📊 Visa At A Glance
What is the Subclass 494 Visa?
The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (Subclass 494) allows regional employers to address labour shortages by sponsoring skilled workers when they cannot find appropriately skilled Australian workers.
This is a provisional employer-sponsored visa, not a points-tested visa. It is valid for 5 years, and provides a direct pathway to permanent residency via the Subclass 191 visa after living and working for the sponsoring employer in regional Australia for 3 years.
Salary Requirements & TSMIT
To sponsor a worker on a Subclass 494 visa, the regional employer must prove they will pay a salary that meets market rates. The base annual salary must be equal to or higher than the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT).
⚠️ Standard Salary Thresholds (July 2026 Update)
The TSMIT is indexed annually by the federal government. For nominations lodged, the base salary must meet the indexed TSMIT value of **$79,499** (excluding superannuation and non-monetary benefits) unless specific regional DAMA concessions apply.
⚖️ Visa Officer Assessment Guide: AMSR Verification
Under Migration Act 1958 s140GB, visa officers verify the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR)to ensure local workers are not undercut. Sponsoring employers must provide concrete evidence (such as awards, enterprise agreements, or job listings showing what Australian citizens are paid in the same role and location) to prove that the nominee's base salary is equal to or higher than the AMSR. Nominations offering below-market rates are refused.
Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMA)
If your employer is located in a territory covered by a Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) (such as the Riverina, Orana, or Far North Queensland), they may access concessions not available under the standard subclass 494 program:
- Age Concessions: Sponsors can nominate workers up to 50 or 55 years of age (compared to the standard under 45 limit).
- English Concessions: Lower English proficiency thresholds (e.g. IELTS 5.0 overall).
- Salary Concessions: Sponsoring workers below the standard TSMIT if justified by local market conditions.
Eligibility Overview
To qualify, the visa applicant must:
- Be nominated by an approved sponsor to work in a designated regional area.
- Be under 45 years of age (unless DAMA concessions apply).
- Have a positive skills assessment in an occupation listed on the relevant Skilled Occupation List.
- Have at least 3 years of full-time, relevant post-qualification work experience.
- Have Competent English (IELTS 6.0 in all bands or PTE 50).
Document Checklist
Ensure you compile and upload all required documents. Use our interactive checklist to track and prepare your files before applying:
Unlock Interactive File Checklist for Subclass 494 Employer Sponsored Regional
Access a customized list of required documents, allowed file types, and size limits based on Home Affairs guidelines.
Fees & Costs
The base visa application fee for a primary applicant is $4,910.
- Additional Applicant (18+): $2,455
- Additional Applicant (under 18): $1,230
Employer sponsorship costs: The sponsoring employer is responsible for nomination fees and the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy (typically $3,000 to $5,000 depending on business turnover).