494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494) – Employer Sponsored stream

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Subclass 494 Employer Sponsored stream
Stay	5 years
Cost	From AUD6,140
Apply from	Inside or outside Australia
Age	Under 45, unless exempt
Work rights	Sponsor only, regional Australia
Study	Regional Australia only
English	Competent English required
Permanent residence	Possible after 3 years
Travel facility	Multiple entries for 5 years
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family sponsorship	Subsequent entrants may apply
Visa record	Digitally linked to passport
Processing	Use processing time guide

---

Purpose

The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa supports regional employers unable to source an appropriately skilled Australian worker.

It is a provisional visa for skilled workers sponsored to fill positions in designated regional Australia.

Regional requirement

You may live, work and study only in a designated regional area.

Designated regional areas include all of Australia except Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Eligibility

You must:

• Be under 45 when applying, unless exempt.
• Be nominated by an eligible employer operating lawfully in Australia.
• Work in the nominated occupation for the sponsoring business or associated entity in regional Australia.
• Have at least 3 years of relevant full-time work experience.
• Have skills, qualifications and experience for the nominated occupation.
• Hold a positive skills assessment, unless exempt.
• Have at least Competent English.
• Meet health and character requirements.
• Repay or arrange repayment of Australian Government debts.
• Sign an Australian Values Statement if aged 16 or over.

Your employer must lodge a nomination application before you apply. Obtain the nomination Transaction Reference Number (TRN) from the employer.

Work experience

Your experience must:

• Be in the nominated occupation.
• Total at least 3 years full-time.
• Be at the required skill level.
• Generally have been gained within the last 5 years.

The experience need not be continuous. Equivalent part-time work may be considered. Casual work is not considered.

Skills assessment

A skills assessment must be completed before lodging the visa application.

A skills assessment obtained for a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) is not valid for this visa.

Exemptions may apply, including for certain subclass 457 or 482 holders, university academics, and eligible subclass 444 or 461 visa holders.

Age exemptions

Age exemptions may apply to:

• University academics nominated by an Australian university.
• Certain medical practitioners working in regional Australia.
• Scientists, researchers or technical specialists nominated by an Australian scientific government agency or university.
• Certain subclass 444 or 461 visa holders.
• Certain subclass 457 or 482 holders meeting employment and income requirements.

Rights and conditions

With this visa, you can:

• Live in regional Australia for 5 years.
• Work in regional Australia for 5 years.
• Study in regional Australia for 5 years.
• Travel to and from Australia while valid.
• Apply for permanent residence after holding the visa for 3 years, if eligible.

You must:

• Begin employment within 90 days of entering Australia, if granted offshore.
• Begin employment within 90 days of grant, if granted in Australia.
• Work only in your nominated occupation.
• Work only for your nominating employer in regional Australia.
• Comply with all visa conditions and Australian laws.

If your sponsor is an Australian business, you may work for its associated entity if it is in regional Australia.

Failure to meet work requirements may result in visa cancellation.

Permanent residence and restrictions

After holding a subclass 494 visa for at least 3 years, you may apply for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191), if eligible.

Before holding the 494 visa for 3 years, you cannot make a valid subclass 820 Partner visa application or be granted specified visas, including subclasses 186, 189, 190, 191 and 858.

This visa cannot be extended. To continue working after expiry, your employer must lodge a new nomination and you must apply for a new visa.

Family members

You can include members of your family unit in your application.

Family members must meet health and character requirements where required.

If you do not include your partner or dependent children, tell the Department why.

Dependent children may be added after lodgement but before a decision, according to the source. The source also states family members cannot be added after submission and may need to apply as subsequent entrants.

Secondary applicants may apply as subsequent entrants.

Family English and second instalment

Partners and dependent family members aged 18 or over must show Functional English.

If they cannot show Functional English, a second visa application charge instalment may be payable when requested.

Cost

Applicant	Visa application charge
Main applicant	AUD6,140
Dependant aged 18 or over	AUD3,070
Dependant under 18	AUD1,535

Other possible costs include:

• English language tests
• Health examinations
• Police certificates
• Biometrics
• Second instalment charges

Limited concessions apply.

From 1 July 2026, eligible citizens of specified Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste may receive a lower visa cost. Eligibility is determined using the primary applicant’s valid passport.

Application location

You can apply from inside or outside Australia, but not while in immigration clearance.

If applying in Australia, you must hold:

• A substantive visa; or
• Bridging visa A, B or C.

You can be inside or outside Australia when a decision is made.

Documents

Provide clear colour scans or photographs of documents. Translate all non-English documents into English.

Documents may include:

• Passport identity pages.
• National identity card, if available.
• Name-change evidence.
• CV or resume.
• Qualifications and employment references.
• Skills assessment, if required.
• Registration or licensing evidence, if required.
• Competent English evidence.
• Age-exemption evidence, if applicable.
• Australian and overseas police certificates.
• Military records, if applicable.
• Partner and dependant evidence.
• Child consent documents, where required.

For Australian police checks, provide a complete disclosure National Police Certificate issued by the Australian Federal Police where required.

Child documents and consent

For a dependent child under 18, provide identity and character documents where applicable.

Obtain consent from any non-accompanying person with legal authority to decide where the child lives. Provide either:

• Form 1229; or
• A statutory declaration consenting to the child’s travel.

Include the consenting person’s signed photo identification.

How to apply

1. Ensure your employer lodges the nomination.
2. Obtain the nomination TRN.
3. Arrange skills assessment, English testing and health examinations if needed.
4. Gather identity, skills, character and family documents.
5. Create or log in to ImmiAccount.
6. Lodge the visa application online.
7. Attach supporting documents.
8. Pay the visa application charge.
9. Record the application TRN.
10. Respond promptly to any Department requests.

The Department may decide the application using the information provided and is not required to request further documents.

Processing

Use the visa processing time guide for an indication of recently decided applications.

Actual processing times vary depending on:

• Application completeness.
• Response time to information requests.
• Required health, character and security checks.
• Information needed from external agencies.

After applying

If asked, provide additional information, health examinations or biometrics through ImmiAccount.

Remain lawful in Australia while the application is processed. Do not ask for cancellation of your current visa, as this may leave you unlawful and ineligible for a bridging visa.

Tell the Department about changes to:

• Contact details or passport.
• Employer or employment status.
• Relationship status.
• Birth of a child.
• Application errors.
• Your authorised recipient or migration representative.

Use Form 1023 to notify incorrect answers.

Travel

You can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

Time spent outside Australia does not extend the visa period.

Check visa validity and conditions in VEVO before travel.

Visa record

The visa is digitally linked to your passport. No visa label is issued.

Use VEVO to check visa details and conditions.