Planning your Australian adventure? If you’re a skilled professional dreaming of calling Australia home, the Subclass 494 visa might just be your golden ticket. This five-year work visa isn’t just about getting a job – it’s about building a life in some of Australia’s most beautiful regional areas while working toward permanent residency.
Think of this visa as your stepping stone to Australian permanent residency. Unlike other temporary work visas, the 494 visa comes with a clear promise: work in regional Australia for three years, meet the requirements, and you’ll have a direct path to permanent residency through the Subclass 191 visa.
What Makes This Visa Special?
Imagine having five full years to explore life in Australia while working in your chosen profession. That’s exactly what this visa offers. You can live, work, and study in designated regional areas across Australia – everywhere except Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Yes, that means cities like Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, and Hobart are all considered “regional” for this visa.
The beauty of this arrangement is that you’re not stuck in one location. As long as you stay within regional Australia, you have the flexibility to move around, change jobs (with proper approval), and truly experience what regional Australian life has to offer.
Who Can Apply? Breaking Down the Eligibility
Here’s where things get practical. To qualify for a Subclass 494 visa, you’ll need to tick several important boxes:
Age and Experience Requirements: You must be under 45 years old when you apply. Additionally, you’ll need at least three years of full-time work experience in your nominated occupation. This experience doesn’t have to be continuous, but it must be relevant to the job you’re being sponsored for.
Skills and Occupation: Your occupation must appear on either the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) or the Regional Occupation List (ROL). You’ll also need a positive skills assessment from a recognized Australian assessing authority.
English Language Proficiency: Competent English is essential – typically demonstrated through IELTS scores of 6.0 in each band, or equivalent results in PTE Academic or other accepted tests.
Health and Character: All applicants must pass medical examinations and provide police clearance certificates from every country they’ve lived in for 12 months or more during the past 10 years.
The Employer Connection: Perhaps most importantly, you need a job offer from an approved employer in regional Australia who is willing to sponsor you.
The Application Journey: Step-by-Step Process
Understanding the application process helps you prepare better and manage expectations. The 494 visa application involves three distinct stages, each with its own requirements and timeframes.
Stage 1: Employer Becomes a Sponsor Your prospective employer must first become an approved Standard Business Sponsor with the Department of Home Affairs. This involves proving their business is legitimate, financially stable, and operating in a designated regional area. They’ll need to provide business registration documents, financial statements, and organizational charts.
Stage 2: Nomination Process Once approved as a sponsor, your employer must nominate the specific position they want to fill. This includes demonstrating they’ve conducted Labour Market Testing – essentially proving they tried to find an Australian worker for the role but couldn’t fill it locally. They’ll also need Regional Certifying Body (RCB) advice for most occupations.
Stage 3: Your Visa Application Finally, you can submit your personal visa application. This includes all your documentation proving you meet the eligibility requirements, along with health examinations and character assessments.
Understanding the Two Pathways
The Subclass 494 offers two distinct streams:
Employer Sponsored Stream: This is the main pathway where regional employers sponsor skilled workers whose occupations are on the relevant skilled occupation lists. Most applicants will go through this stream.
Labour Agreement Stream: This pathway is for employers who have negotiated specific labour agreements with the Australian government. These agreements typically allow for more flexibility in occupation requirements and may cover jobs not on the standard occupation lists.
Your Family’s Journey Too
One of the most appealing aspects of this visa is that your family can join you. Partners and dependent children can be included in your application, and they’ll have the same rights to live, work, and study in Australia. Your partner can work in any job, and your children can attend Australian schools.
If your family members aren’t ready to move with you initially, they can apply later as subsequent entrants, though they’ll need written approval from your sponsoring employer.
Processing Times and Costs Breakdown
Understanding the financial commitment and timeframes helps with planning:
| Component | Main Applicant | Partner/Adult Dependent | Child Dependent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa Application Fee | AUD $4,770 | AUD $2,385 | AUD $1,190 |
| Second Installment (if English below functional) | N/A | AUD $4,890 | N/A |
| Skills Assessment | AUD $300-$1,000 | N/A | N/A |
| Health Examinations | AUD $300-$500 | AUD $300-$500 | AUD $200-$300 |
| Police Checks | AUD $100-$200 | AUD $100-$200 | AUD $100-$200 |
Processing times vary significantly:
- Employer Sponsored Stream: Up to 14 months for 90% of applications
- Labour Agreement Stream: Up to 6 months for 90% of applications
Regional Australia: More Than Just a Requirement
Living in regional Australia isn’t just a visa condition – it’s an opportunity to experience a different side of Australian life. Regional areas offer lower living costs, shorter commutes, closer-knit communities, and often easier access to nature and outdoor activities.
Cities like Perth and Adelaide offer all the amenities of major metropolitan areas while still qualifying as “regional” for migration purposes. Smaller centers provide unique opportunities to make a real impact in local communities while building valuable professional networks.
Your Path to Permanent Residency
After three years on your Subclass 494, you can apply for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (Subclass 191). The requirements include maintaining an income threshold (currently AUD $53,900 annually), continuing to live and work in regional Australia, and complying with all your visa conditions.
This pathway to permanent residency doesn’t require employer sponsorship – it’s based on your own merit and compliance with the regional residency requirements.
Important Considerations and Restrictions
While the 494 visa offers excellent opportunities, there are important conditions to understand:
You must work only for your sponsoring employer unless you receive approval to change employers. You’re required to live and work in designated regional areas throughout your visa period. Regular travel outside Australia is permitted, but time abroad doesn’t extend your visa validity.
Making Your Decision
The Subclass 494 visa represents more than just a work opportunity – it’s a chance to build a new life in Australia while contributing to regional communities that genuinely need skilled workers. The five-year validity provides security and stability, while the clear pathway to permanent residency offers long-term certainty.
Before starting this journey, research potential employers in your field, understand the regional areas where you might work, and ensure your qualifications and experience align with Australian standards. Consider consulting with a qualified migration agent who can guide you through the complex application process and help avoid common pitfalls.
Your Australian adventure in regional areas could be the beginning of an incredible new chapter, combining professional growth with the lifestyle benefits that make Australia such an attractive destination for skilled migrants worldwide.
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