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

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) 494
Stream	Labour Agreement stream
Stay	5 years
Cost	From AUD6,140 main applicant
Eligibility timing	Under 45; three years experience
Work rights	Sponsor-only regional occupation work
Study	Regional areas only
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Travel facility	Multiple entries for five years
Permanent residence	Possible after three years
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family sponsorship	Family unit and subsequent entrants
Visa record	Digital visa; check VEVO
Apply from	Inside or outside Australia
Processing	Guide tool only; no timeframe

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Purpose

The Labour Agreement stream is for skilled workers nominated by an employer with a labour agreement with the Australian Government.

It is a provisional visa allowing you to live, work and study in designated regional Australia for up to 5 years.

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

Eligibility

You must:

• Be nominated for an occupation covered by a labour agreement.
• Be under 45 when applying, unless the labour agreement states otherwise.
• Have skills, qualifications and experience needed for the nominated occupation.
• Have at least 3 years of full-time employment in the nominated occupation at the required skill level.
• Generally have gained the experience within the last 5 years; it need not be continuous.
• Meet the English level specified in the labour agreement.
• Obtain a positive skills assessment if required under the labour agreement.
• Meet health and character requirements.
• Repay, or arrange repayment of, Australian Government debts.
• Sign an Australian Values Statement if aged 16 or over.

Equivalent part-time work may be considered. Casual work is not considered.

Stay, Work and Study Rights

You can:

• Live, work and study only in designated regional areas for 5 years.
• Work only in your nominated occupation for your nominating employer.
• Travel to and from Australia any number of times while the visa remains valid.
• Apply for permanent residence after holding the visa for 3 years, if eligible.

Time spent outside Australia does not extend the visa period.

You cannot extend this visa. To remain longer, you need to apply for another visa.

Permanent Residence Restrictions

Until you have held the subclass 494 visa for 3 years, you cannot:

• Make a valid subclass 820 Partner visa application.
• Be granted subclasses 132, 186, 188, 189, 190 or 858.

Your employer may be able to sponsor you for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191).

Costs

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

A second instalment of AUD4,890 applies for each dependant aged 18 or over who does not have Functional English.

Additional costs may include English tests, health examinations, police certificates and biometrics.

Pacific Island and Timor-Leste concession

From 1 July 2026, eligible citizens of specified Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste may receive a lower visa application charge.

The primary applicant must hold a valid passport from:

• Federated States of Micronesia
• Fiji
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Republic of the Marshall Islands
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Timor-Leste
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu

Eligible family members are assessed based on the primary applicant’s passport.

Family Provisions

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, you must explain why.

For partners, provide evidence of marriage or at least 12 months of de facto relationship. Adult dependants must show financial dependency for at least 12 months before application.

Partners and adult dependants must show Functional English or pay the second instalment when requested.

Certain family members may apply later as subsequent entrants.

Warning: The source states both that a dependent child may be added after lodgement before decision, and that family members cannot be added after submission. Confirm the applicable process before relying on either option.

Required Documents

Prepare clear colour scans or photographs of documents. Combine multi-page documents into one file. Translate all non-English documents into English.

Identity

Provide:

• Passport pages showing photo, personal details, issue and expiry dates.
• National identity card, if available.
• Name-change evidence, if applicable.

Skills and Employment

Provide, as applicable:

• Required skills assessment.
• CV or resume.
• Qualifications.
• Employment references and work-experience evidence.
• Required occupational registrations or licences.

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

English

Provide evidence that you meet the English standard specified in the labour agreement.

Character

Provide:

• An Australian Federal Police complete disclosure National Police Certificate if you spent 12 months or more in Australia during the last 10 years since turning 16.
• Overseas police certificates for every country where you spent 12 months or more during that period.
• Military service or discharge records, if applicable.

Australian police certificates are valid for 12 months from issue. State and territory police certificates are not accepted for this purpose.

Family Documents

Provide identity and character documents for included family members, plus:

• Marriage certificate or de facto relationship evidence for a partner.
• Form 47a and dependency evidence for adult dependants.
• Child custody or consent evidence where required.
• Form 1229 or a statutory declaration from a non-travelling person with parental responsibility for a child under 18.

How to Apply

1. Ensure your employer has lodged a nomination application.
2. Obtain the nomination Transaction Reference Number (TRN) from your employer.
3. Arrange required skills assessment, English testing and health examinations.
4. Gather supporting documents.
5. Apply online through ImmiAccount.
6. Attach documents and pay the application charge.
7. Keep your application TRN.

The Department will not process the application until the charge is paid.

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 the decision is made.

Processing

Use the visa processing time guide for recently decided applications. It is indicative only and is not specific to your application.

Processing may vary based on:

• Whether the application is complete.
• How quickly you respond to requests.
• Health, character and national-security checks.
• Information required from external agencies.

The Department may request more information, but is not required to do so. You are responsible for lodging all relevant evidence.

The employer’s nomination must be approved before the visa can be granted.

Conditions and Obligations

You and your family must comply with all visa conditions and Australian laws.

You must start employment within 90 days of:

• Entering Australia, if granted the visa outside Australia; or
• The visa grant date, if granted the visa in Australia.

You must work only:

• For your nominating employer;
• In your nominated occupation; and
• In regional Australia.

Failure to comply may lead to visa cancellation.

Tell the Department about changes to your contact details, passport, employer, employment status, relationship status or the birth of a child.

Travel and Visa Records

You may leave and return to Australia as often as you want while the visa is valid.

Check visa conditions and expiry through VEVO. Your visa is digitally linked to your passport; no passport label is issued.

Important Warnings

• Skilled visa income thresholds are increasing in line with annual Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings from 1 July 2026.
• Do not provide false or inaccurate information.
• Do not cancel your current visa while waiting in Australia; this may make you unlawful and ineligible for a bridging visa.
• If requested, provide additional documents promptly through ImmiAccount.
• Criminal and civil penalties may apply to anyone exchanging benefits for visa sponsorship.