No Points Test Required
Unlike the 189, 190 and 491 visas, the 494 does not require you to clear a points test - eligibility is built around your employer's nomination and your skills.
Employer Sponsored Regional Visa
Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional.
The Subclass 494 visa lets approved employers in regional Australia sponsor skilled workers for genuine positions, without the points test that applies to the 189, 190 and 491 visas. In return, you commit to working for your sponsoring employer in a designated regional area on a five-year provisional visa, with a pathway to permanent residency through the Subclass 191 visa once you meet the requirements. Intel Migration works with regional employers and nominated workers to confirm occupation eligibility, document genuine positions, and build a decision-ready application.
No points test required
5-year provisional visa
Pathway to 191 PR
MARA Agent #1688088
Why apply for a 494 visa
An employer-backed route to regional Australia.
For skilled workers with a genuine offer from a regional employer, the 494 visa removes the points test from the equation entirely and offers a structured five-year pathway toward permanent residency.
Clear Path To Permanent 191
After meeting the regional employment, income and residence requirements for the required period, 494 holders may apply for the permanent Subclass 191 visa.
Broader Occupation List
The regional occupation list available for employer sponsored regional nominations is broader than many other skilled visa lists, increasing eligibility for many roles.
Family Inclusion
Your spouse or de facto partner and dependent children can be included as secondary applicants and join you in your regional community.
Employer-Driven Certainty
With a genuine regional employer and nomination in place, your application is built around a concrete job rather than a competitive invitation round.
Five-Year Runway
The five-year validity period gives you and your family time to settle into regional life and build toward the criteria for permanent residency.
Regional employers, regional talent
Built for genuine regional positions.
The 494 exists to help regional businesses fill skill shortages they cannot meet locally. We help employers document the genuine need for the role and help nominated workers present their skills, qualifications and experience clearly.
Eligibility essentials
Six benchmarks every 494 application must clear.
The 494 visa involves both an employer-side nomination and a worker-side visa application, each with its own requirements. We review the employer's regional standing and the worker's profile together so the whole application holds up.
Approved Regional Employer
Your employer must be approved to sponsor under the regional program, operating a genuine business in a designated regional area.
Eligible Occupation
Your nominated occupation must be on the regional occupation list applicable to employer sponsored regional nominations.
Relevant Work Experience
You generally need at least three years of relevant, recent work experience in your nominated occupation or a closely related field.
Positive Skills Assessment
A valid, positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for your nominated occupation is generally required.
Competent English
At least Competent English from an accepted test is generally required, with limited exemptions in certain circumstances.
Age & Health/Character
You must generally be under 45 years of age at the time of application, and meet standard health examination and police clearance requirements.
Strategic roadmap
The 494 visa journey, step by step.
Two linked applications - the regional employer nomination and the worker's visa application - need to tell the same consistent story. We coordinate both sides so the genuine position, occupation and evidence line up.
Employer & Region Check
We confirm the employer's location sits within a designated regional area and review their readiness to sponsor.
Occupation Eligibility
We confirm the nominated occupation is on the regional occupation list and correctly coded under ANZSCO.
Position & Business Evidence
We help document the genuine need for the role, duties, salary and the employer's business operations.
Skills Assessment
Lodgement of your application with the correct assessing authority, supported by verified qualifications and employment evidence.
English Language Test
Selecting and preparing for IELTS, PTE Academic or an accepted equivalent to meet the Competent English requirement.
Nomination Lodgement
Preparation and submission of the employer's regional nomination application with supporting evidence.
Visa Lodgement
Preparation and submission of your visa application with identity, employment, qualification and family documents.
Health, Character, Grant & 191 Planning
Completion of health and character checks, followed by grant and a plan for meeting the requirements of the future Subclass 191 visa.
Employer approval comes before the visa
The regional employer nomination must be approved before the visa application can be finalised, and the regional occupation list for employer sponsored nominations can differ from the lists used for points-tested visas. We confirm current settings for your occupation and region before lodgement, and check the income and residence conditions that will apply toward a future 191 application.
Choosing your pathway
494 vs 491 vs 186 at a glance.
If you have a genuine offer from a regional employer and want to avoid the points test, the 494 is often the most direct option. If that employer is in a major city, the 186 may suit better, while the 491 fits applicants without an employer but with a strong points score. We assess all three before recommending a strategy.
| Feature | Subclass 494 | Subclass 491 | Subclass 186 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basis of application | Employer sponsored, regional area, not points-tested | Points-tested, regional nomination or family sponsorship | Employer sponsored, no location restriction, not points-tested |
| Points test | Not required | Required - minimum 65 points plus regional bonus | Not required |
| Visa outcome | Provisional (5 years) with pathway to Subclass 191 PR | Provisional (5 years) with pathway to Subclass 191 PR | Permanent residency immediately |
| Location conditions | Must work for the sponsoring employer in a designated regional area | Must live and work in a designated regional area | None - employer can be anywhere in Australia |
| Typical use case | Genuine regional employer offer, points score not yet competitive | Strong points score, open to regional living without an employer | Genuine employer offer in any location, criteria met for permanent grant |
Official resources
Useful links before you start.
These official Home Affairs pages are a useful starting point for understanding employer sponsored regional nomination and the 494 visa. We help interpret the rules against your actual employer, occupation and region.
Common 494 risks
- Assuming the employer's location is a designated regional area without checking the postcode.
- Nominating an occupation that does not genuinely match the duties of the position.
- Insufficient or poorly documented evidence of the required relevant work experience.
- Treating the 494 grant as the end goal rather than planning for the 191 requirements.
- Employers letting their sponsorship obligations lapse after the visa is granted.
- Assuming "no points test" means there is no eligibility assessment at all.
FAQ
Before you lodge a 494 visa.
Practical answers for both regional employers and skilled workers considering the employer sponsored regional pathway.
01Is the subclass 494 visa permanent residency?
No, not immediately. The Subclass 494 is a provisional visa valid for five years. After working for your sponsoring employer in a designated regional area for a set period and meeting income requirements, holders may become eligible for the permanent Subclass 191 visa.
02Do I need to pass the points test for a 494 visa?
No. Unlike the 189, 190 and 491 visas, the 494 visa is not points-tested. Eligibility is based on your employer's nomination, your relevant skills, qualifications and work experience, and meeting the standard age, English and health and character requirements.
03What is the difference between the 494 and 491 visas?
The 494 is employer sponsored by an approved business in a designated regional area and does not require the points test. The 491 is points-tested and requires a state, territory or eligible family sponsored regional nomination. Both are five-year provisional visas with a pathway to the permanent Subclass 191 visa.
04Can the 494 visa lead to permanent residency?
Yes. After holding the 494 visa for the required minimum period, generally three years, and meeting the income and regional residence requirements, you may be able to apply for the permanent Subclass 191 visa.
05Can I change employer while on a 494 visa?
The 494 visa is tied to your sponsoring employer and the nominated position in a designated regional area. If your employment ends, you generally have a limited period to find a new approved regional sponsor or otherwise regularise your status. We help affected visa holders review their options quickly.
06Can my family be included in a 494 application?
Yes. Your spouse or de facto partner and dependent children can be included as secondary applicants, with the same conditions to live in a designated regional area while you work for your sponsoring employer.
Employer-Backed. Regional. Progressive.
Ready to map your 494 pathway?
Whether you are a regional employer looking to sponsor a skilled worker or a worker with a regional job offer in hand, send us your details and current visa situation. We will help confirm occupation eligibility, the documents required, and what your pathway to the Subclass 191 permanent visa could look like.
Book a 494 consultation
MARA Registered Agent #1688088
Intel Migration Pty Ltd
West End, Brisbane QLD
