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If your aspiration is to secure a dignified job position in Australia and you have also got the relevant skill and qualifications for that job, the 494 Visa Australia, commonly known as a Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa, presents an excellent opportunity to fulfil your dreams. With this visa, you can work and live in Australia for 5 years, while employers can recruit highly qualified workers from overseas to fill specific positions in regional Australia. The Subclass 494 Visa offers three streams, each with its own set of eligibility criteria, application process, and advantages. Meeting the necessary requirements can pave the way for Australian Citizenship, making the Subclass 186 Visa an ideal pathway to a promising future. If you work for three years and fulfil the necessary criteria for eligibility, then visa 494, being a temporary visa, can open the pathway for you to obtain Australian PR.

What is Subclass 494 Visa Australia

The Subclass 494 Visa Australia is a working visa that allows you to study, work, or stay in Australia for a time period of five years. It is a sponsored work visa for overseas employees like you, which allows Australian employers to sponsor skilled workers to fill labour shortages within specific regions. 494 visa is designed to promote economic development in designated regional areas of Australia. You must meet certain eligibility criteria to be eligible for the Subclass 494 Visa. You need to be nominated by an eligible employer with a legitimate business in Australia. You also need to have the required skills and experience for the nominated position.

Visa 494 has three visa streams: Employer-Sponsored Stream, 494 Labour Agreement Stream, and Subsequent Entrant Stream. You can choose from one of the streams depending on your circumstances and your employer’s agreements with the Australian Government. Although the visa subclass 494 is a temporary residence visa, you can obtain permanent residency in Australia after three years by fulfilling certain criteria set by the Australian Department of Home Affairs. You can include your family members along with your visa application so that they can enjoy the same benefits as you.

Streams for Visa 494 Australia

There are three streams for 494 visa Australia among which you can apply for one of them on the basis of your employer’s agreements and your own individual circumstance. They are described below:

Employer-Sponsored Stream

The employer-sponsored stream allows employers in designated regional areas to sponsor skilled workers for positions that cannot be filled by Australian workers. The visa for this stream is granted for up to five years and provides a pathway to permanent residency in Australia after three years. Your employer may nominate you for any job in this stream as long as it's on the Skilled Occupation List.

Processing Time of Employer-Sponsored Stream

494 visa processing time for Employer-Sponsored stream is as follows:

• 25% of applications: 57 Days
• 50% of applications: 6 Months
• 75% of applications: 10 Months
• 90% of applications: 12 Months

Cost of Employer-Sponsored Stream

The cost for this stream as per the DHA Australia is AUD4,640.00.

494 Labour Agreement Stream

494 Labour Agreement Stream is designed for skilled workers who are sponsored by an employer through a labour agreement negotiated between the Australian government and the employer. Under this stream, employers can access a wider range of occupations than those available through the Employer-Sponsored Stream. The visa period is up to five years and provides a pathway to permanent residency after three years of working in a designated regional area.

Processing Time of Labour Agreement Stream

494 visa processing time for this stream is as follows:

• 25% of applications: 32 Days
• 50% of applications: 50 Days
• 75% of applications: 4 Months
• 90% of applications: 9 Months

Cost of Labour Agreement Stream

The cost for this stream as per the DHA Australia is AUD4,640.00.

494 Labour Agreement Stream

494 Labour Agreement Stream is designed for skilled workers who are sponsored by an employer through a labour agreement negotiated between the Australian government and the employer. Under this stream, employers can access a wider range of occupations than those available through the Employer-Sponsored Stream. The visa period is up to five years and provides a pathway to permanent residency after three years of working in a designated regional area.

Processing Time of Labour Agreement Stream

494 visa processing time for this stream is as follows:

• 25% of applications: 32 Days
• 50% of applications: 50 Days
• 75% of applications: 4 Months
• 90% of applications: 9 Months

Cost of Labour Agreement Stream

The cost for this stream as per the DHA Australia is AUD4,640.00.

Subsequent Entrant Stream

Subsequent Entrant Stream allows eligible family members, such as partners, dependent children, and other dependent family members to join the primary visa holder in Australia. To be eligible under this stream, family members must meet certain requirements, such as being sponsored by the primary visa holder, satisfying health and character criteria, and being able to demonstrate their dependency on the primary visa holder. The validity period of this visa stream is the same as the validity period of the primary visa holder i.e., 5 years. The family members can then live, work and study in Australia along with the primary visa holder.

Processing Time of Subsequent Entrant Stream

The processing time for this visa stream is not available currently. You can refer to the Australian Department of Home Affairs for recent updates.

Cost of Subsequent Entrant Stream

The cost for this stream as per the DHA Australia is AUD4,640.00.

Subclass 494 Visa Australia Requirements

You will need to fulfil the 494 Visa Requirements in order to be eligible to apply. Below mentioned is the list of requirements that you need to satisfy for the 494 visa:

1. Age: 494 visa age limit is under 45 years of age at the time of applying for the application
2. 494 Visa English Requirements: You must need to have competent English in order to apply for this visa
3. Nomination: You must be nominated by an eligible employer in a designated regional area.
4. 494 Visa Work Experience: You need to have a minimum of 3 years of work experience. You should have worked on a full-time basis and your work experience should have been obtained within the last 5 years before applying
5. Skill Assessment: You need to have a positive 494 visa skill assessment in your nominated occupation until and unless you’re exempt
6. Labour agreement: For the Labour Agreement Stream, you must be nominated by an employer who has a current labour agreement with the Australian government
7. Health and character requirements: You and your family members applying along with you must meet health and character requirements as specified by the DHA Australia, which may involve undergoing health examinations and providing police clearance certificates.

494 Visa Employer Requirements

• Your employer must be based in one of Australia’s designated regional areas, except for Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.
• Your job position must be listed on the eligible occupation list.
• Your employer must give proof that they were unable to fill the position with an Australian employee.
• Your employer must pay the Australian Market Salary Rate (AMSR) to you for your salary.

494 Visa Skills Assessment Exemption

You won’t have to go through the skill assessment if:

• You already hold a visa type 457 or 482, and you had to take a skills assessment
• You are nominated for an academic position
• You hold a visa 444 or a visa subclass 461

Document Checklist for 494 Visa

The document checklist for the Subclass 494 Visa Australia (Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional Provisional) includes the following:

1. Identity Documents:
   
   • Current Passport (bio-data page)
   • Recent Passport-sized photograph
2. Skills Assessment: A valid Skills Assessment from the relevant assessing authority for your nominated occupation
3. English Language Proficiency: English language test results (e.g., IELTS, TOEFL, PTE Academic) meeting the necessary requirements
4. Employment Documents:
   
   • Job offer or employment contract from an approved employer in a designated regional area of Australia
   • A written statement from your employer outlining details of your employment, including job duties, salary, and working conditions
5. Proof of Work Experience: Employment references or certificates detailing your work experience in the nominated occupation
6. Proof of Qualifications: Certified copies of academic transcripts and certificates for all qualifications relevant to your nominated occupation
7. Health and Character Documents:
   
   • Medical examination results (for all applicants)
   • Police clearance certificates from each country where you have lived for 12 months or more in the last ten years (for all applicants aged 16 and above)
8. Health Insurance: Evidence of adequate health insurance coverage for you and your family members while in Australia
9. If your partner/spouse is migrating along with you then you have to provide their:
   
   • Their identity documents
   • Marriage certificate
   • Divorce papers (if applicable)
   • Proof of registered relationship
   • Proof that they have a functional level of English
10. If your other family members are coming along with you then you have to provide documents such as:
    
    • Identity documents
    • Character documents
    • Proof of other relationships (if applicable)
    • Proof of dependency (if applicable)
    • Form 47a
11. Helping forms such as:
    
    • Form 956
    • Form 956a
12. Labor Market Testing (LMT) Evidence: Evidence that your employer has conducted Labor Market Testing to show there is a genuine need for your skills in the nominated position
13. Documents for Labour Agreements: If you are applying through the labour agreement stream, then you’ll need to submit this document to verify that your employer is a part of the labour agreement

Benefits of 494 Visa Australia

Subclass 494 Visa offers several benefits to skilled workers like you and your families. Below mentioned are the 494 visa benefits that you get after applying:

• You can work and live in Australia for up to 5 years
• Your family members can join you through subsequent entrant stream
• You will be eligible for the PR in Australia after 3 years and fulfilling certain criteria
• You and your family members can study in Australia
• You and your family member can be eligible for the Medicare
• You earn additional 5 points for regional nomination which can add up to your PR
• You and your family member can travel in and out of Australia as needed during the visa period
• You’ll have access to Regional Occupation List which will get you more jobs as compared to Non-Regional Lists

Subclass 494 Visa Australia Processing Time

The 494 visa Australia processing time for each stream is given in the description above. However, the above-mentioned processing time for a 494 visa can vary depending on various factors such as:

• Whether your application is complete and includes all required documents to support it
• How quickly do you respond to any inquiries for additional information asked by DHA
• How long it takes to do the necessary checks on the additional information that was provided
• How long it takes to get additional data from other organisations, especially on requirements for national security, character, and health

Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) 494 Visa Fees

The primary applicant and all dependent family members need to pay the visa application charge to apply for the 494 visa Australia. Some of you may also need to pay a second instalment before a decision is made on your visa application.

494 Visa Cost for Primary Applicant

The primary applicant must pay a visa application charge of A$4640.

Subclass 494 Fees for Additional Applicants At least 18 Years of Age

Secondary applicants who are at least 18 years old at the time when applying for 494 visa application must pay a visa cost of A$2320.

Subclass 494 Visa Cost for Additional Applicants below 18 Years of Age

Secondary applicants who are below 18 years old at the time when applying for 494 visa application must pay a visa cost of A$1160.

Subclass 494 Second Instalment Payable Before Visa Grant

The second instalment is A$9800 if the applicant is at least 18 at the time of application, assessed as not having functional English, satisfies the primary criteria for the visa, and is not nominated as a Minister of Religion or dependent family member.

The second instalment is A$4890 if the applicant meets similar conditions under the secondary criteria for the visa.

The second instalment is nil if the applicant is not nominated as a Minister of Religion or dependent family member.

Subsequent Temporary Application Charge

The subsequent temporary application charge is not payable when you apply for 494 visa application.

Subclass 494 Nomination Fee for Employer

The employer needs to pay the government fee of A$540 for the nomination application.

Subclass 494 Visa Cost for Employer Skilling Australian Fund Levy

Employers must pay the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy as the nomination training contribution charge.

• Small businesses with an annual turnover of less than $10 million must pay A$3000
• Other businesses with an annual turnover of $10 million or more must pay A$5000

494 Visa Application Process

The Subclass 494 visa process involves several steps:

Sponsorship Approval

The employer needs to apply for approval as a sponsor. They need to demonstrate their commitment to training Australian workers and meet other requirements.

Nomination

After becoming an approved sponsor, the employer will nominate you as a skilled worker for a specific position in a regional area of Australia.

Skills Assessment

The nominated occupation may require a skills assessment to ensure that your qualifications match the requirements.

Expression of Interest (EOI)

You then need to submit an EOI Through The SkillSelect system, indicating your interest in the Subclass 494 visa.

Invitation to Apply

If you receive an invitation based on your EOI, you can proceed with the visa application.

Gather Documents

You must collect all necessary documents, including identity proof, qualifications, work experience, employment contract, proof of labour market testing, skill assessment, proof of English language proficiency, character documents, etc.

Visa Application

You then apply for the visa application, attaching all required documents and paying the relevant application fees. You will need to create an ImmiAccount through the website of the Australian Department of Home Affairs.

Health and Character Checks

You and your family members must undergo health examinations and provide character clearance certificates.

Visa Grant

If all requirements are met, the Department of Home Affairs will grant you the visa subclass 494.

Regional Work

After receiving the visa, you can live and work in the designated regional area specified in the visa conditions.

Conclusion

The 494 visa is the most appropriate working visa in Australia for you if you are planning to migrate to Australia as a skilled worker through the sponsorship of an employer in regional Australia. This visa offers numerous benefits, including the opportunity to live and work in a designated state or territory from where your employer has nominated you. But you have to make sure that you fulfil all the required eligibility criteria and submit all the necessary documents for 494 visa Australia.

Although there are a lot of benefits of visa 494 and eligibility criteria are also specified, you can still face difficulties in the visa process and gathering the required documents. For this matter, if you need any professional assistance then CDR Writer Australia is always ready to assist you with professional services and guidance. CDR Writer Australia has got a diverse team of experts who can guide you through the 494 visa application process.