The Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Visa allows regional employers to address labor shortages in their region by sponsoring skilled workers when they cannot find a qualified Australian worker. A regional employer must sponsor the visa and the position must be expected to last for 5 years. 

There is a maximum age limit of 45 years (with some exceptions), and applicants must have competent English, RCB (Regional Certifying Body) advice, and meet the AMSR (Annual Market Salary Rate) requirements. Visa applicants need to have a suitable skills assessment and at least 3 years of skilled employment. All areas other than Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane are referenced to as regionals.

Subclass 494 is split into three categories: Employer Sponsored Stream, Subsequent Entrant, and Labour Agreement Stream. The subsequent entrant visa is for those who want to join a family member who holds a subclass 494. A labour agreement stream visa is for applicants nominated by employers with a labour agreement with the Australian government. With a subclass 494 visa, the applicant can stay in the country for 5 years, but only in designated areas. To apply for permanent residency, the person must first meet the eligibility requirements. Once eligible, the candidate can apply for permanent residency 3 years after being granted the visa.

Benefits of this Visa:

A person can apply for permanent residency without going through a second nomination stage if the requirements are met. This can be done through the subclass 191 visa. Employers will have lower costs as they only need to pay one SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) levy stage for the subclass 494 nomination.

During this time, the candidate can both work and study in Australia without encountering any difficulties. With the exception of certain locations such as Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, the candidate has permission to study anywhere in the country. A candidate is permitted to travel in and out of the country as many times as they desire while holding a 494 visa.

Visa Cost:

The Department of Home Affairs (DoHA) fee for the main applicant is $4,640, for the spouse it is $2,320, and for children under 18 it is $1,160. A second Visa Application Charge (VAC) of $4,890 applies if the adult applicant does not meet the Functional English requirement. 

Visa Processing Time

It takes 3 months to process 75% of applications and 4 months to process 90% of applications. Individual processing time may differ depending on the particular circumstances of the applicant and sponsor, as well as the quality of the application submitted to the Department of Home Affairs. Numerous well-prepared applications are processed more quickly and seamlessly than the average.

Eligibility Criteria:

Individuals holding the new provisional visas will also be unable to apply for most other visas based on skills in Australia, unless they have spent a minimum of three years in a specified regional area, unless there are exceptional circumstances. Moreover, similar to the current arrangements for the subclass 457 and 482 visa program, sponsor non-compliance can have a negative impact on holders of the new provisional visas. Other eligibility factors include;

• Applicants must be under the age of 45 when applying, with some exemptions possible. 
• They should have a good level of English at the time of application. 
• They must have worked in the nominated occupation for at least 3 years on a full-time basis, at the required skill level. 
• Ideally, this experience should have been gained within the past 5 years, it is ok if it is not continuous . 
• Part-time work may be considered as equivalent. 
• The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) does not consider casual work for this visa. 
• The Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement does not apply. 
• If the applicant is in Australia, they must hold a substantive or Bridging Visa.
• A successful skills assessment is required at the time of application. There is no requirement for doctor registration.
• For the 494 visa, the employer and job offer must meet certain requirements. The employer must be located in designated regional Australia.
• The position must be on the list of eligible occupations and be full-time, with a likelihood of being available for 5 years. 
• The employer will need approval from the Regional Certifying Body (RCB), and must pay the Australian Market Salary Rate (AMSR).

How to apply?

With the exception of those who are in the process of immigrating and are not eligible to apply for or be granted this visa, candidates may be located inside or outside of Australia. A few things to consider when applying for a 494 visa are as follows:

• A legitimate passport that satisfies the conditions of the applicable visa category, a Subclass 010 Bridging.
• A valid visa that fulfils the requirements of the applicable visa category, a Subclass 020 Bridging B visa that satisfies those requirements, or a Subclass 030 Bridging C visa that satisfies those requirements.
• Furthermore, the applicant’s visa cannot contain any terms that would prohibit them from submitting an application for this visa within Australia.