Processing times · Subclass 494
How long does the subclass 494 visa take? (September 2026)
Reviewed by a registered migration agent ·
MARN 1795282
Updated
As at 29 September 2026, Home Affairs reports that 75% of Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (Subclass 494) applications (Employer Sponsored stream) were finalised within 11 months, and 90% within 12 months. The 494 has 2 streams with different times, listed below. These are official global processing times for applications decided in the previous month, not a promise for any individual case.
Subclass 494 processing times by stream
| Stream | 75% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| Employer Sponsored | 11 months | 12 months |
| Labour Agreement | 11 months | 12 months |
What to expect when you apply for the subclass 494
How the application moves
- The regional employer becomes or already is a standard business sponsor, then lodges the nomination with the regional certifying body's advice, labour market testing and the levy.
- The worker lodges with a positive skills assessment, the required years of experience and English; health and character follow, and the nomination is decided before the visa.
What most often slows a 494 application
- Regional certifying body advice that is slow to obtain or not attached to the nomination.
- Skills assessments still in progress at lodgement, or occupations outside the current priority sectors.
What to have ready before lodging
- Employer: the regional certifying body advice, labour market testing evidence, position description and salary evidence.
- Worker: skills assessment, employment references covering the required experience, English result and police certificates.
What the 75% and 90% figures mean
Home Affairs publishes the time within which it finalised 75% and 90% of the applications decided in the previous month. Three in four applicants got a decision faster than the 75% figure; one in ten waited longer than the 90% figure, almost always because the application was incomplete, needed health or character follow-up, or sat outside the current processing priorities. The figures move every month, which is why we keep a history on the processing-times tracker.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the 494 visa take to process in September 2026?
Home Affairs reports that 75% of Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494) applications in the Employer Sponsored stream were finalised within 11 months and 90% within 12 months, as at 29 September 2026. Other streams differ; see the table on this page.
What do the 75% and 90% figures mean?
They are the times within which Home Affairs finalised 75% and 90% of the applications it decided in the previous month. Three in four applications were decided faster than the 75% figure; one in ten took longer than the 90% figure, usually because the application was incomplete or needed extra checks.
Can a 494 visa be processed faster?
There is no paid priority service for the 494. The things that reliably shorten processing are lodging a complete, decision-ready application (identity, health, character and every eligibility document attached at lodgement), responding to any request for information quickly, and falling within the priority sectors set by the current ministerial direction.
Source: Department of Home Affairs — global visa processing times, as at 29 September 2026. Cost: subclass 494 visa fees. Eligibility and steps: 494 Visa Requirements 2026: Regional Employer Sponsorship & PR. General information only, not migration advice.