Head to head · Checked 30 October 2026
482 Skills in Demand vs 494 Regional Employer Sponsored
The 482 is the default employer-sponsored visa; the 494 wins when the employer is regional and the occupation or applicant does not fit the 482 — its list is broader and it carries its own PR route (191). The 482 offers city jobs and the 186 transition; the 494 requires five years' commitment to regional Australia.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed 30 October 2026
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Where the job can be
- Anywhere in Australia · Designated regional areas only (most of the country outside Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane)
- Occupation list
- CSOL (~458 occupations) · Broader regional list
- Visa length
- Up to 4 years · 5 years
- Government charge
- $4,015 · $6,140
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About the CPD →Side by side
| 482 Skills in Demand | 494 Regional Employer Sponsored | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the job can be | Anywhere in Australia | Designated regional areas only (most of the country outside Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane) |
| Occupation list | CSOL (~458 occupations) | Broader regional list |
| Visa length | Up to 4 years | 5 years |
| Government charge | $4,015 | $6,140 |
| Path to PR | 186 (usually after 2 years) | 191 after 3 years at required income |
| Skills assessment | Depends on occupation/passport | Required for most |
| Age limit | Under 45 at 186 stage (exemptions exist) | Under 45 at application (exemptions exist) |
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
The 482 is the default employer-sponsored visa; the 494 wins when the employer is regional and the occupation or applicant does not fit the 482 — its list is broader and it carries its own PR route (191). The 482 offers city jobs and the 186 transition; the 494 requires five years' commitment to regional Australia.
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: 190 vs 491 · 189 vs 190 · 482 vs 186 · 407 vs 482
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.
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Questions we get asked first
482 Skills in Demand or 494 Regional Employer Sponsored — which is better?
The 482 is the default employer-sponsored visa; the 494 wins when the employer is regional and the occupation or applicant does not fit the 482 — its list is broader and it carries its own PR route (191). The 482 offers city jobs and the 186 transition; the 494 requires five years' commitment to regional Australia.
What is the main difference between the 482 Skills in Demand and the 494 Regional Employer Sponsored?
Where the job can be: 482 Skills in Demand — Anywhere in Australia; 494 Regional Employer Sponsored — Designated regional areas only (most of the country outside Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane). Occupation list: 482 Skills in Demand — CSOL (~458 occupations); 494 Regional Employer Sponsored — Broader regional list. Visa length: 482 Skills in Demand — Up to 4 years; 494 Regional Employer Sponsored — 5 years.
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