Posted on April 15 2025

What are the differences between a 494 and 482 visa?

By
Anshul Singhal
, Editor

Updated April 16 2025

The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (Subclass 494) allows skilled workers to reside and work in designated regional areas of Australia, while the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) allows skilled workers to reside and work anywhere in the country. The Subclass 494 limits the skilled workers to a specific region in Australia, while the 482 visa, on the other hand, gives you access to work in any Australian region. The 494 and 482 visas are both skilled visas designed to attract skilled foreign workers from abroad to come and work in Australia. Through the 494 and 482 visa pathways, employers sponsor skilled workers to live and seek employment in the country while addressing the ongoing labour shortages. While both visas may seem similar, there are, however, differences between the two Australian visa types.

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Differences between a Subclass 494 vs. 482 visa

The table below has the major differences between a Subclass 494 visa and a 482 visa:

Comparison of Australian subclass 494 and 482 Visas

Factors	Subclass 494 visa	Subclass 482 visa
What is it?	The Australian Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494) allows skilled workers to live and work in designated regional areas of Australia.	The Skills in Demand (SID) Subclass 482 visa allows Australian employers to sponsor skilled workers to deal with labour shortages in the absence of eligible Australian workers.
Where can they work?	Designated regional areas of Australia	Anywhere in Australia
Is there an age limit?	Must be below 45 years	No age limit
Are there any English language requirements?	Yes, at least 6 in all the four sections in IELTS	Yes, it differs based on the stream
Do you require minimum work experience?	Yes, up to 3 years	Yes, up to 1 year
Total number of occupations included	650	456
What is the visa validity?	5 years	2-4 years (depending on the stream)
What is the application fee?	AUD 4,770	AUD 3,115
What is the processing time?	7-8 months (depending on the stream)	4-5 months (depending on the stream)
Can I apply for PR?	Can qualify for PR through 191 visa after working for 3 years in Australia	Can qualify for PR through Subclass 186 or 187 visa after two years of residency
Can the visa be extended?	No, you cannot extend the 494 visa	Yes, you can extend the 482 visa

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