The Australian government introduced the 494 Visa Australia a couple of years back. If you are foreigner and wish to live and work in Australia, here are a few things you need to know about this type of visa and its eligibility requirements.
About the 494 Visa Australia, the validity period of the 494 visa is 5 years. Holders of this visa will be required to live, work, and/or study only in regional areas and only in the job positions that have been nominated. Another condition for the visa holders is that they have to start work in their nominated position within 90 days of being granted the visa and they must only work in regional Australia for the nominating employer. Failure to abide by these rules puts your visa at risk of being cancelled.
Please note that there are a number of limitations this provisional visa places on its holders. For instance, unless you have completed at least 3 years in a designated regional area, you as a 494 holder won’t be allowed to apply for most other Australian skills based visas. Also, non-compliance to any requirements by your sponsor has the potential of negatively affecting your visa and getting it cancelled.
What are the designated regional areas?
These are regional areas including Gold Coast, Perth, Sunshine Coast, Lake Macquarie, Illawarra, Geelong, Newcastle, Wollongong, Adelaide, Hobart, and Canberra, but excluding Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney where this visa’s holder is allowed to work.
Requirements for foreigners
- Not be older than 45 years at the time of application
- Excellent English reading, writing, and oral communication skills
- Possess at least 3 years of experience working on a full-time basis (within the last 5 years either continuously or non-continuously) at the skill level required for the occupation nominated by the visa. Please note that casual work is not considered by the DHA.
- Successfully pass skills assessment
Benefits of the 494 visa
- From November 2022, and if you are eligible, the 494 visa will allow you to apply for permanent residence
- Cheaper to employers when compared to other visas because only one levy is charged
Applying for Permanent Residence
As mentioned above, from 2022, eligible 494 visa holders will be allowed to apply for permanent residence. Here are some of the requirements:
- Must have lived and worked in a nominated occupation within the regional areas for at least 3 years
- Eligible to receive Medicare cover
- Cannot apply for any other 820 or skillet permanent residence visa for 3 years