This 494 visa enables employers in Regional Australia to sponsor a worker where they can't find a suitably skilled Australian citizen or permanent resident.
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This visa 494 Australia enables employers in regional Australia to address skilled worker shortages by bringing in skilled workers where employers can't source an appropriately skilled worker who is Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident.
This visa subclass 494 stream enables regional employers to address identified labour shortages within their region by sponsoring skilled workers where employers can't source an appropriately skilled Australian citizen or permanent resident worker.
This subclass 494 visa Australia stream is for skilled workers nominated by employers who have a labour agreement. Labour agreements are developed between the Australian Government (represented by the Department) and employers.
This subclass 494 visa is for members of the family unit of a Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (SESR) (Provisional) visa (subclass 494) holder who are applying separately for their SESR visa and wish to join the primary SESR visa holder in Australia.
This visa 494 Australia is granted for 5 years, and visa holders can apply for permanent residence (Subclass 191 visa) after 3 years from the time your visa is granted. Holders of this visa can live, work and study only in a 'Designated Regional Area'.
Subclass 494 Visa For Pacific Region Country Passport Holders: Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor‑Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, the Base application charge for subclass 494 visa fees is A$5,035; Additional applicant charge for an applicant who is at least 18: A$2,515; Additional applicant charge for an applicant who is less than 18: A$1,260.
For all other applicants The Department of Home Affairs subclass 494 visa fees are: Base application charge: A$6,140, Additional applicant charge for an applicant who is at least 18: A$3,070, Additional applicant charge for an applicant who is less than 18: A$1,535.
Second Installment: If primary applicant does not have functional english: A$9800, If secondary applicant does not have functional english: A$4890, Minister of Religion: Nil.
Subclass 494 Nomination Processing Time in Employer Sponsored Stream: 75% of applications in 7 Months, 90% of applications in 10 months, Labour Agreement Stream: 75% of applications in 7 Months, 90% of applications in 11 months.
The applicant being nominated for 494 visa Australia must have relevant qualifications as well as atleast 3 years of relevant experience to the occupation being nominated for the work visa.
You are exempt from providing English requirements evidence for subclass 494 visa Australia if one of the following apply:-
You are a passport holder from: Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom, United States of America.
- You have completed at least 5 years of full-time study at a secondary level institution and where most classes were in English.
- Your nominated occupation in Australia will be performed at a diplomatic or consular mission of another country, or an Office of the Authorities of Taiwan.
- Your nominated occupation requires you to hold a license, registration or membership that was granted to you after you proved english language competency.
- You are an employee of an overseas business and that business or its associated entity has nominated you to work in Australia, and you will receive a guaranteed annual earnings of at least A$96,400.
Core Skills Occupation Stream: A score of at least 5.0 in each of the test components of IELTS General or equivalent in PT Academic, IELTS Academic, CELPIP, MET, OET, LANGUAGECERT Academic or TOEFL iBT.
Specialist Stream: You can meet english requirement by scoring at least 5 in each of the test components or equivalent in PT Academic, IELTS Academic, CELPIP, MET, OET, LANGUAGECERT Academic or TOEFL iBT.
Labour Agreement Stream: You must have English language skills suitable to perform your nominated occupation which will be specified in the Labour agreement between your employer and the Commonwealth.
Skills assessments are issued by relevant skills assessing authorities that checks that your skills meet the standards they set to work in a relevant occupation in Australia. For visa subclass 494 skills Assessment might be mandatory based on the occupation you are being nominated for, and stream you are applying for.
The applicant’s intention to perform the nominated occupation while being on Australia 494 visa is genuine.
The applicant has a job offer and sponsorship for Australia subclass 494 visa from an employer operating a business in designated regional area of Australia..
The sponsor nominating the applicant for subclass 494 visa must not be the subject of a bar under section 140M of the Act.
The employer after obtaining approval for 'standard business sponsorship', is required to nominate an occupation for a prospective visa applicant or existing visa holder. This is the second step to obtaining a 494 visa.
Before a Nomination application can be lodged for visa 494 the nominee will need to do Labour Market Testing (LMT) to show to the Department of Home Affairs that they can't find a suitable Australian worker. Labour Market Testing requires advertising position in Australia, unless International Trade Obligations or specified exemptions apply.
Unless the nominee's annual earnings are AUD$250,000 or above, for a 494 visa Australia nomination to be approved, the delegate must be satisfied that the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) for the nominated occupation has been determined in accordance with the Department of Home Affairs policy; where the AMSR, excluding any non-monetary benefits, is not less than the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT), which is set at A$76,515, and the nominee's Guaranteed Annual Earnings (GAE) for the nominated occupation will not be less than the AMSR; and the nominee's GAE, excluding any non-monetary benefits, is not less than TSMIT.
The position associated with the nominated occupation for Australia 494 visa is genuine.
A subclass 494 visa Nomination refused, can be appealed at the Administrative Review Tribunal if there is an approved 'Standard Business Approval' or an application for 'Standard Business Approval' is under processing for the sponsoring business.
A visa subclass 494 application refused, can be appealed at the Administrative Review Tribunal if there is an approved 'Nomination' or an application for 'Nomination' is under processing for the sponsoring business.
The TSMIT for Australia 494 visa nomination application is: A$76,515 for Nomination applications lodged on and between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026.
The CSIT for Australia subclass 494 visa nomination application is: A$76,515 for Nomination applications lodged on and between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026.
The SSIT for subclass 494 visa nomination application is: A$1,41,210 for Nomination applications lodged on and between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026.
How to Apply for 494 Visa: The following steps will need to be completed before an overseas worker can start working for you on subclass 482 visa Australia.
1. Unless you are already have an approved sponsorship, or have an executed ‘labour agreement’ with the Minister of the ‘Department of Home Affairs’ (Home Affairs), the first step to sponsoring an overseas worker for a 494 visa will be to apply to become a ‘standard business sponsor’.
2. You will need to do ‘Labour Market testing’ to prove that you have tried to hire an Australian citizen or Permanent Resident for the position you are seeking nomination for.
3. You will need to prove to the ‘Home Affairs’ that the position that you want to nominate a skilled worker to is a ‘Genuine Position’ and meets ‘Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupation’ ANZSCO job description, as well as fits in the business requirements of your business.
4. The nominated occupation must be from the eligible skilled occupations list or sponsoring employer must apply for a labour agreement from the Minister of Home Affairs.
5. You will need to show to ‘Home Affairs’ that the salary you are offering to nominated skilled worker is the ‘Market Salary Rate’ for this occupation in Australia.
6. You will need to show and attest that you do not engage in any discriminatory recruitment practices.
7. You will need to show that there is no adverse information against your business for violating any federal, state or council laws.
8. Skilled worker you nominate must have minimum of 1 years experience and qualifications that matches with the job you offer them.
9. Skilled worker you nominate will need to pass the character and health tests before a visa could be issued.
Failing to meet any of the above will result in failure of any 1 or combination of application stages out of 3 stages of the application; resulting in failure of the application process.
This visa helps employers in regional areas of Australia to employ foreign workers in certain occupations to address skills shortages.
Yes, you can buy a house as holder of subclass 494 visa.
No, you can not change an employer as holder of visa subclass 494.
Yes, subclass 494 visa holders can access medicare.
Skills assessment for your nominated occupation in relation to 494 visa application is the core requirement.
482 visa holders can work anywhere in Australia. Subclass 494 visa Australia can only work in regional areas of Australia.
This subclass 482 visa enables employers to address identified labour shortages in Australia. This visa offers pathway to permanent residence through Subclass 186 visa.
This subclass 186 visa lets skilled workers live and work in Australia permanently.
This subclass 191 visa is Permanent Pathway for Subclass 491 and 494 visa holders.
The Highly Specialised Work stream of subclass 400 visa lets you do short-term, highly specialised work in Australia. It is suitable for applicants who have specialised skills, knowledge or experience not generally available in Australia.
This subclass 408 visa allows you to come to Australia to do specific types of work on a short-term, temporary basis such as Australian Government endorsed events, religious, social, cultural and/or research activities.
This subclass 403 visa enables employers to sponsor a worker for work that improves Australia's international relations.
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