494 Visa: Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa

The Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa is a pathway formed by the Australian government to address skill shortages in regional areas of Australia. This visa allows eligible skilled workers—who are nominated by an Australian employer, to live and work in designated regional areas for up to 5 years.

A key feature of the 494 visa is its potential pathway to permanent residency via the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa, for which holders may become eligible after three years, provided they meet all the necessary requirements.

Employers seeking to sponsor a skilled foreign worker must be operating in a regional area of Australia and have their nomination approved by the relevant Regional Certifying Body. The visa encompasses a broad range of occupations and is designed to benefit both the Australian labour market and foreign nationals by facilitating long-term contributions to regional economies.

Immagine Immigration is here to guide you through the details of the 494 visa in Australia, including eligibility, the application process, conditions, regulations, transition pathways, benefits, and helpful information on community integration.

494 Visa Overview

The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional or Subclass 494 visa requires a detailed eligibility evaluation and a step-by-step application process. Applicants and their sponsors must strictly abide by the prescribed criteria to ensure a successful application.

Category	Details
Eligibility	– Under 45 years of age – Competent English – Nominated by an approved sponsor – Occupation on a relevant skilled list – Meet skill level, health, and character requirements
Skills Assessment and Occupation Lists	– Must have a positive skills assessment – Occupation must be on ROL, MLTSSL, or STSOL
Application Process	– Employer nomination required – Labour Agreement if standard requirements not met – Evidence for eligibility and visa application charge
Visa Conditions	– Live, work, study in regional areas – Employer Sponsored or Labour Agreement Stream conditions – Pathway to permanent residency after 3 years
Health and Character	– Mandatory health exams – Evidence of good character
Family Provisions	– Family members must live in regional areas – Partner can work and study – Possible Medicare entitlement
Permanent Residency Pathways	– Eligible for Subclass 191 after 3 years on 494 visa – Must meet 494 conditions and income requirements

494 Visa Requirements

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria to qualify for the visa:

• Age: Applicants must be under 45 years of age at the time of application.
• English: A competent level of English is mandatory for the primary applicant.
• Be nominated by an approved work sponsor.
• Have an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list.
• Meet the skill level requirements for their occupation.
• Satisfy the character and health requirements.
• Obtain a skills assessment from the relevant skills assessment authority.

Skills Assessment for 494 Visa

It’s essential for applicants to undergo a skills assessment. The assessment must be conducted by an authorised assessing authority and demonstrate that the applicant possesses the necessary skills and qualifications for the occupation.

Occupation Lists for 494 Visa

Applicants must nominate an occupation that is on one of the following lists:

• The Regional Occupation List (ROL)
• The Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)
• The Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL)

494 Visa Streams

Here are the key differences between the two streams:

1. Employer Sponsored Stream:

• This stream allows employers in regional Australia to sponsor foreign skilled workers for positions they are unable to fill with local workers.
• The occupation of the visa applicant must be on the relevant skilled occupation list for the 494 visa.
• Employers do not need to have a labor agreement in place with the Australian government to sponsor an applicant under this stream.
• The visa holder is required to work for the sponsoring employer in the regional area for a period of 5 years.

2. Labour Agreement Stream:

• This stream is for employers in regional Australia who have a labour agreement with the Australian government. A labour agreement is a negotiated arrangement between an employer and the government that allows for the sponsorship of overseas workers via a DAMA Visa.
• The occupations can include those not on the standard skilled occupation lists, as they are tailored to the needs covered by the labour agreement.
• Labour agreements are typically used when standard visa programs are not available or suitable for the employer’s specific circumstances.
• The terms and conditions of employment are defined by the labour agreement, which may include concessions on certain requirements that are not available under the standard Employer Sponsored Stream.

Both streams require the visa holder to live, work, and study only in designated regional areas of Australia and offer a pathway to permanent residency after three years. However, the key difference lies in whether the sponsoring employer operates under a labour agreement with the Australian government or uses the standard skilled occupation lists to sponsor an overseas worker.

Permanent Residency can be applied for after satisfying certain conditions, including a mandatory three-year residence in a regional area.

Regional Areas: Visa holders are required to live, work, and study in designated areas only.
Nominated Occupation: Must work in the role that they were sponsored for by their employer.

Family Members and Partner Provisions

Family members included in the 494 visa application are subject to the same conditions as the primary applicant, including living in regional Australia.

• Partner: A partner can work and study but must reside in a regional area.
• Family: Dependents must also live, work, and study in the designated regions.
• Medicare: Some visa holders may be entitled to Medicare, Australia’s healthcare scheme.
• Birth Certificates: Must be provided for all family members as part of the application.

Post-Visa Transition Pathways

The main pathway for holders of the Subclass 494 visa to transition into permanent residency in Australia is through the Subclass 191 visa application.

Subclass 191 Visa Considerations

To qualify for the Subclass 191 Visa, which grants permanent residence, applicants must have held a Subclass 494 visa for at least three years, have complied with its conditions, and have met the minimum taxable income requirements. Applicants must primarily demonstrate they have lived, worked, or studied exclusively in a Designated Regional Area during their time on the Subclass 494 visa.

Other visas that can lead to the Subclass 191 visa include the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Subclass 491. It should be noted that the Subclass 191 Visa is distinct from other permanent visas such as Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) and Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated Visa), which have different eligibility criteria and do not require an initial provisional residency period.

A Comparison of Australian Work Visas

Visa Type	Subclass 494	Subclass 491	Subclass 189	Subclass 190	Subclass 186	Subclass 187	Subclass 482
Title	Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa	Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa	Skilled Independent Visa (Points-tested stream)	Skilled Nominated Visa	Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Visa	Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) Visa	Skills in Demand (SID) Visa
Sponsorship/Nomination	Employer Sponsored	State/Territory or Family Sponsored	Independent	State/Territory Nominated	Employer Sponsored	Employer Sponsored (regional)	Employer Sponsored
Visa Duration	5 years (provisional)	5 years (provisional)	Permanent	Permanent	Permanent	Permanent (now closed to new applications)	Up to 4 years
Points Test	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Regional Requirements	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No
Pathway to Permanent Residency	Yes, after 3 years	Yes, after 3 years	Immediate permanent residency	Immediate permanent residency	Immediate permanent residency	Immediate permanent residency	Possible via transition stream
Work Rights	Restricted to sponsoring employer	Flexible	Unrestricted	Unrestricted	Restricted to sponsoring employer	Restricted to sponsoring employer	Restricted to sponsoring employer

All Your Questions About the 494 Visa Answered

Do you have more questions about the 494 visa? Contact our Registered Migration Agents in Melbourne to arrange a consultation and obtain more reliable information.

Discover more about other Australian work visas in the following guides: 

• 482 Visa
• 190 Visa
• 186 Visa
• 400 Visa