The subclass 494 is the Skilled employer sponsored stream of the provisional skilled visa with pathway to PR. It requires sponsorship by an employer and allows you to work in the nominated occupation in regional Australia for a maximum of 5 years. The age, English and skill assessment requirement is same as the 491 streams but instead of waiting for an invitation to apply, you must be sponsored by an employer in one of the regional areas.

You need to have minimum 3 years full time work experience in the nominated occupation in the last 5 years.

The position must be in the list of eligible occupation.

Employer must be located in a designated regional Australia, everywhere except Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional): To meet the requirements of the permanent visa (from November 2022) applicants must have held a subclass 491 or 494 visa for at least 3 years, have complied with the conditions on that visa and have met minimum taxable income requirements. You must show earnings of at least $53,900 per annum for three years. Your partner can also be the main applicant for the 191 visa if they can demonstrate this criteria.

Migration Agents at Key Migration and Visa Services can guide you in selection of the appropriate stream and get you in Australia with all the required eligibility.