Employer and regional eligibility
The employer must lawfully operate in Australia, the role must genuinely be in a designated regional area, and sponsorship status is required.
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SUBCLASS 494 · REGIONAL EMPLOYER SPONSORSHIP
Five years in regional Australia through employer sponsorship
Subclass 494 is a five-year regional provisional visa. The standard route can involve sponsorship, Regional Certifying Body advice, nomination and visa assessment, with a possible subclass 191 pathway later.
WHAT THIS VISA OFFERS
A five-year regional visa with a possible 191 pathway
After grant, the holder must live, work and study in designated regional Australia and work in the nominated occupation for the sponsor. If current 191 criteria are met, permanent residence may be considered after three years from 494 grant.
5-year visaRegional work and residence
Usually under 45Subject to exemptions
Usually 3 years’ experiencePlus a suitable skills assessment
01
How the application works
Three connected regional sponsorship decisions.
RCB advice and nomination
The Employer Sponsored stream generally needs Regional Certifying Body advice on salary and local recruitment before nomination assessment.
Subclass 494 visa application
The applicant proves occupation, assessment, at least three years’ experience, age, English, health and character criteria.
02
Choose the correct pathway
Two main subclass 494 streams
Employer Sponsored
The occupation must be eligible; RCB advice, a suitable assessment, three years’ experience, age under 45 and Competent English generally apply.
Labour Agreement
The employer nominates under a DAMA or other labour agreement; occupation, age, English, salary and assessment concessions depend on that agreement.
Later subclass 191 pathway
Subclass 191 is a separate later application, not an automatic conversion. It generally requires three years holding an eligible regional visa, compliance with conditions and required ATO Notices of Assessment.
03
Detailed eligibility checks
What must the employer, region and role meet?
Lawful business and sponsorship
The business must lawfully operate and hold standard sponsorship status or an applicable labour agreement.
Role in a designated regional area
The role’s genuine primary work location must be in a current designated regional area, not merely the registered business address.
Genuine full-time position
Structure, workload, contract, duties and financial capacity must support a genuine role expected to continue for five years.
Local recruitment and RCB
The standard stream generally requires local recruitment and salary and recruitment evidence for the relevant RCB.
Salary threshold
The 2026–27 TSMIT is AUD79,423 and pay must also meet the correctly determined market salary rate.
Ongoing sponsorship compliance
Salary, record, notification and other sponsorship obligations continue after approval.
04
Detailed eligibility checks
What must the applicant meet?
Occupation and assessment
The standard stream generally requires a valid positive assessment from the relevant authority unless a specific exemption applies.
Three years’ experience
Usually at least three years of relevant full-time experience at the required skill level; equivalent part-time may be considered.
Age
Usually under 45 at lodgement unless a current exemption or agreement concession applies.
English
Competent English generally applies to Employer Sponsored; agreement settings control the other stream.
Regional obligations
After grant, live, work and study regionally and work in the nominated occupation for the sponsor.
Health, character and family
Applicants and family must satisfy health and character criteria; family may be included with separate charges and evidence.
05
Current government charges
Know which costs belong to the sponsor and which belong to the applicant.
GOVERNMENT CHARGES
Employer / sponsor
- Standard Business Sponsorship, if required
- AUD 420
- 494 nomination fee
- Nil
- SAF levy · turnover under AUD10m
- AUD 3,000
- SAF levy · turnover AUD10m+
- AUD 5,000
- RCB fee
- Varies by region
GOVERNMENT CHARGES
Visa applicant
- Main applicant
- AUD 6,140
- Each dependant aged 18+
- AUD 3,070
- Each dependant under 18
- AUD 1,535
- Second instalment for an adult dependant without Functional English
- AUD 4,890
RCB charges are not nationally uniform and must be checked for the role’s region. Assessment, English, health, police and professional costs are additional. Amounts checked 1 August 2026; charges at lodgement prevail.
06
How the case moves forward
Resolve eligibility and evidence before major costs are committed.
01Confirm region, occupation and stream
02Review sponsorship and genuine position
03Complete assessment, English and experience evidence
04Prepare RCB advice and nomination
05Lodge subclass 494 visa application
06Comply regionally and preserve future 191 evidence
OCCUPATION AND NEXT STEP
Check standard 494 occupationsSubclass 494 is specifically regional
Confirm designated regional location, occupation eligibility and the relevant RCB and nomination rules together.
494 CASE REVIEW
Discuss my 494 caseConfirm every 494 stage before committing the application.
XIVisa can review the sponsor, position, pathway and applicant evidence as one complete case.