Wondering if you could work in Australia on a sponsored 482 or 494 visa? Answer 5 questions and see instantly how you compare against the official published requirements — occupation list, work experience, English and sponsorship. Free, 60 seconds, no documents needed.

Your results are shown instantly and a copy is kept on file for our team.
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482 or 494 — which is better for you?

Most of the roles we place are in regional Australia (including Toowoomba and DAMA-designated regions), which means many candidates qualify for the 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa instead of, or as well as, the 482. The two share similar occupation, experience and English requirements, but the outcome for you is very different:

  • 482 (Skills in Demand) — up to 4 years, with permanent residency only available afterwards for a limited set of occupations under 186.
  • 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional) — 5 years, with a guaranteed pathway to permanent residency (subclass 191) after just 3 years in the role, provided you meet the income and residence requirements. If your employer and role are in a regional area, this is usually the stronger option.

We assess every candidate against both pathways during your consultation and recommend whichever gets you to permanent residency fastest.

What this check covers

  • Occupation — whether your trade is on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), or follows a labour-agreement pathway such as the Meat Industry Labour Agreement (MILA) used for boners, slicers and slaughterers.
  • Work experience — the published minimum of 12 months relevant full-time experience within the last 5 years.
  • English — the published minimum of IELTS 5.0 in every band (or PTE equivalent) for tests taken from 13 September 2025, and the passport/study exemptions.
  • Sponsorship — every 482 or 494 visa needs an approved sponsoring employer paying at least the Core Skills Income Threshold (AUD $79,499 from 1 July 2026). If you don’t have one, finding one — and matching you to the visa pathway that suits your situation — is what we do.

This self-check compares your answers against publicly available Department of Home Affairs criteria only. It is general information, not immigration assistance within the meaning of s276 of the Migration Act 1958, and does not consider your personal circumstances. It is not a promise of employment, sponsorship or a visa outcome. Before acting on any visa matter, obtain advice from a registered migration agent (mara.gov.au) or an Australian legal practitioner. Australian Career Pathways is a recruitment and placement service, not a migration agency.