1. Overview
Know these facts cold before the first client conversation - they are also what the exam below tests. Pathway to PR via subclass 191 after 3 years on the visa meeting the income requirement.
Visa typeProvisional (5 yrs)
LodgementOnshore or offshore
Stay5 years (provisional)
Work rightsFull-time for your sponsoring regional employer
Study rightsYes
Government charge~$4,910 (main applicant)
Processing time~8-14 months
2. Process flow
The handling sequence for a 494 file, from first consultation to decision. Each step assumes the one before it is genuinely finished - not "mostly done".
- Confirm the regional employer
The business must operate in a designated regional area and be an approved sponsor. Get Regional Certifying Body advice where required.
- Nomination
Genuine regional position, salary at or above threshold, occupation on the regional list.
- Visa application
Positive skills assessment plus at least 3 years of relevant experience, under 45, Competent English.
- Health, character, decision
Standard checks; regional files can be slower - set expectations.
- Grant briefing
Map the 3-year run to the 191: the taxable-income requirement must be met in the regional area, so payroll and residence records matter from day one.
5. Cost checklist
Quote the full stack, in writing, before the client signs. Surprise costs are the fastest way to lose a client's trust (and earn a complaint).
| Item | Indicative amount |
|---|
| Base visa application charge (2025-26, indicative) | ~$4,910 (main applicant) |
| Skilling Australians Fund levy (paid by the employer, not the client) | 482: $1,200-1,800/yr; 186/494: $3,000-5,000 one-off |
| Nomination fee (employer) | ~$330-540 |
| Skills assessment where required | ~$500-1,600 |
| English test | ~$400-460 |
| Health examinations (per person) | ~$300-500 |
| Your professional fee | Per your agency's schedule - quote in writing before Form 956 |
| Rule of thumb | Government charges usually change every 1 July - re-quote any file that lodges after 30 June |
7. Case studies - eligible cases
Illustrative composites showing what a grantable 494 file looks like in practice.
Grant: Sofia from Nepal
- Background
- Sofia, a construction project manager from Nepal. Skilled workers sponsored by a regional employer, with a pathway to PR.
- Why it qualified
- (1) A regional employer who nominates you for a genuine position. (2) Positive skills assessment for your occupation. (3) At least 3 years of relevant work experience.
- What made the file strong
- The file opened with a short submission mapping each criterion to its evidence, so the case officer never had to hunt.
- Outcome
- Granted within the indicative processing window (~8-14 months).
Grant: Sipho from Thailand
- Background
- Sipho, a medical laboratory scientist from Thailand. Skilled workers sponsored by a regional employer, with a pathway to PR.
- Why it qualified
- (1) A regional employer who nominates you for a genuine position. (2) Positive skills assessment for your occupation. (3) At least 3 years of relevant work experience.
- What made the file strong
- The agent tested the weakest criterion first and fixed it before lodging, not after a natural-justice letter.
- Outcome
- Granted within the indicative processing window (~8-14 months).
8. Case studies - refusal cases
The same visa, handled badly. Every one of these failure modes is screenable at the first consultation.
Refusal: Grace from the Philippines
- Background
- Grace, a chef from the Philippines, engaged an agent late and pushed for a fast lodgement of the 494.
- What went wrong
- Failing the income test required to convert to 191
- Outcome
- The Department refused; the client lost the application charge, months of lead time, and in this subclass a refusal also complicates any onshore follow-up.
- Lesson for the agent
- Put this issue on the document checklist on day one and refuse to lodge until it is closed out.
Refusal: Daniel from Turkey
- Background
- Daniel, an ICT business analyst from Turkey, engaged an agent late and pushed for a fast lodgement of the 494.
- What went wrong
- Employer or position not eligible in the regional area
- Outcome
- The case officer decided on the papers without a further request - the file had to stand on its own, and it could not.
- Lesson for the agent
- Apply the decision-ready test: if you cannot evidence the claim today, the application is not ready to lodge.
9. Self-exam
10 questions drawn from this manual. Pass mark 80%. Answers are graded on the server and your result is recorded against your agent profile - retakes are unlimited and your best score is kept. Log in to the agent portal first so your result is saved to My trainings.