494 Regional Employer Sponsored Visa
494 Employer Sponsored Stream
The Employer Sponsored stream is the primary stream of the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (subclass 494), available to regional employers holding Standard Business Sponsorship. It provides a five-year provisional visa with a clear pathway to permanent residence through the subclass 191.
Eligibility and nomination requirements
The employer must hold Standard Business Sponsorship approval and be based in regional Australia. The nominated position must also be located in regional Australia. Regional means all of Australia except Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.
Nominations must be in an occupation on the eligible occupation list for the 494 visa. The nominated salary must meet or exceed both the Annual Market Salary Rate for the occupation and location and any applicable income threshold. Labour market testing is required before lodging the nomination.
The applicant must have relevant work experience, hold a positive skills assessment from the relevant Australian assessing authority, and demonstrate vocational English. Age and health requirements also apply. Successful 494 holders are subject to visa conditions requiring them to live and work in regional Australia.
Regional employer and position
Both the employer and the nominated position must be located in regional Australia. Regional means all of Australia except Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Gold Coast and Perth are regional.
Occupation list requirement
Nominations must be in an eligible occupation. The applicable occupation list for the 494 is periodically updated. Verify your occupation before lodgement.
Skills assessment required
A positive skills assessment from the relevant Australian assessing authority is required. The assessment confirms qualifications and experience meet Australian standards for the nominated occupation.
Labour market testing
The employer must demonstrate genuine efforts to recruit an Australian worker before lodging the nomination. Advertising must have been active for at least 28 days within four months of lodgement.
5 years
Provisional visa period
Skills SA
Assessment required
Regional
Employer and position required
191 PR
Pathway after 3 years
Why instruct Visa Plan for your 494 Employer Sponsored application?
Regional eligibility confirmation
We confirm that the employer's location and the nominated position qualify as regional under the 494 requirements before any nomination is lodged.
Occupation and skills assessment
We confirm occupation eligibility on the current 494 list and advise on the appropriate skills assessing authority, preventing the cost of an assessment lodged with the wrong body.
Pathway to 191
The 494 visa requires careful planning from day one. We advise on the employment record-keeping and income documentation required for the eventual subclass 191 permanent residence application.
494 Employer Sponsored stream information is sourced from the Department of Home Affairs and is current as at April 2026. Occupation lists and salary thresholds are subject to change. This page provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice.