What the Subclass 494 visa is, in plain English
Regional Australia is one of the clearest routes to permanent residency for skilled workers, and the subclass 494 visa sits right at the centre of it. If you have a skill a regional employer needs, the 494 can give you up to five years to live and work in a designated regional area — plus a defined path to becoming a permanent resident.
The subclass 494 visa is an employer-sponsored, provisional (temporary) visa. A regional employer nominates you for a role they cannot fill locally, and if your application succeeds, you move to that region to do the job. It replaced the older Subclass 187 (RSMS) for most applicants, and it is built around one simple idea: match skilled migrants with regional employers who need them.
This guide walks through who the 494 is for, what you need to qualify, what it costs, how long it takes, and how it leads to permanent residency. If you are weighing the 494 against the Subclass 482 or the Subclass 186, we cover where it fits too.
The two streams of the 494 visa Australia program
The skilled employer-sponsored regional visa has two streams, and most applicants use the first one.
- Employer Sponsored stream — the common pathway. A regional employer nominates you for a role on the relevant skilled occupation list.
- Labour Agreement stream — for workers sponsored under a formal labour agreement between an employer and the Australian Government.
Whichever stream applies, the visa lasts up to five years and ties you to a designated regional area. For this visa, nearly all of Australia outside Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane counts as regional — but postcodes are defined precisely by the Department of Home Affairs, so always confirm yours before you plan around it.
Who is eligible? The applicant requirements
To be eligible for the subclass 494 visa (Employer Sponsored stream) you generally need to:
- Be nominated by an approved regional employer for an eligible occupation.
- Have a suitable skills assessment for that occupation.
- Have at least three years of full-time, relevant work experience.
- Be under 45 years of age when you apply (limited exemptions apply).
- Have at least competent English.
- Meet the health and character requirements.
Your employer carries requirements too. The sponsor must show the position is genuine, sits in a designated regional area, and that they meet their sponsorship and nomination obligations — including labour market testing and the salary rules set for the role. A Regional Certifying Body may also assess the position and salary.
Industry guides in 2026 describe the combined skilled occupation list for the 494 as holding roughly 650 occupations, but lists change, and your occupation must match your skills assessment exactly. Check the occupation list ‘live’ before you proceed.
How much does the 494 visa cost? A 2026 breakdown
Costs for the skilled employer-sponsored regional visa fall into three buckets: your visa charges, your employer’s charges, and third-party costs. The figures below reflect fees reported after the 1 July 2026 increases, and every one of them should be confirmed against current Home Affairs figures before you rely on it.
| Cost | Who pays | Indicative 2026 amount | Notes |
| Visa application charge — main applicant | You | From AUD 6,140 | Increased from AUD 4,910 on 1 July 2026 — [CONFIRM] |
| Visa application charge — partner (18+) | You | AUD 3,070 each | Per secondary applicant 18 or over — [CONFIRM] |
| Visa application charge — child (under 18) | You | AUD 1,535 each | Per secondary applicant under 18 — [CONFIRM] |
| Nomination fee | Employer | Around AUD 540 | Paid by the sponsor — [CONFIRM] |
| Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy | Employer | AUD 3,000 (small business) / AUD 5,000 (turnover AUD 10m+) | Scales with business size — [CONFIRM] |
| Skills assessment | You | Varies by assessment body | Priced per occupation |
| English test | You | Varies by test provider | If required |
| Health checks + police certificates | You | Varies | For each applicant |
| Registered migration agent | You | Varies | If you use one |
Because your employer carries several of these costs, it pays to have an early, honest conversation with your sponsor about who covers what. Some employers absorb the lot; others split it. Settling this before lodgement avoids friction later.
How long does the 494 visa take?
Processing time depends on your occupation, how complete your application is, whether your employer is already an approved sponsor, and current departmental demand. As a rule, applications with a positive skills assessment, complete documents and an experienced sponsor move through faster than rushed ones with gaps.
Home Affairs publishes current processing times and updates them regularly, so check the live figure before you set expectations or book flights. We never quote a guaranteed timeframe — processing times are set by the Department and change with demand.
The pathway to permanent residency: 494 to 191
The 494 is provisional, but it is designed to lead somewhere permanent. This is the part that makes it worth the regional commitment for many skilled workers.
Once you have held your 494 and lived and worked in a designated regional area for at least three years — and met the income requirements across that period — you can apply for the Subclass 191 (Permanent Residence Regional) visa.
The pathway in one line:
494 (up to 5 years, regional) → meet the 3-year regional work and income conditions → Subclass 191 permanent residency.
It is one of the more dependable employer-linked PR routes currently open to skilled workers. It is not automatic, though. You have to actually live and work in the region and meet the income test, and your records need to show it. Keep your payslips, tax records and proof of address in order from day one, so your 191 application is easy to evidence when the time comes.
494 vs 482 vs 186: which employer-sponsored visa fits you?
Skilled workers often ask how the 494 compares with the other two main employer-sponsored visas. Here is the short version — confirm the details for your own situation before you decide.
| Feature | Subclass 494 | Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) | Subclass 186 (ENS) |
| Visa type | Provisional (temporary) | Temporary | Permanent from grant |
| Where you can work | Designated regional areas only | Australia-wide | Australia-wide |
| Typical use | Regional employer ready to sponsor | Common first step into sponsorship | Established roles / 482 holders moving to PR |
| Path to PR | Via Subclass 191 after 3 years | Some streams lead to PR via the 186 | Already permanent |
| Best when | You will commit to a region | You need to start working sooner | The role and employer are well established |
If your employer is regional and you are happy to settle in a regional area, the 494 is often the most realistic route to permanent residency — especially where a regional business is ready to sponsor now.
The 494 application process, step by step
Every case is different, but most subclass 494 visa applications follow the same broad order.
- Check your occupation and get a skills assessment approved. Confirm your occupation is on the relevant list and lodge a skills assessment with the correct assessment body.
- Confirm the regional role and postcode. Make sure the position sits in a designated regional area and that the employer can sponsor.
- Employer becomes an approved sponsor. If they are not already, the business applies for sponsorship approval.
- Employer lodges the nomination. The sponsor nominates you for the specific role, meeting labour market testing and salary rules.
- You lodge the visa application. You submit your 494 application with identity, skills, English, health and character evidence.
- Health, character and decision. You complete health checks and police certificates; the Department assesses and decides.
- Move, work and keep records. Once granted, you live and work in the region — and start keeping the records your future 191 will need.
Common mistakes that delay or sink a 494 application
A few avoidable errors cause most of the trouble we see with regional employer-sponsored applications.
- Assuming a postcode is regional. “Regional” is defined by postcode, not by how far a place feels from a city. Check the exact postcode against the current designated list.
- A skills assessment that does not match the nominated occupation. The occupation on your assessment and your nomination must line up. A mismatch stalls the whole application.
- Thin work-experience evidence. Three years of relevant experience needs to be clearly documented — references, payslips, income statements, superannuation statements. position descriptions — not just claimed.
- Leaving fees undiscussed with the employer. Surprises over who pays the SAF levy or nomination fee can derail a sponsorship late in the process.
- Not planning for the 191 from the start. People focus on getting the 494 and forget to keep the income and residence records the 191 will demand three years later.
How Australia Migrate can help
Regional employer-sponsored visas reward getting the details right the first time — the occupation, the skills assessment, the regional postcode, and the employer’s sponsorship obligations. Our team works with both skilled applicants and regional employers to structure 494 applications and map the pathway through to Subclass 191 permanent residency.
All advice is provided by a registered migration agent (MARN 0001947), so you are working with a professional accountable to the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority.
Thinking the 494 might be your route to regional PR? Speak to our registered migration team about whether the skilled employer sponsored regional visa fits your situation and your employer.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Subclass 494 visa valid?
Up to five years. During that time you must live and work in a designated regional area for your sponsoring employer.
Can the 494 lead to permanent residency?
Yes. After three years of holding the 494 and meeting the regional work and income requirements, you can apply for permanent residency through the Subclass 191 visa. It is a pathway, not a guarantee — you must meet the conditions.
What counts as regional Australia for the 494?
Almost everywhere outside Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The designated regional list is defined by postcode by the Department of Home Affairs, so always confirm your exact postcode.
Is there an age limit for the 494 visa?
You must be under 45 when you apply, with limited exemptions.
Do I need a job offer first?
Yes. The 494 is employer-sponsored, so you need a genuine nomination from an approved regional employer for an eligible occupation.
How much is the 494 visa application charge in 2026?
Reported figures put the main applicant charge from around AUD 6,140 after the July 2026 increase, with lower amounts for partners and children. Fees change, so confirm the current charge on the Home Affairs website before you budget.
Can my family come with me on a 494 visa?
You can include eligible family members, each with their own visa application charge. Confirm who you can include for your situation, as eligibility depends on individual circumstances.
