Subclass 494 Visa

Eligibility Criteria

You can apply for the Subclass 494 Visa if you meet these criteria:

• Your nominated occupation must be on the relevant Skilled Occupation List applicable for the Subclass 494 visa.
• At a minimum, you will need to have three years of relevant work experience in your nominated occupation, gained within the last 5 years.
• The next step is to take a skills assessment. This will help you identify some of the skills needed to complete your course.
• You will only work for your sponsor.
• You must be under 45 years of age at the time of application.
• You have basic English skills. (Competent English level or higher).

Once you meet these eligibility criteria, make sure:

1. To secure your job offer with an approved regional employer.
2. That your employer lodges and gets approval for the nomination.

Afterwards, you need to create an ImmiAccount and submit your Subclass 494 visa application online. Ozee Migration can assist you with your application and attach all required documents to expedite the process for your Subclass 494 Visa.

What Documents Are Required? (Apply for a 494 Visa)

You need to provide several documents, as they affect your application. You need to spend some time putting your application together. Just so you have a better idea of what might be needed, you should also expect to provide the following:

• You can gain admission if you have enough English skills or if you have a lot of experience in your field. In either case, you must provide appropriate paperwork and relevant skills assessments (if required).
• If you are in Australia on a temporary working visa, the skills assessment may not require you to provide proof of your qualifications and licenses. You will still need to provide documentation by way of references from previous employers and a certificate proving that you have health insurance for the period of your stay in Australia.
• A police certificate showing that you have not committed any crimes (proof of good character) is mandatory and should be provided for each country that you have lived in for a period of twelve months or longer. There may also be other forms to complete, but when filling out immigration forms, the immigration office should advise.
• If you’re bringing a partner, they will need to bring documents that prove their identity and character and show that they are legally married or in a de facto relationship.
• To immigrate with your dependents, you’ll need to provide the Immigration Department with their passport copies and any other documents they may need, depending on their age.
• You need to have a nomination approval letter from your regional employer.
• If you are in any of the following relationships, please inform the immigration department: marriage, de facto relationship, or engagement. If this information is not updated, it may result in the cancellation of your visa.

494 Visa Cost

This visa costs AUD 4,910 for the main applicant. However, 

• Additional applicant 18 years or older: AUD 2,455
• Additional applicant under 18 years: AUD 1,230

Anyone with functional English will be counted as an applicant, but a second instalment is charged for anyone who does not pass the language test.

To know more, you have to use the Visa Pricing Estimator.

How Long Does it Take to Get a Visa Subclass 494? (494 Visa Process)

Visa processing time for the Subclass 494 visa varies as per the stream that you are applying for. For the Employer-Sponsored Stream, approximately 50% of the applications are processed within 7 months, while 90% are finalised within 11 months. In the case of the Labour Agreement Stream, around 50% of applications are processed within 6 months, and 90% are completed within 8 months.

494 Visa Conditions

Within 90 days of receiving their visa, 494 visa holders must begin working and are only permitted to do so under:

• The occupation they have nominated
• Only for employees who have sponsored them
• Stay in a region-specific field of employment