Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa

Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa

Live and work in regional Australia — with a direct pathway to permanent residency.

The Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa allows skilled workers and their families to live and work in designated regional areas of Australia for up to five years. It gives regional businesses a way to fill genuine workforce shortages, and gives skilled migrants a clear, structured pathway to Australian permanent residency through the Subclass 191 visa.

At Tolic Lawyers, we guide both regional employers and skilled applicants through every stage of the 494 visa — from sponsorship and Regional Certifying Body approval to the visa application and the transition to permanent residence.

What is the Subclass 494 visa?

The Subclass 494 is a provisional employer-sponsored regional visa, valid for five years, which replaced the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (Subclass 187) in November 2019. A skilled worker is nominated by an approved employer in a regional area for a specific position, lives and works in that region, and after three years can apply for permanent residence through the Subclass 191 visa. Because it is a regional visa, it is also prioritised for processing, and the regional setting means a smaller competition pool than the major cities.

What counts as “regional” Australia?

“Regional” does not mean remote. For the 494, designated regional Australia is everywhere except metropolitan Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. That means major centres such as Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, Darwin, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Newcastle, Wollongong and Geelong all qualify. Because eligibility is set by postcode, the exact work location should always be confirmed before lodging.

The three streams of the 494 visa

Employer Sponsored stream

The most common stream — a skilled worker nominated by an eligible regional employer for a full-time position the employer cannot fill locally.

Labour Agreement stream

For workers nominated by a regional employer operating under a Labour Agreement (including a Designated Area Migration Agreement, or DAMA) with the Australian Government, which can offer concessions on age, English, salary or experience.

Subsequent Entrant stream

For eligible family members of a current 494 visa holder who wish to join them in Australia.

Who is eligible? Applicant requirements

• Be under 45 years of age at the time of application (limited exemptions apply, including under some DAMAs).
• Be nominated by an approved regional employer in an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list.
• Have at least 3 years of relevant skilled work experience in your nominated occupation, generally gained within the last 5 years.
• Hold a positive skills assessment in your nominated occupation, unless an exemption applies.
• Demonstrate at least Competent English — IELTS 6.0 in each band (or equivalent), or hold a passport from the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand or Ireland.
• Meet Australian health and character

Employer and nomination requirements

• Be an approved sponsor with a genuine, full-time position located in a designated regional area, available for at least five years.
• Obtain a positive assessment from a Regional Certifying Body (RCB) — a step unique to the 494 that is not required for the 186 or the Skills in Demand visa.
• Complete Labour Market Testing (LMT) to show no suitable Australian worker is available.
• Pay at least the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) and meet the income threshold (TSMIT), currently AUD $76,515, rising to AUD $79,499 from 1 July 2026 — met through guaranteed base salary, not superannuation or non-monetary benefits.
• Pay the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy, based on the size of the business.

The pathway to permanent residency (Subclass 191)

The 494 is a provisional visa, but it leads directly to permanent residence through the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa. To qualify, you must have held the 494 for at least three years, have lived and worked in a designated regional area, complied with your visa conditions, and demonstrated genuine economic participation by providing ATO Notices of Assessment for the required income years. (Income requirements for the 191 have changed over time, so we confirm the current position for each client.) The 191 does not require a fresh employer nomination.

494 visa at a glance

How Tolic Lawyers can help

The 494 is one of the most rewarding regional pathways available — but the four-stage process of sponsorship, RCB advice, nomination and visa requires precision at every step, and a single error (a wrong postcode, a mismatched occupation, or an incomplete skills assessment) can derail the whole application. We assist:

• Regional employers — with sponsorship, RCB advice, labour market testing, nomination strategy and ongoing compliance.
• Skilled applicants — with occupation and skills assessment strategy, the visa application, and the transition to Subclass 191 permanent residency.

We help you build your pathway to regional Australia clearly, confidently and legally.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Subclass 494 visa?

It is a provisional employer-sponsored regional visa that lets skilled workers live and work in designated regional Australia for up to five years, with a pathway to permanent residency through the Subclass 191 visa after three years.

What areas count as regional for the 494?

All of Australia except metropolitan Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Major centres including Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, Darwin, the Gold Coast, Newcastle and Geelong all qualify. Eligibility is set by postcode, so always confirm the exact work location.

What are the main applicant requirements?

You generally must be under 45, have at least three years of relevant skilled work experience, hold a positive skills assessment, demonstrate Competent English (IELTS 6.0 in each band or equivalent), and be nominated in an occupation on the MLTSSL or Regional Occupation List.

How does the 494 lead to permanent residency?

After holding the 494 for at least three years and living and working in a designated regional area while complying with your visa conditions, you can apply for the Subclass 191 permanent residence visa, supported by ATO Notices of Assessment for the required income years.

What is a Regional Certifying Body (RCB)?

An RCB assesses the regional employment market and the genuineness of the position. A positive RCB assessment is required for the 494 nomination — a step unique to this visa that is not needed for the 186 or Skills in Demand visa.

Can I include my family on a 494 visa?

Yes. Your partner and dependent children can be included in your application, or join later as subsequent entrants. Partners have full work rights in Australia.

Tolic Lawyers — Immigration & Employment Law

Suite 19/103 George Street, Parramatta NSW 2150

P: (02) 8077 2562   ·   E:    ·   toliclawyers.com.au

Disclaimer: This article is general information only and is current as at June 2026. It is not legal or migration advice. Subclass 494 and 191 eligibility, occupation lists, salary thresholds and income requirements change regularly — the TSMIT re-indexes on 1 July 2026 — and outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Please obtain advice tailored to your situation from a qualified legal practitioner before acting. Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.