05 Jun What is the Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional (Provisional) 494 Visa in Australia?
The Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional (Provisional) 494 Visa was introduced in November 2019. This was designed for regional employers and regional Australian businesses to address identified labour shortages within their region by sponsoring skilled workers where these employers can’t source appropriately experienced and qualified skilled Australian workers. For migration purposes, most locations outside Australia’s major cities (Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane) are considered Designated Regional Areas including Perth and Gold Coast.
This visa lets you live and work in Australia and travel in and out of Australia as frequently as you wish for 5 years. It also offers a pathway to permanent residency. Dependent family members may be included and must also work, live, or study in a designated regional area in Australia.
To apply for a permanent residency from a 494 visa, you must be eligible after 3 years from the time your 494 visas are granted and must satisfy certain conditions. To meet the requirements of the permanent visa (from November 2022), the applicants must have complied with the conditions of their 494 visa and have met the minimum taxable income requirements. Applicants for Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) must show earnings of at least $53,900 per annum (current TSMIT as of June 2022) for three (3) years while on 494 visas. The 494-visa holder’s partner can be the main applicant for the 191 permanent resident visas after three (3) years if they can demonstrate this earning criterion.
Who can be qualified to apply for a Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional 494 Visa?
Skilled workers with an occupation listed in the Regional Occupation List (ROL) can apply for the 494-visa provided they are nominated by the Australian employer. If the application is made while the skilled worker is in Australia, the worker must be a holder of a substantive visa, or a Bridging Visa A, B, or C.
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