Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa Subclass 494 – Who Should Apply For it?

Introduction

In 2019, the 494 skilled employer-sponsored visas will replace the 187 (RSMS) visa. The 494 visa program has been allotted a total of 9,000 spots per year. The 494 visa is a provisional visa, meaning it does not give permanent status right away. In the future, holders of 494 visas may be eligible to apply for subclass 191 skilled regional permanent resident visas.

494 Visa

This is a new visa that was launched in November of this year. It was created to replace the 187 visas (Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme). It has 10,000 openings every year and is for people with abilities in areas where they are needed.

For the next five years, you will be able to live and work in Australia, as well as travel in and out of the country as often as you like. It’s also a means of obtaining permanent residence. After three years from the date your visa is granted, if you are qualified, apply for permanent residency.

What can you do with this visa?

If a 494 visa is granted, the visa applicant can stay in Australia for up to five years if they keep their selected job in the designated regional area, with a permanent residency track available after three years. Dependent family members are allowed to participate, but they must live, work, and study in a defined regional area.

This visa is for qualified individuals who want to live and work in regional Australia for up to five years and who want to move there permanently. Applicants must be sponsored by a local enterprise in regional Australia.

For the term of their visa, holders of Subclass 494 visas must live and work in a designated regional area of Australia (up to five years). Except for the urban centers of Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, the concept of regional Australia will be enlarged and simplified to encompass all parts of Australia.

The applicant must continue to live and work in regional Australia for at least three years before applying for permanent residency (the new subclass 191 visa).

Medicare is available to Subclass 494 visa holders, which helps with the costs of seeing a doctor, acquiring medicines, and other health services. Medicare does not cover all medical bills, and there are coverage limitations. Before arriving, visa holders should be aware of these restrictions and consider their private health insurance options. For more information, go to Medicare.gov.

What are the requirements for the application?

Requirements for employer nominations:

• willing to sponsor you for one of the occupations on this list
• the role is for a minimum of 5 years and is located in regional Australia.
• conduct labor market testing by publicizing the vacancy and not being able to find an Australian citizen or permanent resident to fill it.
• pay a $3000 tax to the Skilling Australia Fund for each nominated employee in a business with less than $10 million in revenue, or $5000 in a business with greater revenue.
• pay a minimum salary of $53,900 every year (known as the TSMIT – Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold)
• salary and benefits must be comparable to those received by an Australian citizen or permanent resident in the same position.
• obtain certification from a Regional Certifying Body

Fees for 494 visas

The main applicant will be charged AU$4,115 for this visa. Each dependent over the age of 18 receives AU$2,025 and each dependent under the age of 18 receives AU$1,010. However, there is an additional fee, known as the second installment, for any dependent applicants who do not speak English well. To figure out how much your visa will cost, use the Visa Pricing Estimator. The second installment, as well as additional fees, are not taken into account by the estimator.

Time to process a 494 visa

Individual applications are accessed on a case-by-case basis, and processing periods may vary depending on the circumstances.

Conclusion

However, full-time and equivalent part-time work may be considered, but unfortunately, casual work is not. In general, one should gather experience throughout a 5-year period, though this does not have to be continuous. By extending your visa, you will be able to stay in Australia for a longer period of time. If you meet the requirements, you can apply for permanent residency three years after receiving your visa.