Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional)
Subclass 494
The subclass 494 visa is valid for 5 years and is available to skilled workers and their families to live and work in specified regional areas in Australia. You can apply for permanent residence after 3 years from the time your visa is granted.
What You Can Do
With this visa, you can live, work and study only in designated regional areas of Australia for 5 years, travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid and if eligible, apply for permanent residence after 3 years from the time your visa is granted.
This visa provides pathways to permanent residence. If eligible, you can apply for permanent residence subclass 191 visa after you have held your 494 visa for 3 years.
You can include members of the family unit in your application.
Sponsor Requirements
As the visa name suggests you must be sponsored by an Australian employer which is located in regional Australia. The business can sponsor and nominate a skilled worker to work in a designated regional area in a skilled occupation listed on the relevant skilled occupation list.
In order to do so the business must be an approved standard business sponsor. The sponsorship must be approved for your nomination to be approved.
Once the business is approved as a business sponsor it must nominate a skilled worker that it wishes to employ. Once the nomination is submitted the employee may submit their visa application.
A standard business sponsor can apply to become an accredited sponsor.
The Department of Home Affairs prioritise Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494) nominations and visa applications, where the nominator is an accredited sponsor.
Please contact us for more eligibility requirements. We can also provide details regarding fees, charges and sponsorship obligations.
Applicant Requirements
You might be eligible to apply for this visa if invited, you must also:
- be nominated to work in an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list
- have at least 3 years relevant work experience in your nominated occupation
- have a relevant skills assessment, unless an exemption applies
- work only for your sponsor or associated entity, unless an exemption applies
- be under 45 years of age, unless an exemption applies
- at least competent English
- meet minimum standards of English language proficiency
You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa and when we make a decision on your application, but not in immigration clearance.
If you are applying in Australia, you must hold either of the following visa otherwise your application will not be valid:
- a substantive visa, or
- a Bridging visa A, Bridging visa B or Bridging visa C
Enquire about this visa
Client Stories
Ritchie begain his career at the age of 17 as a member of the successful music group 5ive.
Ritchie moved to Australia and found success as restaurateur in Crows Nest, at ‘Small Bar’, and attracting a loyal following of local and tourist drinkers with his exceptional mixology skills, becoming a sommelier.
Steps to apply for a work visa
1
Contact Visacorp to obtain a full assessment of your eligibility for an Australian visa.
2
Visacorp will advise in writing which visa is most suitable for you and confirm your eligibility for the chosen visa. A service agreement (i.e. quote & appointment letter) will be provided to you for your consideration and acceptance.
3
Once Visacorp is appointed we will guide you through the visa preparation process so that the application is presented to the Department of Home Affairs so that it stands the best chance of success
4
Submit visa application to the Department of Home Affairs along with all certified documents
5
Await decision from the Department of Home Affairs.