Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional (Provisional) 494 Visa

The 494 visa is an employer-sponsored visa with a total of 10,000 places added to it every year. This is mainly for skilled applicants who are needed in some regional areas of Australia. Some skill shortage jobs are in the country that can be filled by applicants from all over the world. To provide an easy way out for such skilled workers, this employer-sponsored visa was introduced. 

There are some criteria for visa applicants that need to be met. You need to

• Have a skill on the skill shortages list.
• Have a minimum of three years of work experience with the same skill.
• Be less than 45 years of age.
• Have a basic English language proficiency.

If you meet all the criteria mentioned, you can start looking for a job. 

The employer who recruits you might have a labour agreement with the Australian government or has applied for one. Your employer needs to be in regional Australia.

Some of the benefits of the subclass 494 visa include:

• You can stay in the specified area within Australia for 5 years.
• You are entitled to apply for a permanent residence visa after 3 years of residing in Australia. This can be done through the pathway of a Subclass 191 visa.
• An additional 5 points are granted for regional nomination or an employer-sponsored visa if you have plans of settling down in the country.
• You are entitled to all medical facilities during your stay there.
• You can move between various regional areas that are permissible.
• You can have access to the various regional occupation list that helps you to get more jobs.

Various documents need to be submitted. If they are not presented in the format prescribed, chances are high that your visa application is likely to be rejected. And more importantly, this application needs to be presented in English. You need to have:

• The minimum level of English proficiency needs to be established.
• Proof of identity needs to be given. This can be in the form of a valid passport.
• A proof in case you had applied for a name change.
• In case your prospective employer is asking to undergo a skill assessment.
• If you need not have to undergo a skill assessment, you have to submit the proof of requisite qualifications.
• Fitness certificate by a registered medical practitioner.
• Health insurance in case of contingency about your health needs to be given.
• A character certificate that states that you do not have any criminal proceedings against you.
• Dependents valid passports, character documents, proof of age, etc. In case you are taking your spouse along a marriage certificate needs to be produced.

You can apply for a 494 visa in Australia if you satisfy the following requirements. You have: 

• The permissible age limit of 45 years.
• A minimum of 3 years of work experience in the relevant field.
• A qualification that the Australian government has included in the skilled shortage list.
• The willingness to work in the regional area
• Sponsorship from one of the regional employers
• The requisite health and character requirements.

Apart from these fees, some fees are variable. They are:

• Skill Assessment Fees: This needs to be paid to the relevant skill assessment authorities. 
• State Nomination Fees: This needs to be paid directly to the state where your papers are being submitted.
• English Test: You need to prove your proficiency in the language by taking a test at the nominated centre. This needs to be paid.

The 494 visa processing time varies depending on every case. The processing time depends on various factors. Some of them are:

• Whether you have applied with the necessary documents.
• Applying online helps to streamline the process.
• A quick response for additional information is required.
• Time taken by the authorities to process the application.
• Time taken for receiving information from relevant authorities on health, character, and national security requirements.
• Places available in the migration program for a permanent residence.

Some of the 494 visa conditions are:

• You need to fulfil the English language proficiency requirements set by the authorities.
• You and your dependants must satisfy the health requirements that have been set by the Australian government.
• You and your dependants must satisfy the character framework policy that is been set by the Australian government policy.
• You need to give your consent that you will respect the Australian culture, laws, and lifestyle. 
• Your visa application should not have been cancelled in the recent past.
• You should not be a debtor to the Australian government, in case any pending amounts are due, you need to return them to the government.

Australia is the world’s smallest continent and the largest Island on Earth. The land is full of opportunities for skilled workers. It is a country that has a lot of potential for prospective employees. Organisations that have in dearth of skilled workers can recruit them from anywhere in the world by making use of the skilled employer-sponsored regional (provisional) 494 visa. This employer-sponsored visa can be used by skilled workers who have the plan of settling down in Australia as it gives you the flexibility of applying for permanent residency.