Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa (Subclass 494)

Common criteria to all streams

• The nomination lodged by your employer must have been approved.
• Your employer must be an Approved Work Sponsor.
• You must have a genuine intention to perform your nominated occupation.
• The position associated with the nomination must be genuine.
• You must satisfy certain Public Interest criteria and Special Return criteria.
• You must meet health and character requirements.
• You must satisfy all Nomination Criteria including specific criteria to the stream you are applying for such as: having an occupation on the relevant list of eligible occupations, having an associated position in a designated regional area or having received a positive assessment from a relevant Regional Certifying Body (RCB) etc.
• You must satisfy specific criteria relating to the visa stream you are applying for.

Employer Sponsor stream

• You must satisfy the relevant Health requirements.
• Unless exempt, you are employed to work in the nominated occupation and in a position for your employer (sponsor).
• You must be under 45 years of age (prescribed applicants may be eligible for exemption).
• Unless exempt, you may need to provide a positive Skills Assessment from the relevant skills assessing authority in relation to your nominated occupation.
• Unless exempt, you must have been employed in your nominated occupation for at least 3 years.
• You must be able to demonstrate ‘Competent English’ (prescribed applicants may be eligible for exemption).

Labour Agreement stream

• You must satisfy the relevant Health requirements.
• Your nominated occupation must be the subject of a work agreement between the Commonwealth and your sponsor.
• You must be under 45 years of age unless otherwise agreed with the Minister.
• You must have suitable qualifications, experience, skills and English proficiency to perform the tasks of the occupation to which your nominated position relates
• You must have been employed in your nominated occupation for at least 3 years unless otherwise considered by the Minister.

Criteria and requirements relevant to Approval of nominated positions, Approval as a Standard Business Sponsor or Regional Certifying Body (RCB) approval have NOT been included in the above summary. An approved sponsorship, nomination and RCB are required for this visa.