 lists previous visas applied for in Australia, and includes subclasses such as 482, 500, 600 and others — but not subclass 491.

This means the official guidance does not show subclass 491 as a visa to which the STAC applies. However, the official guidance says the STAC applies to “certain temporary visas” and that the visa pricing table shows whether a subsequent temporary application charge applies. The Department’s guidance states that the STAC will not be charged where “the visa pricing table does not show a subsequent temporary application charge” or shows it as nil or N/A. You should therefore check the Visa Pricing Table entry for subclass 491 to confirm whether any STAC is indicated for your circumstances.

Exemptions from the subsequent temporary application charge

The Department sets out a list of circumstances where the STAC will not be charged. These include:

• the base application charge for your application is nil
• the visa pricing table does not show a subsequent temporary application charge
• the visa pricing table shows the subsequent temporary application charge as nil
• the visa pricing table shows the subsequent temporary application charge as N/A
• the applicant is outside Australia while making their substantive temporary visa application
• the applicant is making their first substantive temporary visa application in Australia
• the subsequent temporary application charge formula evaluates the charge to nil

A substantive visa is defined as a visa other than a bridging visa, a criminal justice visa or an enforcement visa. If you are applying for a subclass 491 visa from outside Australia, the STAC will not apply to you based on the exemption for applicants outside Australia.

Processing priorities for subclass 491

Ministerial Direction 119, which came into effect on 25 July 2026, replaced all processing priorities under Ministerial Direction 105 and applies to all on-hand applications. It covers the subclass 491 visa. Prioritisation under the Direction is afforded according to both occupation and the location of applicants at the time of application.

The processing order is as follows:

1. Highest priority: applications supporting Australia’s law enforcement or defence interests where the applicant is in Australia at the time of application.
2. Second priority: applications supporting Australia’s law enforcement or defence interests where the applicant is outside Australia at the time of application.
3. Third priority: applications relating to construction, healthcare and teaching occupations where the applicant is in Australia at the time of application.
4. Fourth priority: all other applications where the applicant is in Australia at the time of application.
5. Fifth and final priority: all other applications where the applicant is outside Australia at the time of application.

Applicants who are already in Australia have higher priority than those who are outside Australia. Occupations supporting Australia’s law enforcement and defence interests are afforded the highest priority, followed by construction, healthcare and teaching.

Processing times for subclass 491

The Department publishes median processing times by visa category. The Skilled (Temporary) category, which includes subclass 491, has a median processing time of 98 days as at July 2026. The Department notes that this figure is affected by several factors, including Ministerial Directions related to skilled visa processing priorities, application completeness, and the volume of applications received and on-hand.

The Department states that some applications may be decided more quickly than others, and applications are not always processed in the order they are received. Lodging a complete application helps avoid delays. For employer-sponsored visas, submitting complete nomination and visa applications at the same time can support more efficient processing.

For a more specific indication of processing times for the subclass 491 visa, the Department directs applicants to the visa processing time guide tool, which shows processing times for recently decided applications. The Department notes that this is a guide only and not specific to your application.

What to do next

To confirm the exact fee for a subclass 491 visa application, check the Visa Pricing Table on the Department of Home Affairs website. The table shows the base application charge and will indicate whether a subsequent temporary application charge applies to your circumstances. The official guidance does not provide a dollar amount for the subclass 491 base application charge.

For processing times, use the visa processing time guide tool to see recently decided application times for the subclass 491 visa. The Department also advises that you can check the status of your application through ImmiAccount. If you are applying for a subclass 491 visa, ensure you lodge a complete application with all supporting documents to avoid delays.