Head to head · Checked 30 October 2026
190 Skilled Nominated vs 494 Regional Employer Sponsored
For a skilled worker who is already in regional Australia, the 190 is permanent on grant, needs a state nomination and a points score that clears the state’s bar, and leaves the holder free of any employer; the 494 is provisional for five years, needs a regional employer’s nomination and a salary at the threshold, ties the holder to that employer and the region, and reaches permanent residence through the 191 after three years at the required income. Take the 190 if the points and the state nomination are within reach; take the 494 if they are not and an employer is.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed 30 October 2026
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Status
- Permanent on grant · Provisional, 5 years; 191 after 3 years at the required income
- Depends on
- Your points and a state nomination · A regional employer’s nomination and the regional certifying body
- Occupation
- The state’s list · The 494 regional list, broader than the core list
- Tied to
- The nominating state’s commitment, usually 2 years · The employer, the occupation and the region
The migration agent that other migration agents learn from. WIDEN is an OMARA-approved CPD provider — our training is rated ★4.8 by 40+ registered migration agents.
About the CPD →Side by side
| 190 Skilled Nominated | 494 Regional Employer Sponsored | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Permanent on grant | Provisional, 5 years; 191 after 3 years at the required income |
| Depends on | Your points and a state nomination | A regional employer’s nomination and the regional certifying body |
| Occupation | The state’s list | The 494 regional list, broader than the core list |
| Tied to | The nominating state’s commitment, usually 2 years | The employer, the occupation and the region |
| Age | Under 45 at invitation | Under 45 at application, with exemptions |
| Charge | $6,140 primary applicant | $6,140 primary applicant; the employer pays the nomination and levy |
| Watch out | The state’s points bar and allocation | Losing the job starts the 90-day search; the income test on the 191 |
Charges are the current government application charges (from 1 July 2026, main applicant) — see the fee calculator for your family's total. Checked 30 October 2026.
The honest verdict
For a skilled worker who is already in regional Australia, the 190 is permanent on grant, needs a state nomination and a points score that clears the state’s bar, and leaves the holder free of any employer; the 494 is provisional for five years, needs a regional employer’s nomination and a salary at the threshold, ties the holder to that employer and the region, and reaches permanent residence through the 191 after three years at the required income. Take the 190 if the points and the state nomination are within reach; take the 494 if they are not and an employer is.
Which side of that line you fall on depends on facts a table cannot hold — your age, score, occupation's lists, and what evidence you can actually assemble. That is consultation territory, not guesswork territory.
More head-to-heads: 482 vs 494 · 190 vs 491 · 189 vs 190 · 482 vs 186
General information only, not migration advice. Settings shown are the general rules; exemptions and stream variations exist. Migration advice is provided by Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536) after a paid consultation under the Migration Agents Code of Conduct.
Book 30 minutes with Keshab.
Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536), reads your situation with you and tells you which route fits, what it costs and what happens next.
Video consultation. A$330 inc. GST for 30 minutes, credited in full if you go ahead. Free questions are closed: advice on your own case is the consultation.
Book a consultation — A$330 inc. GST, credited In writing, no call — A$550
Need 60 minutes, or bringing a partner, employer or documents to go through? Extended consultation, A$550 inc. GST.
MARN 1576536 · practising since 2015 · contact details
Not sure which visa fits you?
Answer three questions. An automated guide points you to the route that usually applies. General information only.
Questions we get asked first
190 Skilled Nominated or 494 Regional Employer Sponsored — which is better?
For a skilled worker who is already in regional Australia, the 190 is permanent on grant, needs a state nomination and a points score that clears the state’s bar, and leaves the holder free of any employer; the 494 is provisional for five years, needs a regional employer’s nomination and a salary at the threshold, ties the holder to that employer and the region, and reaches permanent residence through the 191 after three years at the required income. Take the 190 if the points and the state nomination are within reach; take the 494 if they are not and an employer is.
What is the main difference between the 190 Skilled Nominated and the 494 Regional Employer Sponsored?
Status: 190 Skilled Nominated — Permanent on grant; 494 Regional Employer Sponsored — Provisional, 5 years; 191 after 3 years at the required income. Depends on: 190 Skilled Nominated — Your points and a state nomination; 494 Regional Employer Sponsored — A regional employer’s nomination and the regional certifying body. Occupation: 190 Skilled Nominated — The state’s list; 494 Regional Employer Sponsored — The 494 regional list, broader than the core list.
Keep reading