When an employer nominates a visa holder or overseas applicant for the Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa, the nominated position must be assessed by a regional certifying body (RCB). Regional certifying body assessments give the Department of Home Affairs information about local labour market conditions and other relevant regional matters. Your nominated occupation must be approved by RCB before you can lodge a valid nomination application for visa subclass 494.
Depending on where the nominated position is in, you must apply to the relevant RCB. Each state and regional area has different RCB criteria.
Here is an overview of RCBs across regional areas in Australia and their requirements.
Detailed requirements
| Areas Covered | Duration of company operation requirements | Processing time | Fee (GST included) | |
| VICTORIA | ||||
| Greater Bendigo
(Loddon Mallee Regional Certifying Body) |
– City of Greater Bendigo
– Macedon Ranges Shire – Gannawarra Shire – Loddon shire – Central Goldfields Shire – Campaspe Shire |
Nil | 28 days | AUD $550 |
| Commerce Ballarat | – City of Ballarat
– Golden Plains Shire – Hepburn Shire – Moorabool Shire – Pyrenees Shire |
Nil | Not Published | Member: AUD $495
Non-Member: AUD $605 |
| Geelong | – Geelong
– Gippsland – Traralgon |
Nil | 28 days for 494
90 days for 187 |
AUD $550 |
| Wangaratta | – Rural City of Wangaratta
– City of Wodonga – Benalla Rural City – Alpine Shire – Towong Shire – Mansfield Shire – Indigo Shire |
Nil | 28 days | AUD $550 |
| Greater Shepparton | – City of Greater Shepparton
– Strathbogie Shire – Murrindindi Shire – Moira Shire – Mitchell Shire |
Nil | 28 days | AUD $550 |
| Swan Hill & Mildura | Swan Hill Rural City Council is the Regional Certifying Body (RCB) for the North West region (Swan Hill and Mildura) | Nil | 28 days | AUD $595 |
| Warnarnbool
(Great South Coast) |
– Warrambool
– Moye – Corangamite – Glenelg – Southern Grampians – Colac-Otway shires |
Nil | Not published | AUD $440 |
| Wimmera | Wimmera and Southern Mallee region | At least 6 months | Not published | AUD $550 |
| QUEENSLAND | ||||
| Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland | – Brisbane
– Rockhampton & Central QLD – Cairns – Far North QLD – Mackay – Townsville & North QLD – Gold Coast – Sunshine Coast – Toowoomba – South West Queensland – South East Queensland |
Nil | 10 days | CCIQ Members: $436.54
CCIQ Non-Members: $669.9 |
| Remote Area Planning & Development Board (RAPAD) | Central Western Queensland | Nil | Not published | AUD 330 |
| Gladstone Area Promotion and Development Limited | Gladstone | Nil | 5 days | AUD 550 |
| Mount Isa Chamber of Commerce | North West region | Nil | ||
| Cairns Chamber of Commerce | Cairns | Nil | 10 days | Members of the Cairns Chamber of Commerce: $414.70
Non-Members of the Cairns Chamber of Commerce: $638.00 (incl GST) |
| Maranoa Regional Council | Maranoa | Nil | Not published | AUD 520 |
| AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY | ||||
| Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate | All Canberra | Nil | 21 days | AUD 330 |
| NEW SOUTH WALES | ||||
| Regional Development Australia, Central West Inc | – Central West region
– Blue Mountains LGA |
Nil | 28 days | AUD 660 |
| Regional Development Australia, Orana Inc | Orana region | Nil | 28 days | AUD 800 |
| Regional Development Australia, Central Coast Inc. | Central Coast & Hawkesbury | Nil | 28 days | AUD 800 |
| Regional Development Australia, Hunter Inc. | Hunter Region | Nil | 28 days | AUD 675 |
| Regional Development Australia, Mid North Coast Inc. | Mid North Coast | Nil | 28 days | AUD 770 |
| Regional Development Australia, Northern Inland Inc. | Armidale Regional, Tenterfield, Glen Innes, Uralla, Walcha, Tamworth, Liverpool Plains, Gunnedah, Narrabri, Moree, Gwydir and Inverell | In most case, 2 years of Financial Report is required.
If a business is less than six months old, an additional strong argument for the nomination, supporting by documents and a business plan and explanation about what led to the need for the position |
28 days | AUD 770 |
| Regional Development Australia, Northern Rivers Inc. | Northern Rivers region | Nil | Not published | AUD 770 |
| Regional Development Australia, Far South Coast | Far South Coast | In most case, 2 years of Financial Report is required.
If a business is less than six months old, an additional strong argument for the nomination, supporting by documents and a business plan and explanation about what led to the need for the position |
28 days | AUD 770 |
| Regional Development Australia, Illawarra Inc. | Illawarra region | Nil | 28 days | AUD 770 |
| Regional Development Australia, Murray Inc. | Murray Region | Nil | 28 days | AUD 770 |
| Regional Development Australia, Riverina Inc. | Riverina region | Nil | 28 days | AUD 770 |
| Regional Development Australia, Southern Inland Inc. | Southern Inland | Nil | 28 days | AUD 770 |
| Regional Development Australia, Far West Inc. | Far West | Nil | 14 days | AUD 770 |
| NORTHERN TERRITORY | ||||
| Department of
Industry, Tourism and Trade |
All Northern Territory | Nil | Not published | Free |
| SOUTH AUSTRALIA | ||||
| Department for Innovation and Skills | All South Australia | Nil | Not published | Free |
| TASMANIA | ||||
| Department of State Growth | All Tasmania | 12 months | 28 days | Free |
| WESTERN AUSTRALIA | ||||
| Department of Training and Workforce Development | Western Australia (excluding the Goldfields–Esperance region). | Nil | Not published | AUD 200 |
| Regional Development Australia Goldfields Esperance | Goldfields–Esperance region | Nil | 28 days | AUD 440 |
Related:
- Small Business Owner Comparison – 491 visa – a pathway to Australia permanent residency
- 491 visa– Queensland Small Business Owners Pathway
- 491 visa- ACT Canberra Small Business Owner Pathway
- 491 visa – Tasmania Small Business Owner Stream
- Regional Certifying Bodies Comparison – 494 Visa
- State requirements for 190 visa
- State requirements for 491 visa
Bridging Visa R
Genuine Student (GS)
Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES)
NSW 491 Pathway 1 – Apply directly to NSW
Upcoming Immigration Changes 2024