Regional migration · Subclass 494
Subclass 494 — Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa
An approved regional employer sponsors you for up to five years — a pathway to permanent residence via the Subclass 191.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed July 2026
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Visa type
- Provisional (5 years)
- Sponsor
- Approved regional employer
- Work experience
- 3+ years
- English
- Competent (IELTS 6 each)
- Age
- Under 45
- To PR (191)
- 3 years + income
MARN 1576536 · Verifiable at mara.gov.au
The Subclass 494 is the employer-sponsored regional visa. If a business in a designated regional area of Australia wants to sponsor you into a skilled role, the 494 lets you live and work there for five years — and, once you've met the residence and income requirements, step up to permanent residence through the Subclass 191. It doesn't depend on a points score; it depends on a genuine job with an approved regional employer. Not sure whether the employer's city counts? Check if a city is regional Australia →
Who the 494 suits
- Skilled workers with (or able to find) an approved sponsoring employer in regional Australia.
- Those whose points aren't competitive for the 189/190 but who have a real job offer.
- Employers in regional areas who can't fill a skilled role locally and want a five-year, PR-track worker.
Core requirements
- Employer nomination — an approved employer in a designated regional area, nominating an eligible occupation, with a Regional Certifying Body assessment of the position.
- Skills assessment — a positive assessment for your nominated occupation.
- Work experience — at least three years of relevant experience.
- English — Competent English (IELTS 6 each band, or equivalent).
- Age — generally under 45 at invitation/application (limited exemptions).
- Streams — Employer Sponsored stream, or Labour Agreement stream.
The pathway to PR (494 → 191)
The 494 is provisional. After holding an eligible regional provisional visa for at least three years, meeting the minimum taxable income requirement for that period, and complying with your visa conditions (living and working in the designated regional area), you can apply for the Subclass 191 permanent visa. Plan the PR requirements from day one — the income and residence evidence you keep during the 494 is what unlocks the 191.
Have a regional employer — or are you one?
Tell us your occupation and the employer/region (or that you're the business sponsoring), and we'll come back to you on whether a 494 fits — and how it leads to PR. Free, no obligation.
Questions we get asked first
What is the Subclass 494 visa?
The Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa lets an approved employer in a designated regional area of Australia sponsor a skilled worker for up to five years. The worker must live and work in regional Australia, and after meeting the residence and income requirements can apply for permanent residence through the Subclass 191. It is the employer-sponsored counterpart to the points-tested 491 — both are regional provisional visas that lead to the same 191 PR.
What are the requirements for a 494 visa?
In broad terms: a nomination from an approved employer in a designated regional area for a position in an eligible occupation (with a Regional Certifying Body assessment of the nomination), a positive skills assessment, at least three years of relevant work experience, Competent English (IELTS 6 in each band or equivalent), and generally being under 45 at the time of invitation or application. The exact requirements depend on the stream (Employer Sponsored or Labour Agreement) and your circumstances.
Is the 494 permanent?
No — the 494 is a five-year provisional visa. It is a pathway to permanent residence: after holding an eligible regional provisional visa for at least three years, and meeting the residence and minimum taxable income requirements, you can apply for the Subclass 191 permanent visa. In practice, the 494 is best thought of as the first stage of a regional PR plan, not the destination.
What areas count as 'regional' for the 494?
For the 494 and the regional skilled visas, 'designated regional area' covers everywhere in Australia except the major cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. That means most of the country — including cities like Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart, Newcastle and Wollongong — qualifies as regional. The specific postcode list is set by the Department and should be checked for the employer's location.
494 or 491 — which regional visa is better?
The 491 is points-tested and needs state nomination or eligible family sponsorship — good if you don't have an employer but can score points. The 494 needs an approved regional employer to sponsor you into a real job — good if you have (or can find) that employer, and it doesn't depend on your points. Both are five-year provisional visas leading to the same 191 permanent visa. Which suits you depends on whether your strength is your points or an employer — exactly what a personalised assessment works out.
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