TILSAVV Education & Migration · Published 26 October 2026
Migration enquiries: Mmanu Bhardwaj · MARN 2518871
EMPLOYER SPONSORED · REGIONAL AUSTRALIA
A regional role deserves a clear sponsorship plan.
TILSAVV provides 494 visa assistance for employers and skilled workers across Australia. We assess the proposed employment and applicant’s circumstances together, identify evidence gaps and prepare the work agreed in your engagement.
What is the subclass 494 visa?
The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa is a five-year provisional visa for eligible sponsored workers in designated regional Australia. This page focuses on the Employer Sponsored stream. A Labour Agreement stream also exists and requires separate consideration of the applicable agreement.
For the Employer Sponsored stream, applicants generally need an eligible employer nomination, a relevant occupation, at least three years of relevant work experience, a suitable skills assessment unless exempt, to be under 45 unless exempt, and to meet English, health and character requirements. See the Home Affairs 494 Employer Sponsored stream guidance.
We begin with your actual circumstances. An occupation title, an employer’s willingness or a skills assessment alone does not answer every eligibility question.
For employers
Understand the proposed position, sponsorship steps and information needed from your business.
For skilled workers
Assess your experience, documents and visa history against the proposed pathway.
For families
Include family circumstances, timing and relocation questions in the planning discussion.
494 sponsorship: the employer and position assessment
Before paperwork is prepared, the business and worker need a shared understanding of the proposed role. We ask for the legal entity, business activities, position description, proposed remuneration and worksite details. We then explain what needs to be investigated and which records should be gathered.
Home Affairs states that, for the Employer Sponsored stream, a regional certifying body must assess the annual market salary rate for the nominated position. We identify the relevant regional certifying body and explain the assessment work within the agreed scope.
The employer, nomination and visa stages should be mapped before commitments are made. We clarify who will supply documents, who will authorise submissions and how questions will be managed between the business and worker.
494 visa requirements: the worker assessment
We review the applicant’s qualifications, employment history, skills-assessment position, English evidence, current visa and previous immigration history. If an exemption is being considered, we investigate its actual requirements rather than assuming it applies.
For employment evidence, consistency matters. A CV is a useful starting summary, but it should be checked against references and other available records. Tell us about missing documents, changes in job title or different dates early so we can identify the questions they raise.
Prepare these items for the first discussion
- Passport, current visa grant and important expiry dates.
- CV with employment dates and a description of actual duties.
- Qualifications, available references and skills-assessment documents.
- English test results or information relevant to a possible exemption.
- Proposed contract, business name, role description and worksite postcode.
- Details of family members to be considered and relevant visa history.
This is a consultation preparation list. Your application checklist will depend on the assessment and engagement.
Our 494 visa application process
- Clarify the proposal. Discuss the vacancy, worker, location and timing. Identify urgent expiry dates and decisions that need advice.
- Assess the pathway. Review the relevant requirements and identify concerns, missing evidence and any alternative pathway worth considering.
- Confirm scope and fees. Set out the agreed services, responsibilities and professional fees before work begins.
- Prepare the agreed applications. Reconcile the documents and information for the relevant sponsorship, nomination and visa work included in the engagement.
- Manage the next steps. Explain acknowledgements, relevant requests and changes that need attention during the matter.
Which locations qualify as regional?
Check the exact postcode against the Home Affairs designated regional area list. Geelong is included among the listed major regional centres; proximity to Geelong does not establish that another address qualifies.
TILSAVV assists clients Australia-wide, including people in Geelong, Wyndham Vale and Manor Lakes. Our service coverage does not determine whether a proposed work or residential address meets a regional visa requirement.
494 to 191: planning beyond the initial application
Eligible 494 holders may later apply for subclass 191 after holding an eligible visa for at least three years and meeting the other requirements. Permanent residence is not automatic. The 191 Regional Provisional stream requires compliance with the eligible visa’s conditions and ATO notices of assessment for three income years out of the five years of that visa. There is no minimum income requirement for this stream.
We encourage clients to organise their address, work and tax records from the start. When planning a later application, the requirements and individual history must be checked again.
494, 482, 186 or 491: where should you start?
Bring the proposed role and your personal history to an assessment rather than selecting a visa number first. Compare our 482 Skills in Demand visa assistance, 186 Employer Nomination Scheme assistance and 491 visa assistance. Our 491 vs 494 comparison guide explains the different starting points.
494 visa assistance: common questions
Can TILSAVV find me a sponsoring employer?
This service concerns migration assessment and agreed application assistance. It does not promise a job placement or an employer. Tell us whether you already have a proposed sponsor when enquiring.
How much will the application cost?
Request a written breakdown for the proposed matter. Professional fees, government charges and third-party costs should be identified separately, with responsibilities clarified. The total depends on the work, family circumstances and evidence required.
How long does a 494 application take?
Preparation, any required assessments and government processing are different parts of the timeline. We discuss the dependencies for your matter and current official processing information. We do not promise a fixed decision date.
Can an employer and worker enquire together?
Yes. Identify who is attending and how each person is involved. We clarify the engagement, authority to share information and communication arrangements before substantive work proceeds.
