494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa

With this visa, you can

• Live, work and study only in designated regional areas of Australia for 5 years
• Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid
• If eligible, apply for permanent residence after 3 years from the time your visa is granted

Specified region

You can live, work and study only in a designated regional area. Designated regional areas include all of Australia except for Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

How long you can stay

This is a provisional visa. You can stay in Australia for a period of 5 years from when your visa is granted.

Stay longer

You can’t stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. Explore your visa options.
If eligible, you can apply for permanent residence after 3 years from the time your visa is granted.

Include family

You can include members of the family unit in your application. You can:

• Include them when you submit your visa application
• Add a dependent child after you submit but before we decide on your visa application

Family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health and character requirements.

Family members who do not apply for the visa with you might also have to meet our health and character requirements.

If your partner or dependent children are not included in this application, you must tell us the reason why. For example, they already hold Australian citizenship or are a permanent resident.

Cost

This visa costs AUD4,045 for the main applicant, AUD2,025 for each dependent 18 years and over, and AUD1,010 for each dependent under 18 years.

It costs an additional AUD4,890 if any dependent applicants who are 18 years and over do not have functional English. This extra charge is called a second instalment.

To work out what your visa will cost use the Visa Pricing Estimator. The estimator does not take into account the second instalment or other costs.

You will have to pay other costs including English language tests, health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

Apply from

You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa and when we make a decision on your application, but not in immigration clearance.

If you are applying in Australia, you must hold either of the following visa otherwise your application will not be valid:

• A substantive visa, or
• A Bridging visa (A), Bridging visa (B) or Bridging visa (C)

Processing times

We assess applications on a case-by-case basis, and actual processing times can vary due to individual circumstances including:

• Whether you have lodged a complete application, including all necessary supporting documents
• How quickly you respond to any requests for additional information
• How long it takes to perform required checks on the supporting information provided
• How long it takes to receive additional information from external agencies, particularly in relation to health, character, and national security requirements

We might ask for more information. We are not obligated to request further information or documents and can make a decision on the information provided. It is your responsibility to ensure all relevant supporting/evidentiary documentation is attached to your application.

Your obligations

You and your family must comply with all visa conditions and Australian laws.
You must begin your employment within 90 days of:

• Entering Australia, if you are outside Australia when we grant the visa
• The visa grant date, if you are in Australia when we grant the visa

You must only work in your nominated occupation and only work for your nominating employer in regional Australia. If you do not, we might cancel your visa.

Travel

You can travel out of Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid.
The time you spend outside Australia does not extend the visa.

Visa label

Your visa will be  digitally linked to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.