Labour Agreement stream

• live, work and study only in designated regional areas of Australia for 5 years
• travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid
• if eligible, apply for permanent residence after 3 years from the time we grant your visa.

You can live, work and study only in a designated regional area. Designated regional areas include all of Australia except for Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

This is a provisional visa. You can stay in Australia for a period of 5 years from when we grant your visa.

If eligible, you can apply for permanent residence after you have held your 494 visa for 3 years.

Unless you have held your subclass 494 visa for 3 years, holders of the subclass 494 visa are unable to:

• Make a valid application for a subclass 820 (Partner) visa
• Be granted any of the following visas:
  • Subclass 132 (Business Talent)
  • Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme)
  • Subclass 188 (Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional))
  • Subclass 189 (Skilled (Independent))
  • Subclass 190 (Skilled (Nominated))
  • Subclass 858 (Global Talent).

You can't stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. Explore your visa options.

If eligible, you can apply for permanent residence after 3 years from the time we grant your visa.

You can include members of the family unit in your application. You can:

• include them when you submit your visa application
• add a dependent child after you submit but before we decide on your visa application.

Family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health and character requirements.

Family members who do not apply for the visa with you might also have to meet our health and character requirements.

If you do not include your partner or dependent children in this application, you must tell us the reason why. For example, they already hold Australian citizenship or are a permanent resident.

This visa costs:

• AUD6,140.00 for the main applicant
• AUD3,070.00 for each dependent 18 years and over
• AUD1,535.00 for each dependent under 18 years.

Concessions apply in limited circumstances.

It costs an additional AUD4,890 if any dependent applicants who are 18 years and over do not have functional English. This extra charge is called a second instalment.

To see what your visa will cost use the Visa Pricing Estimator. The estimator does not consider the second instalment or other costs.

You will have to pay other costs including:

• English language tests
• health checks
• police certificates
• biometrics

From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid visa application.

We will charge eligible applicants the lower visa application cost during the application process in ImmiAccount. We will recognise eligible applicants by the valid passport from the specified countries used in the application when they apply.

Family members are also eligible for the lower visa cost. We base this on the passport of the primary applicant (or visa holder who satisfies the primary visa criteria).

The primary applicant must hold a valid passport issued by one of the following countries:

• Federated States of Micronesia
• Fiji
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Republic of the Marshall Islands
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Timor-Leste
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu.

You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa, but not in immigration clearance.

If you are applying in Australia, you must hold a:

• substantive visa or
• Bridging visa A, Bridging visa B or Bridging visa C.

You can be in or outside Australia when we decide on your application.

For an indication of processing times for this visa, use the visa processing time guide tool. This will show the processing times for recently decided applications. It is a guide only and not specific to your application.

We assess applications on a case-by-case basis, and actual processing times can vary due to individual circumstances including:

• whether you have lodged a complete application, including all necessary supporting documents
• how quickly you respond to any requests for additional information
• how long it takes to perform required checks on the supporting information provided
• how long it takes to receive additional information from external agencies, particularly in relation to health, character, and national security requirements

We might ask for more information. We are not obligated to request further information or documents and can make a decision on the information provided. It is your responsibility to ensure all relevant supporting/evidentiary documentation is attached to your application.

You and your family must comply with all visa conditions and Australian laws.

You must begin your employment within 90 days of:

• entering Australia, if you are outside Australia when we grant the visa
• the visa grant date, if you are in Australia when we grant the visa

You must only work in your nominated occupation and only work for your nominating employer in regional Australia. If you do not, we might cancel your visa.

You can travel out of Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

The time you spend outside Australia does not extend the visa.

We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.

The nominated occupation must be the subject of a labour agreement between the Commonwealth and the nominator.

See the labour agreement under which you will be working.

Unless the labour agreement states otherwise, you must be under 45 years of age when you apply for the visa.

You must demonstrate that you have the skills, qualifications and work experience necessary to perform the nominated occupation.

You must undertake a skills assessment to demonstrate this if having a skills assessment is specified in the labour agreement - see Have a positive skills assessment section below.

If it is not mandatory for you to undertake a skills assessment, you are still required to provide other evidence to demonstrate that you meet this requirement – see 'Skills and qualifications documents' under the Step by step tab.

You must have been employed in the nominated occupation for at least 3 years on a full-time basis and at the skill level required for the nominated occupation.

Generally, you should have gained your experience within the last 5 years. The period does not need to be continuous. We might consider equivalent part-time work. We do not consider casual work.

If having s skills assessment is specified in the labour agreement, you must have your skills assessed as suitable for the nominated occupation by the relevant assessing authority. The assessment will show us you have the skills to work in the nominated occupation.

Learn more about skills assessments.

You must have the level of English as specified in the labour agreement to be granted this visa. Learn more about English language.

You and any family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health requirement.

If requested, family members not accompanying you to Australia might also need to meet our health requirement.

You and any family members aged 16 years and over who apply for the visa with you must meet our character requirement.

Family members not accompanying you to Australia must also meet the character requirement.

If you or any family members (including those who don't apply for the visa with you) owe the Australian government money, you or they must have paid it back or arranged to pay it back.

If you are 16 years of age or older, you must:

• have read, or had explained to you, the Life in Australia booklet and
• sign an Australian Values Statement that confirms you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws

Before you leave

Check your travel documents

You must have a valid:

• visa to enter Australia
• passport or other travel document.

At the border

Completing an Incoming Passenger Card

All people arriving in Australia must complete an Incoming Passenger Card. You will be given this card during your flight.

Leaving the airport faster

We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. You might be able to leave the airport faster if you use SmartGate.

What you can do when you have this visa

• Work for up to 5 years for your sponsor only in regional Australia
• Live and study for up to 5 years only in regional Australia
• Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid
• If eligible, apply to become a permanent resident.

Your visa will come with conditions attached to it. To see your conditions, see your grant letter or use VEVO.

What you must do when you have this visa

You and your family must meet all visa conditions and obey Australian laws.

You must begin your employment within 90 days after your:

• entry to Australia if you were granted the visa outside Australia
• visa grant date if you were granted the visa in Australia.

Learn more about visa details and conditions.

Tell us if things change

Things you need to let us know about include:

• changes to your phone number, email, address or passport
• changes to your employer
• changes to your employment status including promotions and changes in hours
• changes to your relationship status
• the birth of a child.

See what to do if your situation changes.

See how long you can stay

This is a provisional visa. You can live, work and study only in regional Australia for up to 5 years.

To see when you must leave, see your grant letter or use VEVO.

Staying longer

If your visa is expiring and you want to keep working in Australia for your employer:

• your employer will need to submit a new nomination
• you must apply for a new visa.

You can’t stay longer by extending the visa.

Your employer may be able to sponsor you for permanent residence through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191).

Travelling on your visa

You can travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

Time spent outside Australia does not extend your length of stay in Australia.

Proving you have a visa

To prove you have a visa and show your conditions to someone, use VEVO.

Working

Usually you can only work for the business that sponsored you. They must have a labour agreement and the position must be in regional Australia.

When you work in Australia, you are protected by Australian workplace law. See your workplace rights and entitlements.

Learn more about visa details and conditions.

Bringing family

Secondary applicants can apply for this visa as a subsequent entrant.

Before you leave

Check your travel documents

You must have a valid passport or other travel document to leave Australia.

Ensure your visa is still valid

Check your conditions and the expiry of your visa in VEVO.

See what you can and must do if your visa has expired or is about to expire.

At the border

Leaving the airport faster

We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. You might be able to leave the airport faster if you use SmartGate.

After you leave

Get your superannuation (if you are leaving Australia and do not intend to return)

You are likely to have some money in a superannuation fund if you worked in Australia and:

• you were 18 years or older
• you were paid AUD450 or more (before tax) in a month

See how to access your superannuation after you leave Australia.

Proving you have been to Australia

To prove you have been to Australia, request your travel records.

You can sponsor and nominate a skilled worker to work in a designated regional area in a skilled occupation which is the subject of a labour agreement between the Australian Government and the nominating employer.

You can also sponsor family members who apply for the visa with them.

You must nominate the skilled worker you wish to employ for the visa before they can submit their visa application.

Holders of this visa can live, work and study only in a designated regional area. Designated regional areas include all of Australia except for Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

There is no application fee to nominate an applicant for this stream of the visa.

You are required to pay the Skilling Australians Fund levy.

Approved nominations last for 12 months from the approval date and cease on the earliest of:

• the day on which we receive written notification of the withdrawal of the nomination by the approved work sponsor
• 12 months after the day on which the nomination is approved unless, at the time, there is a visa application made by the nominee on the basis of the nomination that has not been finally determined
• if a visa application made by the nominee on the basis of the nomination is finally determined or withdrawn after 12 months after the day on which the nomination is approved – the day on which the visa application is finally determined or withdrawn
• the day on which the nominee is granted the visa
• the day on which the labour agreement ceases if approval of the nomination is given to a party to a labour agreement

Your nomination must be approved at the time we decide on the nominee's visa application.

For an indication of processing times for this visa, use the visa processing time guide tool. This will show the processing times for recently decided applications. It is a guide only and not specific to your application.

We assess applications on a case-by-case basis, and actual processing times can vary due to individual circumstances including:

• whether you are an approved work sponsor
• whether you have lodged a complete application, including all necessary supporting documents
• how quickly you respond to any requests for additional information

We might ask for more information. We are not obligated to request further information or documents and can make a decision on the information provided. It is your responsibility to ensure all relevant documentation is attached to your application.

You must:

• employ the skilled worker under the terms and conditions agreed to under the labour agreement. The terms and conditions must not be less favourable than as those for Australian citizens or permanent residents doing the same work in the same place. Terms and conditions include but are not limited to salary for the nominated position, hours of work and leave entitlements.
• pay the skilled worker the annual market salary rate
• comply with Australian immigration and workplace relations law

Your business must:

• have no adverse information known about it or any person associated with it, or it is reasonable to disregard this information
• pay the Skilling Australians Fund levy when you submit your nomination application
• have complied with Australian immigration and workplace relations laws

You must:

• currently have a labour agreement in place with the Australian Government
• have met any nomination requirements specified in the agreement

The occupation you are nominating must be listed in the labour agreement as an occupation you can nominate.

You must meet your obligations as an approved work sponsor.

You are responsible for meeting these obligations even if you appoint someone, such as a migration agent, to act for you.

Learn more about your sponsorship obligations.

Things you need to let us know about include:

• if you terminate the visa holder's employment or they cease working for you
• if you change the visa holder's hours, duties or pay
• if the visa holder's visa is expiring

See what else you must let us know and what you can do if there is a change in situation.