Australian Visa Tracker

Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visasubclass 494

4.2 months

25% processed in

7.4 months

50% processed in

9 months

75% processed in

11.3 months

90% processed in

50% 225d90% 344d

Measured 4 Sept 2026 for the Employer Sponsored stream.

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Processing time history

50% of applications90% of applications
View history as a table
Date50% processed90% processed
4 Sept 2026225d344d
3 Sept 2026225d344d
2 Sept 2026225d344d
1 Sept 2026225d344d
31 Aug 2026225d344d
30 Aug 2026225d344d
29 Aug 2026225d344d
28 Aug 2026225d344d
27 Aug 2026225d344d
26 Aug 2026225d344d
25 Aug 2026225d344d
24 Aug 2026225d344d
23 Aug 2026225d344d
22 Aug 2026225d344d
21 Aug 2026225d344d
20 Aug 2026225d344d
19 Aug 2026225d344d
18 Aug 2026225d344d
17 Aug 2026225d344d
16 Aug 2026225d344d
15 Aug 2026225d344d
14 Aug 2026225d344d
13 Aug 2026225d344d
12 Aug 2026225d344d
11 Aug 2026225d344d
10 Aug 2026225d344d
9 Aug 2026225d344d
8 Aug 2026225d344d
7 Aug 2026225d344d
6 Aug 2026225d344d
5 Aug 2026225d344d
4 Aug 2026225d344d
3 Aug 2026151d339d
2 Aug 2026151d339d
15 Feb 2026203d274d
27 Jan 2026234d367d
15 Dec 2025234d367d
4 Dec 2025216d388d
20 Nov 2025216d388d
14 Nov 2025216d388d
2 Nov 2025238d330d
18 Oct 2025238d330d
25 Sept 2025254d403d
12 Sept 2025254d403d
6 Sept 2025254d403d
25 Aug 2025254d403d
10 Aug 2025212d320d
5 Aug 2025212d320d
31 July 2025212d320d
30 July 2025212d320d
30 July 2025212d320d
28 July 2025182d252d
24 July 2025182d252d
23 July 2025182d252d
29 June 2025182d252d
9 June 2025222d282d
9 June 2025222d282d

Common questions

How long does the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 494) take to process?

As of 4 Sept 2026, half of applications in the Employer Sponsored stream are processed within 7.4 months, and 9 in 10 within 11.3 months, according to Department of Home Affairs figures.

Is the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visa getting faster or slower?

The time to process 90% of applications is unchanged between 13 Aug 2026 and 4 Sept 2026.

What do the 50% and 90% figures mean?

They are percentiles of recently decided applications: 50% means half of applications were finalised within that time, and 90% means 9 in 10 were. An individual application can take more or less time.

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Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 494) processing time | Australian Visa Tracker