Australia Regional Employer Sponsored Visa (Subclass 494) in 2026

The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa, subclass 494, allows eligible regional employers to sponsor skilled workers for positions in designated regional Australia. It is a five-year provisional visa, not permanent residence at grant.

Employer-sponsored stream

The employer must be an approved sponsor and nominate a genuine position in a designated regional area. A regional certifying body can be involved in assessing the annual market salary rate for the nominated position.

For the employer-sponsored stream, Home Affairs generally requires the worker to be under 45 unless exempt, have the skills and qualifications for the nominated occupation, obtain a suitable skills assessment where required, meet the English standard, and show at least three years of relevant work experience unless an exemption applies.

The salary must satisfy the applicable market-salary and skilled-migration income rules in force at the time. Since skilled income thresholds were indexed from 1 July 2026, employers should use current Home Affairs figures rather than an older threshold copied from a previous program year.

Regional conditions and duration

The visa is valid for five years and is designed around living, working and studying in designated regional Australia. Visa conditions and regional definitions should be checked before changing employer or location.

Home Affairs' current listing shows a main-applicant charge from AUD 6,140 in 2026, with additional charges possible for family members and other circumstances.

Permanent residence through subclass 191

Eligible 494 holders can later apply for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa, subclass 191, after meeting the qualifying regional requirements. Home Affairs describes access after three years for eligible provisional regional visa holders. This is not automatic permanent residence: a separate 191 application and eligibility assessment are required.

494 compared with 491 and 482

Subclass 491 is points-tested and based on state/territory nomination or eligible-family sponsorship. Subclass 482 is temporary employer sponsorship and is not inherently regional. The subclass 494 legal basis is regional employer nomination.

Return to the Australia visa hub, Oceania or work visa routes.

Source: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs, verified 16 September 2026.

Official and supporting sources

Related routes in Australia