Imagine earning a road to permanent residency for your family while working in Australia and taking in the country’s breathtaking scenery and booming economy. This goal is made attainable by the Subclass 494 Visa, which gives qualified workers the chance to live and work in remote Australia.
What is the Subclass 494 Visa?
Skilled workers can reside and work in specific regional areas of Australia with the Subclass 494 Visa, also called the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa. After three years, the temporary visa offers a clear path to permanent residency. There are three primary routes for the visa:
1. Employer Sponsored Stream: For those nominated by a regional employer.
2. Laboure Agreement Stream: For workers under specific labor agreements.
3. Subsequent Entrant: For family members of existing visa holders.
Why Choose the Subclass 494 Visa?
This visa offers unique benefits that make it stand out from other Australian work visas:
1.5-Year Validity: Spend five years living and working in a remote area of Australia.
2. Permanent Residency Pathway: After three years, you can apply for permanent residency through the Subclass 191 Visa.
3. Family Inclusion: Bring your partner and children with you, allowing them to work and study in Australia.
4. Access to Public Healthcare (Medicare): You and your family can benefit from Australia’s public healthcare system.
5. Regional Lifestyle: Away from big cities like Sydney and Melbourne, live in reasonably priced, laid-back regions of Australia.
Eligibility for the Subclass 494 Visa
To apply for the 494 Visa, you need:
- A job offer in a regional area.
- Your occupation must be on one of Australia’s skilled occupation lists.
- At least three years of full-time work experience.
- A skills assessment and English language proficiency.
- Health and character checks for you and your family.
- Applicants must be under 45 years old unless exempt
Family Include
You can add family members to your application for a 494 visa and, if granted, bring them with you. One may:
- include them when you lodge your visa application
- add a dependent child after you lodge, but before a decision has been made on your application
Family members who apply for the visa must meet the health and character requirements.
If your partner or dependent children are not included in the application, you must share the reason why (for example: they already hold Australian citizenship or are a permanent resident).
A member of This is Australia’s migration team will go over this with you
How to Apply
The process involves two steps:
1.Employer Nomination: You are not eligible to work in regional Australia unless you are nominated for a specific role by your employer.
2.Application for Visa: After been nominated, you can apply online for a 494 Visa at the official immigration website.
Under specific conditions and within a few years, this visa allows one to become a permanent resident and eventually establish a family here in Australia.
Visa processing times
90% of applications are currently handled in 4 months, compared to 75% which are completed in 3 months.
To get the greatest guidance and information about your particular situation, speak with one of our agents.
For current eligibility criteria, see Australian Citizenship Requirements.
For application processing times, see Global visa and Australian Citizenship processing times.
Travel Outside
Although you are allowed to leave Australia and return as often as you like while your visa is still in effect, the time you spend abroad does not count against it.
Visa label
The government will digitally link your passport and visa if your application is approved. There won’t be a tangible label in your passport.
The 187 Visa was replaced by the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 494).
Permanent residence
An application process for permanent residency in Australia is made possible by the 494 visa. You can work and study in Australia, enroll in Medicare, sponsor family members to visit Australia, travel to and from Australia for five years, and, if qualified, apply for Australian citizenship when you have permanent residency in the country.
You must have held an eligible visa (491 or 494) for at least three years, have taxable income at or above the income threshold ($53,900/year) for at least three years, and all applicants must have complied with their visa’s conditions in order to be eligible to apply for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191).
Entitlements of the Skill Select – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa (Subclass 494)
You will be granted a five-year temporary resident visa through the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa (subclass 494).
As well as any qualifying family members, you will be entitled to:
- Reside in Australia for up to 5 years;
- Live, study and work in a designated regional area of Australia;
- Travel in and out of Australia as many times as you want during the duration of the visa;
- Apply for permanent residency through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (Subclass 191)
- Be eligible for Medicare
This Is Australia can assess your suitability for a work visa and offer you expert guidance on the necessary paperwork, costs, and submission procedure.