The Subclass 494 Visa is a pathway for skilled workers and their families to live and work in regional areas of Australia.

It is designed to address labor shortages in regional communities and promote economic growth in those areas.

For migration purposes most locations of Australia outside major cities (Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane) are classed as designated regional areas. Perth and the Gold Coast are classed as regional areas.

Key Features of the Subclass 494 Visa:

  • Regional Work Opportunity: This visa requires you to have a job offer from an employer in a designated regional area of Australia. The job must be on the relevant occupation list.
  • Sponsorship by an Australian Employer: To be eligible, you must have a sponsoring employer who is located in a regional area and is approved by the Department of Home Affairs.
  • Temporary Residence: The Subclass 494 Visa grants temporary residence for up to five years. It provides a pathway to permanent residency through the Subclass 191 (Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional)) Visa.
  • Family Inclusion: You can include your member of family in your visa application, allowing them to live, work, and study in Australia.
  • Skill and English Requirements: Applicants are required to meet specific skill and English language proficiency requirements.

Eligibility Criteria:

Eligibility for the Subclass 494 Visa is determined by factors such as your occupation, the location of your sponsoring employer, skills assessment, sponsorship approval, and meeting health and character requirements.

Our experienced migration professionals can guide you through these requirements.

  • be under 45 years of age unless an exemption applies
  • have a relevant skills assessment, unless an exemption applies
  • be nominated to work in an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list
  • have at least 3 years relevant work experience in your nominated occupation
  • must have at least Competent English to be granted this visa. To prove that you have competent English, you’ll need to provide evidence that you are a citizen of and hold a valid passport issued by the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand, or the Republic of Ireland, with your application, or you have obtained one of these English language test results.

Permanent Residence

The 494 visa provides a pathway to apply for permanent residence in Australia. With Australian permanent residency you can stay in Australia permanently, work and study in Australia, enrol in Australia’s public healthcare system Medicare, sponsor your relatives to come to Australia, travel to and from Australia for 5 years. If eligible you can apply for Australian citizenship.

To apply for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191), you must have held an eligible visa (491 or 494) for at least three years, have had a taxable income at or above the income threshold ($70,000/year) for at least 3 years. All applicants must have complied with the conditions of their visa.

Visa Entitlements

The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa (subclass 494) will grant you a temporary residency visa valid for five years.

You and your eligible family members 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

Get Started

Contact us today to schedule a consultation and take the first step towards resolving your Australian visa process effectively and efficiently.