Head to head · Checked 30 October 2026
491 Skilled Work Regional vs 494 Regional Employer Sponsored
Both are 5-year regional provisionals ending in the 191 — the difference is who backs you. The 491 runs on your points plus a state or family; the 494 runs on a regional employer. Strong points score → 491 keeps you independent. Employer in hand but points short → 494.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed 30 October 2026
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Backed by
- State nomination or eligible relative · A regional employer
- Points test
- Yes (+15) · No
- Job required
- No · Yes, the sponsoring role
- Both lead to
- 191 PR after 3 years · 191 PR after 3 years
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About the CPD →Side by side
| 491 Skilled Work Regional | 494 Regional Employer Sponsored | |
|---|---|---|
| Backed by | State nomination or eligible relative | A regional employer |
| Points test | Yes (+15) | No |
| Job required | No | Yes, the sponsoring role |
| Both lead to | 191 PR after 3 years | 191 PR after 3 years |
| Government charge | $6,140 | $6,140 |
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
Both are 5-year regional provisionals ending in the 191 — the difference is who backs you. The 491 runs on your points plus a state or family; the 494 runs on a regional employer. Strong points score → 491 keeps you independent. Employer in hand but points short → 494.
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.
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MARN 1576536 · practising since 2015 · contact details
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Questions we get asked first
491 Skilled Work Regional or 494 Regional Employer Sponsored — which is better?
Both are 5-year regional provisionals ending in the 191 — the difference is who backs you. The 491 runs on your points plus a state or family; the 494 runs on a regional employer. Strong points score → 491 keeps you independent. Employer in hand but points short → 494.
What is the main difference between the 491 Skilled Work Regional and the 494 Regional Employer Sponsored?
Backed by: 491 Skilled Work Regional — State nomination or eligible relative; 494 Regional Employer Sponsored — A regional employer. Points test: 491 Skilled Work Regional — Yes (+15); 494 Regional Employer Sponsored — No. Job required: 491 Skilled Work Regional — No; 494 Regional Employer Sponsored — Yes, the sponsoring role.
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