Subclass 494 Visa 2026: Regional Employer Sponsorship and PR Pathway

5 days ago

2 min read

The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494) allows regional employers to sponsor skilled workers where they cannot source an appropriately skilled Australian worker. The visa is provisional and focuses on employment in designated regional Australia.

Five-year regional visa

Home Affairs lists the employer-sponsored 494 stream as a five-year visa. Visa holders must comply with the regional and sponsor-related requirements that apply to their grant.

Core eligibility concepts

Nomination by an approved work sponsor.
An occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list.
A suitable skills assessment unless an exemption applies.
At least three years of relevant work experience for the Employer Sponsored stream.
Age under 45 unless an exemption applies.
Required English language proficiency.

Salary threshold from 1 July 2026

The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold is AUD 79,423 from 1 July 2026. The legislation aligns future indexation with the Core Skills Income Threshold. Employers must still satisfy the relevant market salary and nomination requirements.

Current cost and permanent residence pathway

Home Affairs currently lists the subclass 494 visa from AUD 6,140, with limited concessions. Eligible visa holders may apply for permanent residence after three years, subject to the requirements of the permanent regional visa pathway.

494 versus 491

Subclass 494 is employer-sponsored. Subclass 491 is generally based on state or territory nomination or eligible-relative sponsorship. Both are regional provisional visas, but the eligibility architecture differs substantially. See our State Nomination 2026–27 Tracker for the 491 side of the regional program.

Primary source: Home Affairs subclass 494 guidance. Also see Australian Visa Processing Times 2026.