Visa processing times / Subclass 494
494 Employer Sponsored Regional Visa processing time
As of 2 November 2026, Home Affairs reports that 90% of recently decided Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (Employer Sponsored) applications were finalised within 20 months, and half within 10 months.
Half decided within
10 months
9 in 10 decided within
20 months
Employer SponsoredUpdated 2 November 2026
20 months
for 90% of applications
Applications decided in the period ending 30 September 2026
- 25% decided within5 months
- 50% decided within10 months
- 75% decided within13 months
- 90% decided within20 months
Source: Department of Home Affairs, global visa processing times.
Key facts
- As of 2 November 2026, Home Affairs reports that 90% of Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (Employer Sponsored) applications were decided within 20 months, 75% within 13 months, 50% within 10 months and 25% within 5 months.
- The figures cover applications decided in the period ending 30 September 2026 and are measured from lodgement to decision.
- Across the 2 494 streams, Labour Agreement was quickest (90% within 13 months) and Employer Sponsored slowest (90% within 20 months).
- Home Affairs revises these processing times about once a month.
Checked against Home Affairs every day. Last checked 11 November 2026.
Cite this page
AusVisaClock. “494 visa processing time.” Updated 2 November 2026. https://ausvisaclock.com/494-visa-processing-time/
The figures come from the Department of Home Affairs. You may quote them with a link to this page.
494 processing times by stream
Labour Agreement is the quickest stream (90% within 13 months); Employer Sponsored is the slowest (90% within 20 months).
| Stream | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employer Sponsored | 5 months | 10 months | 13 months | 20 months | |
| Labour Agreement | 70 days | 86 days | 4 months | 13 months |
When could my 494 be decided?
Enter the date you lodged. We add the department’s published percentiles to it and show where today falls: how many applications like yours were decided in the time you have already waited.
How the 494 wait has moved
The gap between the median and the 90th percentile is about 10 months, so a minority of applications take far longer than most.
Trend starts with the next release.
494 visa processing time questions
How long does the 494 visa take?
In the department’s latest figures (published 2 November 2026, for applications decided in the period ending 30 September 2026), 50% of Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (Employer Sponsored) applications were decided within 10 months, 75% within 13 months and 90% within 20 months. Times differ by stream: see the table above.
What do the 25%, 50%, 75% and 90% figures mean?
They are percentiles of recently decided applications. “90% within 20 months” means nine in ten applications decided in the reporting period took 20 months or less from lodgement to decision. They describe applications that have already been decided, so they lag behind changes in the queue and do not guarantee a time for any single application.
My 494 application is past the 90% time. What now?
Some applications take longer, for example when the department asks for more information, health or character checks are still open, or the application was incomplete when lodged. The department says it is usually not useful to contact it before the processing time has passed. After that, you can check your ImmiAccount and use the department’s enquiry form. For advice about your own application, speak to a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner.
How often are these processing times updated?
The Department of Home Affairs revises its global processing times about once a month, a few weeks after the end of each reporting period. AusVisaClock checks the department’s figures every day, updates this page when they change, and keeps each release so you can see the trend.
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