Subclass 494 visa document checklist (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional)

The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494) lets regional employers sponsor skilled workers when they can't find a suitably skilled Australian, for 5 years, with a pathway to permanent residence after 3 years. This checklist is a starting point as at November 2026; confirm each item on the Home Affairs subclass 494 page before lodging.

Streams

• Employer Sponsored stream: the employer is an approved work sponsor, or has applied to be a standard business sponsor, and nominates an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list.
• Labour Agreement stream: the employer has a labour agreement that covers the occupation. The agreement can set its own skills, English and work experience requirements.

Key numbers (as at November 2026)

• Work experience: at least 3 years full-time in the nominated occupation at the skill level it needs, generally gained in the last 5 years. Equivalent part-time work may count; casual work does not.
• Skills assessment: from the relevant assessing authority, obtained before lodging, unless an exemption applies. An assessment for a subclass 485 visa does not count.
• English: at least Competent English.
• Location: the position must be in a designated regional area, which is all of Australia except Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
• Visa period: 5 years. The holder must start work within 90 days and live, work and study only in a designated regional area.

Documents from the employer

• Standard business sponsorship approval, or the labour agreement
• The nomination Transaction Reference Number (TRN) for the position
• Employment contract showing the position, duties and salary

Documents from the applicant

• Identity: passport bio page and national identity card, if any; evidence of any change of name
• Skills and work: resume; employment references confirming duties, dates and hours for at least 3 years
• Qualifications: degree certificates and transcripts, or other qualifications for the occupation
• Skills assessment: the assessment for the nominated occupation, unless exempt
• Registration or licence: documents from the Australian authority showing the applicant holds, or can get, any registration or licence the occupation requires
• English: a test result showing at least Competent English
• Age exemption: evidence of the exemption, if the applicant is 45 or older
• Character: Police certificates from each country where the applicant has spent a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16, including an Australian Federal Police check where it applies
• Health: Health examinations, when Home Affairs asks for them
• Partner: identity and character documents, a marriage certificate or evidence of a de facto relationship of at least 12 months, and evidence of Functional English
• Children: identity documents; Form 1229 or a statutory declaration from anyone with parental responsibility who is not coming; for children 18 and over, Form 47a, proof of relationship, evidence of financial dependence for at least 12 months and evidence of Functional English

Collect it with Immiluma

Set this checklist up once as a visa template in Immiluma, or ask the assistant to draft it from this page. Each subclass 494 matter sends it to the client's portal. The client uploads against each item, and you review each document beside it, with the employer's nomination and contract on the same matter. See all visa checklists.