The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) 494 visa Australia is a provisional residency visa intended for employer sponsored, skilled migrants. It is available both to skilled workers that are already living in Australia (as temporary residents) and those applying from outside of the country. The visa is limited to 10,000 applicants per year.
To be eligible an applicant must be skilled in an occupation that is listed on a Regional Occupation List (ROL), be under 45 years of age (with some exemptions), be able to demonstrate competent English skills, have passed a relevant skills assessment and have at least three years skilled work experience.
The employer sponsoring the applicant must be located in a regional area and be prepared to provide employment for at least five years. In addition the employer must have approval from a Regional Certifying Body (RCB) and provide remuneration for the position that meets the or exceeds a minimum market salary.
Once a 494 visa is granted to an applicant and they maintain the nominated employment role within the designated regional area, they can remain in Australia for up to five years. A path to permanent residency is available after three years. Family members of the applicant are also eligible but they must also live, work and study in a designated regional area.
Skilled workers with an occupation on the ROL can apply for these visas but they must be sponsored by an employer subject to the conditions above. An applicant must hold a substantive Australian visa or a bridging visa A, B or C to be able to make an application if they are already living within Australia.
Generally, to be eligible for a 494 visa Australia, applicants must meet the following conditions:
• Be aged between 18 and 44
• Speak Competent English or better; dependent family members that are over 18 years of age must also be able to speak functional English
• Have a positive skill assessment in the nominated occupation
• Have at least 3 years (of the last five years) of relevant work experience in their nominated skill
• Meet health and character requirements
The employer must lodge a nomination on behalf of an applicant before the visa application can be made. This will outline the nominated occupation, terms and conditions of the skilled employment and the financial viability of the employing business. Employers must be able to show how the position became available and demonstrate that it cannot be filled by other means.