Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Subclass 494 Visa (Provisional)

The 494 visa needs regional role, employer and worker alignment

Decision points

• Regional location and role evidence
• Employer nomination and salary settings
• Worker eligibility and future pathway

Regional planning

Check location and role settings first.

Employer evidence

Prepare nomination and salary material together.

Worker pathway

Consider the visa and later residence position.

These are the practical issues we usually clarify before a matter is treated as ready.

Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (Subclass 494) visa

What is 494 Visa?

The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (SESR) visa 494 enables skilled applicants who are nominated by their employer in regional Australia to live and work in Australia for 5 years. For subclass 191 Regional Provisional, hold an eligible subclass 491 or 494 visa for at least three years, comply with the relevant visa conditions and provide ATO notices of assessment for three income years within the eligible-visa period. There is no minimum income requirement. Three years with the same sponsor is not a separate eligibility test.

Who can get a 494 Visa?

Eligibility requirements:

• The subclass 494 Employer Sponsored stream generally requires the applicant to be under 45 at application, with specified exemptions.
• the position is in regional Australia (outside Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane)
• For the subclass 494 Employer Sponsored stream, the nominated occupation must be on the applicable Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List or Regional Occupation List; the Short-term Skilled Occupation List is not a general additional route for this stream.
• have at least 3 years relevant work experience in your nominated occupation
• A suitable skills assessment is generally required for the Employer Sponsored stream. An exemption can apply, including where a qualifying previous 457 or 482 grant for the nominated occupation required a suitable skills assessment.
• The regional certifying body assesses the annual market salary rate for the nominated position; Home Affairs decides the nomination and visa applications.
• Subclass 494 Employer Sponsored applicants must establish competent English. The accepted passport route requires both citizenship and a valid passport from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, New Zealand or Republic of Ireland.
• meet health and character requirement
• meet additional criteria of the stream in which you are applying for
• the sponsoring business must be actively and lawfully operating in Australia
• must have a genuine need to fill a skilled position
• must be unable to find an Australian citizen or permanent resident with the skills and experience needed to fill the nominated position.
• full-⁠time employment contract for at least five years
• pay market rate salary
• business has no adverse information

What are the Streams under 494 visa?

Employer Sponsored stream – for applicants who are nominated by employers in regional Australia to address identified labour shortage. Labour Agreement stream – for applicants who are nominated by regional employers who have a labour agreement. Labour agreements are developed between the Australian Government and employers.

How long to process 494 Visa?

Subclass 494 processing times vary by stream, application completeness and Home Affairs caseload. Check current processing guidance before relying on a fixed estimate.