NEW REGIONAL VISA SUBCLASS 494 – COMING IN NOVEMBER 2019!

The Australian Government supports Australia’s regional employers with its new Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494), from 16 November 2019. Employers in regional areas have the opportunity to employ foreign workers for five (5) years under this new visa.

Are you an employer with a business located in a regional area of Australia, including newly-included areas: Newcastle, Central Coast NSW and Wollongong?

The new 494 visa will replace the current 187 (RSMS) visa and 9,000 places will be allocated peryear. Although permanent residency will not be immediately granted under the 494 visa, a 494 visa holder may be eligible for permanent residency under the Skilled Regional Permanent Residency visa (subclass 191) after a three (3) year work tenure in an allocated regional area.

Eligible employers and visa applicants must ensure the position is relevant and on the occupation list of over 700 positions for regional Australia.

To be eligible for the 494 visa, a sponsor must offer a position that will exist for five (5) years from the commencement of the visa holder’s employment in the business. The relevant occupation’s position must meet the correct Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR). In addition, employers will require approval from the Regional Certifying Body (RCB).

For visa applicants, there is a 45 year age limit and there is a minimum level of Competent English required. An appropriate skills assessment is required to be undertaken and the visa applicant will have at least three (3) years of skilled employment prior to lodging an application.

Current regional visa holders will not be affected by the two new regional visas and any 187 visa applications lodged prior to November 2019 will be processed.

If Permanent Residency (PR) is held by a foreign worker in a regional area, there will be no impact.

Regional employers may take advantage of the new 494 visa as soon as next month, so seek professional advice from Great Migration Strategies’s highly-experienced agents about how you can build your business with the addition of skilled workers from overseas.

How can Great Migration Strategies help?

Talk to our Great Migration Strategies Team today to see how we can assist you with your subclass 494 nomination and visa applications. Contact us on (0412) 388 830 or by visiting the Contact Us page on our website.