Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional
Overview
The Subclass 494 visa, also known as the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (SESR) visa, is an Australian visa designed to support local businesses and address labor shortages in regional areas of the country. This visa allows regional employers to sponsor skilled workers to work for their business where they can’t find an appropriately skilled Australia workers.
The 494 visa holders are required to work for their sponsoring employer in their nominated occupation for a specified period, usually three years. They are also required to live and work in a designated regional area to full fill their visa conditions.
Available Streams – Subclass 494?
This visa subclass includes 3 streams:
- Employer Sponsored Stream: This stream is designed for skilled workers sponsored by regional employers who face recognised labour shortages in their area and are unable to find a suitably qualified Australian worker.
- Labour Agreement Stream: This stream is designed for skilled workers who are nominated by regional employers with a labour agreement. Labor agreements are mutually established agreements between the Australian Government and employers.
- Subsequent Entrant: This visa stream is intended for family members of a Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (SESR) (Provisional) visa (subclass 494) holder who are applying for a separate SESR visa and want to join the primary SESR visa holder in Australia.
What are the requirements for a 494 visa?
As mentioned earlier, you must meet both the general requirements for a 494 visa and specific requirements for the stream that you are applying for.
The requirements for Employer Sponsored Stream and Labour Agreement Stream
You must:
- Have an occupation on the relevant skills list,
Have been nominated by an approved Australian employer, - Have at least 3 years full time work experience in your sponsored occupation.
- Have a positive skill assessment to demonstrate your qualifications, skills and work experience. Please note that if the positive skill assessment is compulsory for the Employer Sponsored Stream. However, for Labour Agreement Stream, if the skill assessment is not specified in the labour agreement, then probably you may not need it.
- Have a good character record and be of good health,
- Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused.
How to bring family members to Australia under a visa 494?
You are allowed to bring your family members in Australia under visa 494. You can include them in the original visa application, or you can add them later when you get visa 494. For visa purposes, your family members are defined as (1) your spouse or your de facto partner, (2) your children or/and your partner’s children and (3) the dependent children of your children/your partner’s children.
You must demonstrate that you are in a genuine relationship with your partner. If married, you must provide your marriage certificate. If you are in a de-facto relationship, you need to prove that you and your partner are living together for at least 12 months or have registered the Civil Partnership Certificate under one of the Australian State or Territory Government.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for the Subclass 494 visa?
To be eligible for the Subclass 494 visa, the most important things are you typically need to have a job offer from an employer in a designated regional area and your employer must agree to nominate you for this visa. Your employer must also be an approved sponsor. For other requirements, please refer to the section “What are the requirements for a 494 visa?” in this blog.
How long is a 494 visa valid for?
A Subclass 494 visa in Australia is typically valid for up to five years, which means you can travel from and to Australia for up to 5 years.
Where is considered as regional areas in Australia?
All regions in Australia, except for Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, are considered regional areas for migration purposes.
When do I need to start working under visa 494?
You are required to commence your employment within 90 days of either:
- Entering Australia (if you are outside of Australia at the time of visa grant), or
- The 494 visa grant date if you are already in Australia when the visa is granted.