494 Visa Requirements 2026 – What Applicants Need to Know Before Applying
The 494 visa requirements cover more ground than most skilled workers expect. TheSubclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa is a 5-year provisional visa that leads to permanent residency through the Subclass 191 visa. But getting from application to grant, and then from grant to PR, depends on meeting a precise set of conditions that span eligibility, salary, skills assessment, regional location, and employer obligations.
494 Visa Requirements: Who Is Eligible to Apply
Every 494 visa applicant must meet all of the following conditions. Missing any one of them results in refusal.
- Be nominated by an approved Standard Business Sponsor located in a designated regional area of Australia
- Have an intended occupation on the relevant occupation list for the 494 visa
- Have a positiveskills assessment for the nominated occupation from the relevant assessing authority
- Have at least 3 years of relevant full-time work experience in the nominated occupation
- Be under 45 years of age at time of application
- Meet competent English language requirements
- Meet health and character requirements
- Maintain adequate health insurance throughout the visa period
Age exemptions: Academics nominated for a university position and their dependants, high-income earners above AUD 180,000 per year, and some other limited categories may be exempt from the under 45 age requirement. These exemptions are narrow and assessed case by case.
494 Visa Salary Requirements 2026
Salary is one of the most closely monitored 494 visa requirements. Two separate thresholds apply simultaneously and both must be met.
Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold
The TemporarySkilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) for 2025/26 is AUD 76,515 per year. This rises to AUD 79,499 from 1 July 2026. Any nomination lodged on or after 1 July 2026 must meet the higher figure. The salary used to meet TSMIT must be guaranteed base salary only. This threshold amount does not include non-monetary benefits, such as superannuation, vehicle and accommodation allowances, etc.
Annual Market Salary Rate
In addition to the TSMIT, the employer must pay at least the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) for the nominated occupation and nominated location. AMSR means the rate an Australian equivalent employee would be paid for the same occupation in the same regions in Australia. The Migration Legislation Amendment (Annual Market Salary Rate) Instrument 2026 will make the way employers must demonstrate the AMSR calculation more flexible starting on the 25th of March 2026, employers should still be in a position to prove that the AMSR is correct and that the overseas employee is not paid less than Australian locals.
Critical: The salary paid must be the higher of TSMIT or AMSR. If the AMSR for a Civil Engineer in regional WA is AUD 120,000, that is the minimum, not AUD 76,515. Employers who pay TSMIT without checking AMSR frequently have nominations returned for non-compliance.
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What Counts as a Regional Area for 494 Visa Requirements
This is one of the most misunderstood aspects of the 494 visa requirements. Regional does not mean rural or remote. It means anywhere in Australia that is not one of the excluded major metropolitan areas.
Areas specifically excluded from 494 visa regional designation:
- Sydney, New South Wales
- Melbourne, Victoria
- Brisbane,Queensland
All other locations in Australia are considered regional for 494 purposes. This includes Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, and all regional cities such as Townsville, Cairns, Wollongong, Newcastle, Gold Coast, and Sunshine Coast. An employer in Perth or Adelaide qualifies as a regional employer. An employer in Sydney does not.
Postcode check: The Department of Home Affairs publishes a postcode-level eligible regional areas list. Confirm the employer’s postcode is on the list before proceeding with any application.
Skills Assessment: The First 494 Visa Requirement to Complete
For most applicants, the positive skills assessment is the most time-consuming of all 494 visa requirements. It must be completed before the employer can lodge a nomination. Starting the skills assessment process as early as possible is the single most effective way to shorten the overall application timeline.
Engineering Occupations: Engineers Australia CDR
All major engineering occupations require a positive Migration Skills Assessment from Engineers Australia. The CDR report is the primary document assessed: three Career Episodes, a Summary Statement, and a CPD record, assessed against Stage 1 competency standards. Standard processing takes 10 to 16 weeks from a complete submission. TheANZSCO code in the nomination must match the code assessed by Engineers Australia.
ICT Occupations: ACS RPL Report
ICT professionals nominating under ANZSCO Unit Groups 261, 262, 263, or 135 need a positive skills assessment from the Australian Computer Society. ACS assesses through the RPL report pathway for applicants without an accredited Australian ICT qualification. Standard processing takes 12 to 19 weeks.
Trade Occupations: TRA Assessment
For the trades: Electricians (341111), Plumbers (334111) and Welders (322311) are assessed by the Trades Recognition Authority (TRA) against Australian skills. Processing times vary by occupation and applicant background.
Documents Required for 494 Visa Applications
Documents are needed at two stages: the nomination (lodged by the employer) and the visa application (lodged by the applicant). Both must be complete before any assessment begins.
Employer Nomination Documents
- Evidence of Standard Business Sponsorship approval
- Evidence that the business operates in a designated regional area
- Labour Market Testing evidence showing local recruitment was attempted for 4 weeks minimum
- Job description confirming the role matches the nominated ANZSCO occupation
- Salary evidence confirming the offered salary meets TSMIT and AMSR
- Skilling Australians Fund levy payment confirmation
Applicant Visa Documents
- Valid passport and certified identity documents
- Positive skills assessment outcome letter fromEngineers Australia, ACS, or TRA
- Academic transcripts and degree certificates officially translated if not in English
- Detailed CV covering all work history with employer names, dates, and role descriptions
- Employment reference letters confirming occupation-specific duties and 3-year experience requirement
- English language test result: IELTS minimum 6.0 in each band or equivalent
- Health examination results from a panel physician
- Police clearances from all countries in which resided for a 12 month or greater period over the previous 10 years
- Health insurance evidence for primary applicant and all dependants
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494 Visa Fees and Processing Times 2026
Fee Type | Amount (AUD) | Notes |
Primary applicant visa fee | AUD 4,770 | Current 2026 fee |
Secondary applicant aged 18 or over | AUD 2,385 | Each additional adult |
Secondary applicant under 18 | AUD 1,195 | Each child applicant |
SAF levy (employer pays) | AUD 5,400 (large business) / AUD 1,800 (small business) | Per year of nomination. Paid by employer before nomination approval. |
Processing time | Priority processing, typically weeks to 3 months | 494 is classified as top priority by Department of Home Affairs |
Priority processing note: The 494 visa benefits from priority processing status because positions are in designated regional areas. Complete, accurate applications consistently process faster than the494 visa processing time for the 482 SID. Incomplete applications lose this priority status and move to a standard queue.
494 Visa Conditions After Grant
Meeting the 494 visa requirements to get the visa granted is only the start. The conditions attached to the visa determine what you can and cannot do during the 5-year provisional period.
Condition | Requirement | Consequence of Breach |
Work for sponsor | Work only for the nominating employer or an associated entity. | Visa cancellation. Affects 191 PR eligibility. |
Work in nominated occupation | Work only in the ANZSCO occupation nominated in yourvisa application. | Visa cancellation. Cannot switch occupations without new nomination. |
Live in regional area | Live in the designated regional area where your employer operates. | Visa cancellation. Relocating to Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane breaches this condition. |
Notify address changes | Notify the Department of Home Affairs within 28 days of any address change. | Compliance flag. Repeated failure leads to visa cancellation. |
Health insurance | Maintain adequate health insurance for yourself and all dependants throughout the visa period. | Visa cancellation risk. |
Changing employers | Allowed with a new regional sponsorship and nomination. You have up to 180 days at a time (maximum 365 days total) to find a new sponsor. | Exceeding the 180-day window without a new sponsor triggers visa cancellation. |
From 494 Visa Requirements to Permanent Residency
The 191 Subclass Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa is thePR pathway for 494 holders. To be eligible, you must meet all of the following conditions while holding the 494 visa.
- Held the 494 visa for at least 3 years
- Had taxable income at or above AUD 53,900 per year for at least 3 eligible income years while on the 494
- Complied with all 494 visa conditions throughout the holding period
- All secondary applicants must also have complied with their visa conditions
Income threshold note: The AUD 53,900 income requirement for the 191 is indexed to CPI and reviewed periodically. Confirm the current threshold on the Department of Home Affairs website before planning your 191 application timeline. The figure has increased from the original amount and may increase again before your 3-year period is complete.
Start With a Positive Skills Assessment Before Your Employer Lodges the 494 Nomination
The skills assessment is the only 494 visa requirement that the employer cannot initiate on your behalf. It is your responsibility, and it takes 10 to 16 weeks for engineering occupations. By beginning your CDR or ACS RPL report preparation a couple of weeks before you meet with a local employer or are in negotiations for a job offer you are ahead of all other applicants that the employer is evaluating by a number of weeks.
CDR Australia Writer prepares CDR reports, Career Episodes, and Summary Statements for engineers targeting the494 visa, built against your specific ANZSCO code and Engineers Australia Stage 1 standards. Every document is prepared with zero plagiarism and a 100% approval record.
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Do you have a question?
We have mentioned common questions asked by our clients regarding CDR report, ACS RPL report, KA02 report, and skill assessment process.
Regional employer sponsor, nominated occupation, positive skills assessment, 3 years experience, under 45, competent English, health and character, health cover.
The higher of AUD 76,515 TSMIT (AUD 79,499 from 1 July 2026) or the Annual Market Salary Rate. Base salary only, superannuation and allowances excluded.
Yes. A positive Engineers Australia skills assessment is mandatory, including three Career Episodes, aSummary Statement, and a CPD record.
Yes, with a new regional sponsorship and nomination. You have up to 180 days at a time (365 days total) to find a new sponsor.
Apply for Subclass 191 after 3 years on the 494, with taxable income above AUD 53,900 for 3 eligible income years, and full visa condition compliance.
Weeks to 3 months for complete applications. Incomplete applications lose priority status.