Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa Subclass 494

This is a provisional visa introduced in November 2019. It has been designed to replace the Subclass 187 (Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme)
visa. The Subclass 494 visa will allow you to stay in Australia for a period of 5 years from when your visa is granted.
The 494 visa is a temporary visa that allows skilled workers to work in a designated regional area of Australia for up to five years if they are sponsored by an approved Australian employer.
It is mandatory for a visa applicant to have professional skills or work experience in an occupation listed on the relevant skilled occupation list. 494 visa holders can work in Australia in their nominated occupation and apply for permanent residency if eligible.

Employer Requirements:

In order to be considered for nomination:

• The employer must be situated within a designated regional area of Australia (employers in Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne are excluded).
• The position must be listed on the relevant occupation list.
• Employers seeking to sponsor foreign workers must obtain Standard Business Sponsor status. To be approved as a sponsor, the organization must be legally established and actively operating in Australia.
• The position must be full-time, authentic, and expected to be available for 5 years or more.
• Employers must pay Australian market salary rates for the designated occupation.
• The business must show evidence of having advertised the position locally to test the local labor market.
• Employers must pass a non-discriminatory workforce test to ensure they do not discriminate against Australian workers during the nomination process and must have a strong commitment to utilizing local labor.
• Employers must pay an annual salary that is at least equal to or greater than the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT),
• which is currently $70,000 plus Superannuation. Additionally, the salary must be competitive within the market for that specific occupation.
• Employers are required to pay the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy, which is determined based on the turnover of the nominating business.

Visa Applicant Requirements:

• Applicants must be nominated by an Australian business that meets sponsorship requirements and has been approved as a sponsor.
• They must demonstrate the skills, qualifications, and work experience necessary for the nominated occupation.
• They must have a positive skills assessment in their nominated occupation.
• They must be employed in a designated regional area.
• The occupation must be on a relevant Skills List.
• They must be under 45 years of age.
• They must obtain a minimum overall score of 6 in IELTS (with a minimum score of 6 in each test component) OR be a passport holder from
• Canada, Ireland, UK, USA, or NZ.
• They must meet the health and character requirements.

The 494 visa is a five-year visa. Holders can obtain permanent residence through the Skilled Regional (Subclass 191) pathway.
Eligibility criteria for the 191 visa are as follows:

• Hold an eligible visa when applying, having held that visa for at least 3 years prior to applying.
• Comply with the conditions of the eligible visa while in Australia.
• Meet health and character requirements.

There is no minimum income requirement, but applicants must provide notices of assessment issued by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) for
three income years out of the five years of the eligible visa.
Applicants do not need employer nomination to apply for the 191 visa.
The application process includes three steps:

1. Applying to become an approved Standard Business Sponsor.
2. Applying for a nomination by the employer.
3. Applying for a visa by the nominated employee.