Subclass 494 Employer-Sponsored Stream: Everything You Need To Know

The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494) has two streams:

  • the employer-sponsored stream; and

  • the labour agreement stream.  

This article will focus on the employer-sponsored stream.

What is Subclass 494 Employer-Sponsored Stream Visa?

Subclass 494 Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa known as 'SESR', allows regional employers to fill existing labour shortages in their area by recruiting skilled individuals when they are unable to find local Australians with the right skills while ensuring that Australian workers are given first consideration. Subclass 494 holders can work in designated regional areas in their approved listed occupations. This is a temporary visa that permits applicants to enter and reside in Australia for up to five years.

What are the eligibility criteria for Subclass 494 Visa?

Eligibility  

  • Be nominated to work in an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list. 

  • Have at least 3 years of relevant work experience in your nominated occupation. 

  • Have a relevant skills assessment, unless an exemption applies. 

  • You must have a positive skill assessment for your nominated occupation (only valid for 3 years). 

  • Work only for your sponsor or associated entity, unless an exemption applies. 

  • Be under 45 years of age, unless an exemption applies. 

  • Meet minimum standards of English language proficiency.

 

Do you know that the Subclass 494 Visa has more than 600 occupations listed and is a pathway to Australian Permanent Residence (‘PR’)? 

This visa allows you to transition to PR after 3 years of you and working in the regional area you chose. 

What are the Benefits of Subclass 494 Employer-Sponsored Stream Visa? 

With the visa, you can: 

  • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Live, work and study only in designated regional areas of Australia for 5 years. 

  • Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid. 

  • If eligible, apply for permanent residence after 3 years from the time your visa is granted. 

  • You can live, work and study only in a designated regional area. Designated regional areas include all of Australia except for Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. 

  • If eligible, you can apply for permanent residence after you have held your 494 visa for 3 years. 

  • Unless you have held your subclass 494 visa for 3 years, holders of the subclass 494 visa are unable to: 

You can include members of the family unit in your application. You can: 

  • Include them when you submit your visa application. 

  • Add a dependent child after you submit but before we decide on your visa application. 

Family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health and character requirements. 

 

Note: Family members who do not apply for the visa with you might also have to meet our health and character requirements. 

How much will it cost to sponsor an employee through subclass 494, and who pays these costs?

Currently, this visa costs AUD4,240 for the main applicant, AUD2,120 for each dependent 18 years and over, and AUD1,060 for each dependent under 18 years. 

It costs an additional AUD4,890 if any dependent applicants who are 18 years and over do not have functional English.  

You will have to pay other costs including English language tests, health checks, police certificates and biometrics. 

You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa and when we make a decision on your application, but not in immigration clearance. 

If you are applying in Australia, you must hold either of the following visas otherwise your application will not be valid: 

  • a substantive visa, or 

  • a BVA, BVB or BVC.  

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us for our professional advice and assistance.  

What if I’m not eligible for Subclass 494 Employer-Sponsored Stream?

Don’t lose confidence if you are not eligible for the Subclass 494 Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional (Provisional), there are other options and pathways that you can take to achieve work rights in Australia. Check the working visa list or the general skilled migration list, there might be a visa that is suitable for you.

How can Agape Henry Crux Help You?   

In addition to what the law does and doesn’t allow you to do, there are also practical considerations that may mean that travelling overseas jeopardises your visa application. If you want to find out more about the risks of travelling overseas, do not hesitate to contact us. You can book a Migration Planning Session with one of our immigration lawyers to seek professional advice by calling 02 8310 5230 or email us to book a time at info@ahclawyers.com.  

We speak fluent English, Korean, Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Indonesian, Burmese and Malay. If these aren’t your language, we can also help you arrange an interpreter.   

This article/presentation (“publication”) does not deal extensively with important topics or changes in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you find this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances, please contact our office. 

 

Subclass 494, Employer Sponsored Stream, Work visas, Regional MigrationJames ShinAgape Henry Cruxsubclass 494, subclass 494 visa, Employer Sponsored Stream, Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional, regional visa