Subclass 494 Visa: Skill Requirements, Occupations List, and Skills Assessment
The Subclass 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional) visa is one of Australia’s most practical pathways for skilled workers who want permanent residency outside the major cities. It is one of Australia’s primary employer-sponsored regional visa pathways; your employer handles the nomination, the regional setting reduces your competition pool, and after three years of compliant work you have a direct route to the Subclass 191 permanent residency visa. But before any of that happens, three things need to line up: your skill profile meets the eligibility criteria, your occupation appears on the right list, and you hold a positive skills assessment from the correct authority. This guide walks you through all three. Last updated: April 2026 What Is the Subclass 494 Visa? The Subclass 494 is an employer-sponsored provisional visa, valid for five years. It runs through two streams: the Employer Sponsored stream, where a regional business sponsors and nominates you for a specific role, and the Labour Agreement stream, which applies under a formal arrangement between an employer and the Australian government for a specific industry or region. Most applicants go through the Employer Sponsored stream. One thing that catches people off-guard: the definition of “regional Australia” under this visa is broader than most expect. While on the Subclass 494 visa, you must live and work in a designated regional area. That means anywhere in Australia except the metropolitan zones of Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Perth and Gold Coast both qualify as regional under this visa, a fact worth knowing before you rule them out, per immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. Subclass 494 vs Subclass 482: Key Differences Feature Subclass 494 Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) Work location Regional Australia only Any location in Australia Occupation eligibility MLTSSL + ROL Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) Age limit Under 45 No age limit Regional Certifying Body required Yes No PR pathway Subclass 191 (regional) Subclass 186 or points-tested Subclass 494 Skill Requirements for Applicants Four requirements determine whether you qualify as an applicant. All four are checkable before you approach an employer, so there is no reason to get deep into the sponsorship process before confirming you meet them. DHA (Department of Home Affairs) sets these criteria at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. Age Requirement You must be under 45 years of age when you lodge your visa application. This is a hard cut-off. If you are 43 or 44, the timeline matters more than it sounds, finding a regional employer, obtaining RCB advice, completing a skills assessment, and lodging all take time. Start early. Limited exceptions exist under certain Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs), which may allow older applicants for specific in-demand occupations. Outside of DAMA arrangements, DHA decision-makers have no discretion on this criterion. English Language Requirement You need Competent English, the minimum standard, not Superior or Proficient. If you have been working in an English-speaking environment, you likely already meet this. The accepted scores are: Work Experience Requirement You need at least three years of relevant skilled work experience in your nominated occupation, earned within the five years before you lodge. The experience must match the ANZSCO description for your specific occupation code, not just the job title. This distinction matters: a job called “Project Manager” can sit at ANZSCO Skill Level 1, 2, or 3 depending on the duties, and DHA assesses the actual role, not the label. Salary Requirement (TSMIT) Your employer must pay at least the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) for the position and no less than the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT). From 1 July 2025, the TSMIT is $76,515 per year, as set by DHA. Where the market rate is higher than the TSMIT floor, the higher figure applies. Some employers offer exactly the minimum, that is legal, but worth clarifying upfront. Requirement Standard Age Under 45 at date of visa application English Competent (IELTS 6.0 per band or equivalent) Work experience 3 years in nominated occupation (within last 5 years) Minimum salary $76,515 per year (TSMIT, from 1 July 2025) Occupation skill level ANZSCO Skill Level 1, 2, or 3 Not sure whether your occupation and experience profile stack up? Book a consultation with RACC Indonesia. Our MARA-registered consultants check your eligibility before you invest time in finding a sponsor. Occupation Lists for the Subclass 494 Visa Your occupation needs to appear on one of two official lists, or fall under a DAMA arrangement. Check this first, before you search for an employer and before you book a skills assessment. DHA maintains two official skilled occupation lists for the Subclass 494. Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) The MLTSSL covers approximately 216 occupations in sustained long-term demand across Australia. If your occupation is on the MLTSSL, you have the broadest visa access: the points-tested Subclass 189, the state-nominated Subclass 190, and the regional Subclass 491 and Subclass 494 are all available to you. MLTSSL occupations skew toward professional and technical roles in healthcare, engineering, ICT, education, and finance. Regional Occupation List (ROL) The ROL lists 77 occupations that are available exclusively through regional visa pathways. If your occupation is ROL-only, you can access the Subclass 494 and Subclass 491 but not the Subclass 189 or Subclass 190. That sounds limiting, but it comes with a practical upside. Employers trying to fill ROL roles in regional areas often face less competition for sponsorship, because the pool of eligible candidates is smaller. Agriculture, trades, and regional health services make up a large part of the ROL. DAMA Occupations Designated Area Migration Agreements let regional employers nominate occupations outside the MLTSSL and ROL entirely. DAMAs are negotiated between specific regional bodies and the Australian Government, and active arrangements cover areas including the Northern Territory, regional South Australia, the Orana region of New South Wales, and others. DAMA concessions may also include modified age limits and English thresholds for specific roles. If your occupation does not appear on either standard list, a DAMA region may still have a path open. Occupation List Occupation Count Visa Pathways Available MLTSSL ~216 Subclass
