The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (subclass 494) Visa enables regional employers to address labour shortages by sponsoring skilled workers where appropriately skilled local workers are not available.
The subclass 494 visa is made up of two streams:
- The Employer Sponsored Stream; and
- The Labour Agreement Stream
Required Documents
Applicants must provide the following documents when applying for a subclass 494 visa.
- Identity documents
- Age exemption documents if applicable
- Skills and qualifications documents
- English language documents
- Health documents
- Character documents (Australian police certificate)
- Partner documents (partner’s identity and character documents and a marriage certificate or proof of a de facto relationship)
- Identity and character documents for dependants under 18 years of age
- Parental responsibility documents displaying consent for the child (under 18 years) to travel to Australia
- Identity and character documents for dependants over 18 years of age
More information about the documentation required to apply for a subclass 494 visa can be found on the Department of Home Affairs website.
In addition to the required documentation, applicants must also meet specific requirements when applying for a subclass 494 visa.
Eligibility Requirements
The Employer Sponsored Stream
To be eligible to apply for the subclass 494 Employer Sponsored stream, applicants must:
- Be under 45 years of age, unless an exemption applies
- Be nominated by an approved sponsor
- Have relevant skills, qualifications and work experience
- Have a positive skills assessment
- Have competent English language skills
- Meet health requirements
- Meet character requirements
- Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused
- Have no outstanding debts to the Australian Government
- Sign the Australian values statement
The Labour Agreement Stream
To apply for the subclass 494 under the Labour Agreement stream, applicants must:
- Be working under a labour agreement
- Be under the age of 45 years, unless the labour agreement states otherwise
- Have relevant skills, qualifications and work experience
- Have a positive skills assessment
- Meet the level of English language proficiency specified in the labour agreement
- Meet health requirements
- Meet character requirements
- Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused
- Have no outstanding debts to the Australian Government
- Sign the Australian values statement
Subsequent Entrant
Coming under the subclass 494 visa is the Subsequent Entrant visa for family members applying separately for their subclass 494 visa and wanting to join the primary subclass 494 visa holder in Australia at a later date.
To apply for the subsequent entrant visa under the subclass 494 visa, applicants must:
- Have a family member who is a primary Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (subclass 494) visa holder
- Be nominated by the primary subclass 494 visa holder’s work sponsor
- Have functional English. (If a functional English level can’t be shown, then an additional visa application fee is payable)
- Meet health requirements
- Meet character requirements
- Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused
- Have no outstanding debts to the Australian Government
- Sign the Australian values statement
The visa application process and satisfying the eligibility criteria can be complex. It is best to consult with a registered migration agency such as Visa Solutions Australia.
To learn more about the requirements for a subclass 494 visa, contact the team of experienced migration agents at Visa Solutions Australia. Book a consultation.
