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Người đăngPeter Phong D Cao
Ngày cập nhật:30/10/2024Subclass 494 visa – the first stage of the pr regional skilled visa
Discover all you need to know about the Subclass 494 visa in our detailed guide. Learn about eligibility criteria, application process, and the advantages of this skilled employer-sponsored visa designed for regional Australia. Gain expert insights and essential tips to navigate the process effectively!
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What is a subclass 494 visa?
The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa – Subclass 494 allows workers to temporarily live and work in designated regional areas of Australia. Applicants must be sponsored by an eligible Australian employer.
Which stream of a Subclass 494 suits you?
The Subclass 494 visa Australia includes 2 streams:
- Employer Sponsored stream: For workers whose occupations are listed on Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 494).
- Labour Agreement stream: For skilled workers nominated by Australia employers that have a labour agreement.
The benefits of a Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa
The Australian skilled migrants will be entitled the following Subclass 494 visa benefits:
- Residency: To live in Australia for 5 years.
- Study and work: To study and work in designated regional areas of Australia and attend a free Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP).
- Health care: Access Medicare – Australia’s universal health insurance scheme.
- Multiple entries: To travel in and outside Australia within the visa validity.
- Family members: Allow your eligible family members to apply for the visa together with you.
Permanent residency: Apply for a Subclass 191 visa after 3 years of holding Subclass 494 visa Australia and meeting other requirements (refer to Visa Subclass 191 for more detailed information).
Subclass 494 visa is the first stage of the regional skilled visa pathway that can help you to live in Australia permanently.
Make sure you are well prepared not only to meet the requirements of the 494 visa but also for the following PR visa. Contact VEM for more information.
The requirements of a subclass 494
Unlike the subclass 491 visa, the Subclass 494 requirements are not based on the points test system. The applicants and sponsors need to meet the following requirements:
For the employers
- Must be nominated by an approved sponsor whose business is lawfully operating in Australia.
- Must be employed to work in the nominated occupation and in a position within the sponsoring business or an associated entity of that business, located in a designated regional area of Australia.
- Before you can apply for the visa, your employer will need to lodge a nomination application for you. They will only be able to do this if they are an approved work sponsor or have at least lodged an application to become a standard business sponsor.
For the applicants (sponsored workers)
- Sponsorship: Must be sponsored by an eligible Australian employer.
- Age limit: From 18 to 44 years of age.
- Work experience: Have at least 3 years of work experience for the nominated occupation.
- Skills assessment: Pass the skills assessment (if required).
- English language proficiency: Must have competent English (details provided in the next section)
- Police checks:
- No criminal record.
- No debt to the Australian government.
- Have never got a visa refusal or cancellation.
- Place to lodge/ to be granted a visa: Can be in or outside Australia
As mentioned earlier, English language proficiency is a mandatory requirement for applying for a Subclass 494 visa. You must hold one of the following certificates:
| IELTS | At least 6.0 in each of 4 parts. |
| TOEFL iBT |
|
| PTE Academic | At least 50 for each of the 4 components. |
| OET | At least score B in each part. |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced test | At least score 169 in total. |
The English test result date must be within 3 years when lodging the Subclass 485 visa application.
To know whether you meet subclass 494 requirements or other Skilled visas Australian, contact VEM. Our consultant – Mr. Peter Cao, a registered migration agent (MARN: 1577877), with more than 10 years of experience in the migration field, will assist you.
The process of applying for visa 494
Like subclass 491 visa, the Subclass 494 visa is the initial step in the regional skilled visa pathway toward Australian permanent residency.
- Step 1: Checks whether the sponsor and the applicant meet the Subclass 494 visa requirements.
- Step 2: The sponsor lodges a Standard Business Sponsorship application.
- Step 3: The employer submits a nomination for the applicant.
- Step 4: The applicant prepares documents and lodge a Subclass 494 visa application.
- Step 5: The applicant provides additional documents (if required).
- Step 6: The applicant receives visa 494.
Ensure thorough preparation to meet both the Subclass 494 visa requirements and those for the subsequent permanent residency visa.
The cost of a subclass 494
The 494 visa cost is 4,770 AUD for the main applicant. The additional applicants over 18 years old need to pay 2,385 AUD, and additional applicants under 18 years of age need to pay 1,1901 AUD.
If the additional applicant aged 18 or older does not achieve an IELTS score of 4.5, the subclass 494 visa is 4,890 AUD.
Note that you may not get any refund if your visa application is refused.
Subclass 494 visa processing time
| Employer Sponsored stream | Labour Agreement stream | |
| 50% of applications | 4 months | 49 days |
| 90% of applications | 6 months | 5 months |
We accompany our clients throughout their entire immigration journey. For further assistance, please contact VEM.
By: Peter Phong D Cao – Registered migration agent
(MARN: 1577877, MIA: 12648)
Frequently asked questions
- No point test is required.
- After 3 years of holding a Subclass 494 visa, you can apply for a Subclass 191 visa for permanent residency.
No. But you can apply for a Subclass 191 visa for permanent residency after 3 years of holding Subclass 494 visa and meeting other requirements (Contact VEM for further information).
Yes, if you’re approved by the Foreign Investment Review Board.
You can choose any occupation in the relevant skilled occupation list, or approved by the Australian government (for Labour Agreement stream). Contact VEM for more information.
No. But you can apply for a Subclass 191 visa for permanent residency after 3 years of holding a Subclass 494 visa.
No. You have to submit them at the same time.
Yes. The applicants must be under 45 years of age at the time of making the visa application.
No, you have to start the whole process again with the new sponsor.
No. When holding visa 494, you can access Medicare – Australia’s universal health insurance scheme.
Melbourne is not a designated regional area for a subclass 494 visa. You need to check the postcode of the company to find whether it is in designated regional areas. It’s best to contact VEM for further assistance.
Yes. You can also consider whether you meet the requirements to apply for the Subclass 186 visa to become an Australia permanent resident.
- Subclass 820/801: Partner visa.
- Subclass 132: Business Talent (Permanent) visa.
- Subclass 186: Employer Nomination Scheme visa.
- Subclass 188: Business Innovation and Investment visa.
- Subclass 189: Skilled Independent visa.
- Subclass 190: Skilled Nominated visa.
- Subclass 858: Distinguished Talent visa.
Find out more about other Australian visa:
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1. How about education? When you are in 494, do you get domestic fee rates or international fee rates?
2. 491 is not mentioned under the “Visas You cant apply”, I think this should be included as well?
3. What happens if you get married after getting 494. Can you get your partner into Australia?
4. If you marry a Australian citizen/PR holder while being on 494, can you change the visa into a direct PR without fulfilling 3 years in 494 and then apply for 191?