The Regional Employer Sponsored visa (subclass 494) replaces the subclass 187 visa, which has been discontinued.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the subclass 494 visa?
The Regional Employer Sponsored (subclass 494) visa enables employers in designated regional areas of Australia to sponsor overseas workers to fill positions listed on the relevant regional skills list, addressing key skills shortages outside major metropolitan centers. This visa is similar to the Skills In Demand (SID) visa (subclass 482), but is specifically tailored for regional Australia.
Key details about this visa include:
- You can live, work, and study only in designated regional areas of Australia for up to five (5) years
- You can travel to and from Australia as many times as you wish while the visa is valid
- You become eligible to apply for permanent residence after three (3) years from the date your visa is granted, provided you meet the requirements for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191)
To be eligible, your occupation must appear on the relevant regional skills list. You can find the most up-to-date regional occupation lists on the official Australian Government Department of Home Affairs website: Regional Occupation List.
What are the eligibility requirements for the 494 visa?
To qualify for the Regional Employer Sponsored (subclass 494) visa, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Age Requirement: You must be under 45 years of age at the time of application. Certain exemptions may apply for specified occupations or circumstances
- Nomination: You must be nominated by an approved Australian employer located in a designated regional area, and the nomination must be for an occupation listed on the relevant regional skills list
- Work Experience: You need at least three (3) years of full-time work experience in the nominated occupation or a closely related field. This experience must generally be gained within the last five years and be at the required skill level
- Skills and Qualifications: You must have the necessary skills, qualifications, and any required licensing or registration to perform the nominated occupation in Australia
- Skills Assessment: A positive skills assessment for your nominated occupation is required, unless you are exempt
- English Language Proficiency: You must demonstrate at least competent English, which typically means achieving the minimum required scores in an approved English language test, unless you are exempt
Health and Character: All applicants must meet the standard health and character requirements set by the Australian Government. What is a regional area under the 494 visa?
While holding a subclass 494 visa, you can only live, work and study in a designated regional area.
Most locations of Australia outside major cities (Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane) are classed as designated regional areas for migration purposes.
The regional definition is comprised of three categories and offers regional incentives for skilled migrants who migrate to locations classified as Category 2 ‘Cities and Major Regional Centres’ or Category 3 ‘Regional Centres and Other Regional Areas’:
- Category 2 – ‘Cities and Major Regional Centres’ of Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, Wollongong/Illawarra, Geelong and Hobart have access to the following regional incentives:
- Access to the dedicated 25,000 regional places
- Priority processing of regional visas
- Access to the Regional Occupations List – more jobs compared to non-regional lists
- International graduates with a bachelor or higher qualification from a regional campus of a registered institution will be eligible to access an additional year in Australia on a post-study work visa
- Category 3 – ‘Regional Centres and Other Regional Areas’ will also have access to the dedicated 25,000 regional places, priority processing of regional visas, and the Regional Occupations List. Additional incentives include:
- International graduates with a bachelor or higher qualification from a regional campus of a registered institution will be eligible to access an additional two years in Australia on a post-study work visa.
- Priority in negotiating region-specific Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs)
It is important to note that whilst you hold a 494 visa, you need to continue to live, work and study in a regional area even after you have lodged a Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) (subclass 191) Regional provisional stream visa.
Book a free 10 minute call with our migration lawyers to learn how the Regional Employer Sponsored visa (subclass 494) could help you — and what’s changed since the subclass 187 visa.