494 Visa Cost Guide 2026: $6,140 Base Fee, Family Pricing & Hidden Fees

Last updated 17 July 2026

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The Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa costs AUD 6,140.00 for the main applicant. Additional adult applicants (18 and over) pay AUD 3,070.00 each, and additional applicants under 18 pay AUD 1,535.00 each. These are the current Visa Application Charges published by the Department of Home Affairs, effective from 1 July 2026.

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If you researched this visa before July 2026, the number you remember is wrong. The 494 visa cost jumped from AUD 4,910 to AUD 6,140 for the main applicant — a 25% increase — as part of the Australian Government's annual visa pricing update. Most guides online still quote the old figure. This page uses the current, government-confirmed price.

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Quick Answer: 494 Visa Cost at a Glance

The main applicant pays AUD 6,140.00. Each additional applicant aged 18 and over pays AUD 3,070.00. Each additional applicant under 18 pays AUD 1,535.00. There is no non-internet application charge and no subsequent temporary application charge for this visa.

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Source: Department of Home Affairs, Current visa pricing, verified 3 July 2026. These figures apply to both the Employer Sponsored stream and the Labour Agreement stream, as well as to subsequent entrants joining a family member who already holds a 494 visa.

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How Much Does the 494 Visa Cost for a Family Application?

Your total 494 visa cost depends on how many family members you include. The Department charges the base fee for the main applicant, then an additional applicant charge for each adult and child added to the same application.

 

A partner adds AUD 3,070.00. A child under 18 adds AUD 1,535.00. There is no cap on how many dependants you can include, but each one increases your total by their respective charge.

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Here is what that looks like in practice:

• Single applicant: AUD 6,140.00

• Applicant plus partner: 6,140 + 3,070 = AUD 9,210.00

• Applicant, partner, and one child: 6,140 + 3,070 + 1,535 = AUD 10,745.00

• Applicant, partner, and two children: 6,140 + 3,070 + (1,535 × 2) = AUD 12,280.00

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These totals cover the Department of Home Affairs application charge only. They do not include employer costs, skills assessment fees, health checks, police clearances, or migration agent fees, all covered below.

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The Hidden Second Instalment: Functional English Requirement

Beyond the base Visa Application Charge, the Department charges a second instalment of AUD 4,890 for each applicant aged 18 or over who is assessed as not having functional English. This applies across all three 494 streams — Employer Sponsored, Labour Agreement, and Subsequent Entrant.

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This charge typically affects family members included in your application, since the primary applicant already meets the visa's Competent English requirement. If your partner or an adult dependant doesn't meet the functional English standard, budget for this charge on top of their AUD 3,070 additional applicant fee — bringing their total cost to AUD 7,960, not AUD 3,070.

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Does the 494 Visa Cost Change for the Labour Agreement Stream?

No. The Labour Agreement stream charges the same Visa Application Charge as the standard Employer Sponsored stream: AUD 6,140.00 for the main applicant, AUD 3,070.00 for additional applicants 18 and over, and AUD 1,535.00 for additional applicants under 18. The stream you apply through affects your eligibility criteria and salary concessions, not the government fee you pay.

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What Does the Employer Pay for a 494 Visa Nomination?

The applicant pays the Visa Application Charge. The sponsoring employer separately pays three costs to become an approved sponsor and lodge a nomination: the Standard Business Sponsorship application, the nomination, and the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy. These employer-side costs are not part of the "494 visa cost" a worker pays, but they affect whether an employer proceeds with sponsorship.

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Standard Business Sponsorship application: AUD 420.00, one-off, to become an approved sponsor. This applies once per employer, not once per nominee.

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Nomination fee: The 494 visa has no separate nomination application charge. This differs from the 482 visa, where the employer pays AUD 330.00 per nomination. For the 494, the nomination itself carries no government fee beyond the SAF levy below.

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Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy: This is where employers most often get the number wrong, because the 494 levy works differently from the 482 levy. For the 482, the SAF levy is charged per year of the visa. For the 494 (and the 186), it is a one-off payment at the time of nomination:

• Small business (annual turnover under AUD 10 million): AUD 3,000.00 one-off

• Larger business (annual turnover of AUD 10 million or more): AUD 5,000.00 one-off

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A reduced SAF levy applies when the nominee already holds a 494 visa and is changing employers, calculated as a percentage of the base amount based on years remaining on the current visa. By law, the employer cannot pass the SAF levy on to the visa applicant, deduct it from wages, or recover it in any other way. The Department of Home Affairs confirms this rule directly on its Cost of sponsoring page.

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What Other Costs Should You Budget For?

The Visa Application Charge is the largest single cost, but it is not the only one. A realistic 494 visa budget includes:

• Skills assessment fee — required for most 494 occupations, cost varies by assessing authority (engineers, trades, and healthcare occupations each use different assessing bodies with different fee schedules)

• English test fee — IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, or OET, if you need to demonstrate competent English (see the 494 English requirement for the exact bands you need)

• Health examinations — required for you and any family members included in the application

• Police clearance certificates — from every country you have lived in for 12 months or more since turning 16

• Biometrics — if requested by the Department

• Migration agent fees — optional, but common for employer-sponsored applications given the complexity of nomination and Regional Certifying Body requirements

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None of these are fixed government charges, so they vary by provider, country, and individual circumstances. Budget an additional AUD 1,000 to AUD 3,000 above the Visa Application Charge to cover these items comfortably, though your actual cost may be lower or higher depending on your occupation and country of residence.

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Why Did the 494 Visa Cost Increase in 2026?

The Australian Government increases most visa application charges annually, typically effective 1 July, to account for inflation and processing costs.

 

The 2026 increase raised the 494 visa main applicant charge from AUD 4,910.00 to AUD 6,140.00. This follows the same pattern applied across other skilled and employer-sponsored visas, including the 186, 189, 190, and 491 visas, which all moved to a AUD 6,140.00 or AUD 6,135.00 base charge in the same update. From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost also applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid application, under a separate concession arrangement.

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494 Visa Cost vs 482 Visa Cost: Which Is Cheaper?

The 482 Skills in Demand visa costs less upfront than the 494 visa. See the full 482 visa cost and fees breakdown, but in short: the 482 base application charge is AUD 4,015.00 for the main applicant, compared to AUD 6,140.00 for the 494. However, cost is rarely the deciding factor between the two.

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The 482 suits applicants over 45, those with less than three years of experience, or those who want to work anywhere in Australia. It has no age limit, generally needs only one year of experience, and lets you work in any location. Its permanent pathway runs through the Subclass 186, which requires your employer to sponsor you again.

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The 494 suits applicants under 45 who want a direct, independent pathway to permanent residence through the Subclass 191 after three years, without needing their employer to sponsor them again. It requires three years of full-time relevant experience and restricts you to a designated regional area while you hold it, but its permanent pathway does not require a second nomination. See our 494 visa to PR guide for the full transition process.

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On employer costs, the 482 charges an annual SAF levy plus a AUD 330 nomination fee. The 494 charges a one-off SAF levy of AUD 3,000 to AUD 5,000 and no separate nomination fee, which can work out cheaper for employers sponsoring a worker for the full five-year 494 period.

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How Do You Pay the 494 Visa Cost?

You pay the Visa Application Charge through ImmiAccount at the time you lodge your application, using a credit card, debit card, or other payment method accepted by the Department of Home Affairs. The Department does not accept partial payments or instalments for the base Visa Application Charge. If your application is refused, the Department generally does not refund the charge, so confirm your eligibility before lodging. For a full picture of what other Australian visas cost, see RACC's visa application fees overview.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the 494 visa fee for a single applicant?

The 494 visa fee for a single main applicant is AUD 6,140.00, effective from 1 July 2026. This is the base Visa Application Charge paid to the Department of Home Affairs and does not include skills assessment, health checks, or agent fees.

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Is the 494 visa cost the same for the Employer Sponsored and Labour Agreement streams?

Yes. Both streams charge the same base fee of AUD 6,140.00 for the main applicant, AUD 3,070.00 for additional applicants 18 and over, and AUD 1,535.00 for applicants under 18.

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Does my employer pay a nomination fee for the 494 visa?

No. Unlike the 482 visa, the 494 visa has no separate nomination application charge. The employer's main costs are the AUD 420 Standard Business Sponsorship fee and the SAF levy of AUD 3,000 to AUD 5,000, paid once at nomination.

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Is the SAF levy for the 494 visa charged every year?

No. For the 494 visa, the SAF levy is a one-off payment made at the time of nomination, not an annual charge. This differs from the 482 visa, where the SAF levy is charged per year of the visa duration.

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Does the 494 visa cost include the skills assessment?

No. The skills assessment is a separate process handled by an assessing authority relevant to your occupation, with its own fee. You typically complete this before your employer lodges the nomination.

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Will the 494 visa cost increase again next year?

The Department of Home Affairs reviews visa pricing annually, generally effective each 1 July. Increases have occurred in most recent years, so budget for a modestly higher cost if you plan to apply after the next review.

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Need help calculating your total cost or confirming your eligibility?

RACC's registered migration agents assess your specific circumstances, including employer sponsorship requirements and the Subclass 191 pathway, before you commit to an application.

 

Book a consultation with our Melbourne-based team.