The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa enables regional employers to address identified labour shortages within their region by sponsoring skilled workers where employers can’t source an appropriately skilled Australian worker.
Who is eligible for the Subclass 494?
You must:
- be nominated by an approved work sponsor
- have an occupation on a relevant skilled occupation list
- have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation (exemptions apply)
- be under 45 years of age (exemptions apply)
- meet minimum standards of English language proficiency
Be nominated by an approved sponsor?
- You must be nominated by an employer whose business is lawfully operating in Australia and is an approved standard business sponsor.
- You must be employed to work in the nominated occupation and in a position within the sponsoring business located in a designated regional area of Australia.
- If you are the primary visa applicant, you must demonstrate that you have the skills, qualifications and work experience necessary to perform the nominated occupation. You must undertake a skills assessment to demonstrate this unless exempt.
- You do not need to complete a skills assessment if at the time of application you held a Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457) or Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482) for the nominated occupation and in order to be granted that visa, you were required to demonstrate your skills by providing a suitable skills assessment.
- You must have been employed in the nominated occupation for at least 3 years on a full-time basis and at the skill level required for the nominated occupation. The period does not need to be continuous.
- You must have at least Competent English to be granted this visa.
After three (3) years of holding a 494 visa you can apply for permanent residency through the 191 visa. This is independent of any sponsoring employer.
