Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional
(494 visa)
The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (494 visa Australia) empowers regional employers to tackle identified labor shortages within their specified regional areas by sponsoring skilled workers when sourcing an appropriately skilled Australian worker proves challenging. You can apply online through ImmiAcoount for this Visa.
Commencing on November 16, 2019, the 494 visa in Australia serves as a successor to the 187 (RSMS) visa and is allotted 10,000 places annually. To be eligible, employers in regional areas must be at least standard business approved and able to provide sponsorship, ensuring that the sponsored position is anticipated to endure for a minimum of five years.
The visa:
- comes with a 45-year age limit (with exemptions available under LIN 19/216)
- necessitates Competent English proficiency
- Regional Certifying Body (RCB) advice
- adherence to the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) and TSMIT
- Â adherence to a meeting a Genuine position requirement
- Labour Market Testing (LMT)
- Regional Occupations listed under the ROL
- Additionally, visa applicants must undergo a suitable skills assessment and receive a positive skills assessment for a total full-time employment period of 3 years, but exceptions apply for academic applicants and subclass 444/461 visa workers. The criteria for obtaining a positive skills assessment are dependent on the occupation and applicable skills authority. Generally, you would need to possess a total of 3 years of skilled employment within the last 5 years, but experience may be counted if within the last 10 years.
The visa validity spans 5 years, accompanied by conditions reinforcing the government’s intent that holders reside, work, and study exclusively in regional areas (condition 8579), specifically within the nominated position. Visa holders are required to commence work within 90 days of visa grant, working solely in the nominated occupation for the nominating employer in regional Australia. Failure to comply may lead to visa cancellation.
Regional areas, defined as any area excluding Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, now include Perth and Gold Coast. Holders of the provisional visas are restricted from applying for most other skills-based visas in Australia unless they have completed a minimum of three years in a designated regional area, except in exceptional circumstances. Similar to the existing subclass 482 visa program, sponsor non-compliance can negatively impact holders of the new provisional visas.
The permanent visa pathway for the 494 visa is the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional), effective from November 2022. To qualify, applicants must have held a subclass 491 or 494 visa for at least 3 years, adhered to the visa conditions, and met minimum taxable income requirements, demonstrating earnings of at least $73,150 per annum for three years (from 1 July 2024).
Regarding the current 187 RSMS regional visa, it is now closed and ceased to accept new applicants from November 16, 2019. Transitional arrangements will be in place for individuals with pending Nomination and Visa applications at that time.
Requirements For 494 Visa Australia
- Age requirement: Applicants must be under 45 years at the time of application, with exemptions available.
- Your occupation must be listed as eligible under the Regional Occupational List (ROL).
- English proficiency: Competent English is required at the time of application.
- Employment experience: A minimum of 3 years of full-time employment in the nominated occupation, at the required skill level. Experience should ideally be gained within the last 5 years, but may be within the last 10 years, also equivalent part-time work may be considered (casual work is not considered).
- Visa status in Australia: If in Australia, applicants should hold a substantive visa or Bridging A, Bridging B, or Bridging C when applying for the 494 Visa Australia.
- Skills assessment: Successful skills assessment is mandatory at the time of application.
- Department of Home Affairs (DoHA) fees:
- Main applicant: $4,770
- Spouse: $2,385
- Children under 18: $1,190
- The second instalment (payable before grant of visa) for the primary applicant – in the case of each primary applicant who was 18 years or more at time of application and is assessed as not having functional English: $9,800.
- The second instalment (payable before grant of visa) for dependent family applicants – in the case of each secondary applicant who was 18 years or more at time of application and is assessed as not having functional English: $4,890. For any other applicant the second instalment is nil.
Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) Charges for Subclass 494 SESR Visa
For the Subclass 494 – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa, the following table provides a summary of the applicable charges for Visa Nomination by the Business sponsor:
Business size | ENS / RSMS and SESR visas |
Small (annual turnover less than $10 million) | AUD $3000 one-off |
Other business (annual turnover of $10 million or more) | AUD $5000 one-off |
For 494 SESR nominations, if the nominee already holds a 494 SESR visa, then the SAF amount is reduced to the following:
| Years remaining on visa | Base amount to be paid as a percentage (%) |
|---|---|
| 4 | 80 |
| 3 | 60 |
| 2 | 40 |
| 1 | 20 |
Levy payments are tax deductible.
Sponsors who are party to a labour agreement must also pay the levy.
Only ministers of religion and religious assistants nominated under the Labour Agreement streams of the TSS or ENS visas are exempt.
Benefits of the 494 Visa:
- Eligibility for applying for permanent residence without a second nomination stage, if eligible, through the subclass 191 visa (commenced from November 16, 2022).
- Lower cost to employers with only a one-off Government fee for the subclass 494 nomination.
- Eligibility to a wider range of occupations listed under the Regional Occupation list (ROL).
Conditions and Pathway to Permanent Residence (PR):
- Must reside and work for 3 years on the 494 visa in regional areas to qualify for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) 191 Visa.
- Flexibility to move between jobs, but with a 180-day window to find a new nominator.
- Ineligible to apply for any other skilled Permanent Residence or 820 partner visa for 3 years.
- Eligible for Medicare on the 494 visa, rendering health insurance unnecessary.