494 Visa Application: Skills Assessment, English and Documents

Confirm the stream and occupation

Match the employer, occupation and nomination reference to your application. For the Employer Sponsored stream, generally you must be under 45 when you apply and have at least three years of relevant skilled employment. If claiming an exemption, identify which requirement it covers and collect evidence for that specific exemption. Under a labour agreement, read the agreed age, experience and English terms.

Obtain the assessment and check English before lodging

Where a skills assessment is required in the Employer Sponsored stream, obtain a suitable result before lodging. Check the authority for your occupation, the purpose and validity of the assessment and any separate occupational registration. For competent English, check whether your passport qualifies or use the test table applicable to the date you sat the test. IELTS generally requires at least 6 in each component. An overall 6.5 with writing at 5.5 falls short of that test requirement.

Put employment and family evidence in order

Prepare a dated work history showing duties and weekly hours. Support references with payslips, contracts or tax records. For part-time periods, show how hours compare with full-time employment and explain overlapping dates. Check passports, earlier names, relationship evidence, health and character requirements for each applicant. If applying in Australia, check your current visa, any application restrictions and your work rights while waiting.

Decisions before lodgement and after grant

Applying in Australia while another visa matter is pending

Check Schedule 1 item 1242 before paying. For an onshore application, the applicant generally needs a substantive visa or a Bridging A, B or C visa. Read any further-application condition and check whether a waiver is required. Obtain advice before an existing visa expires. A nomination reference alone gives no permission to remain, start work or travel.

A previous assessment or part-time work is being claimed

Match the assessing authority, occupation, assessment purpose, date and validity to clause 494.224. If relying on an earlier 457 or 482 assessment, retain both the assessment and evidence of how it was used. For the work-history requirement, itemise skilled duties and hours. Two jobs performed in the same six-month period cannot be entered as a year of full-time employment simply by adding the calendar dates.

A partner joins later or a child is born

For a subsequent entrant, confirm family-unit membership and secure the sponsor’s written agreement where required. If a child is born while an application is pending, notify Home Affairs promptly, supply the birth record and follow its instructions for the child’s documents. For adults, check functional English and any second instalment separately from the primary applicant’s competent-English requirement.

A police certificate will arrive after the deadline

Read the Department’s request carefully. Regulation 2.03AA can apply to requested penal records or a completed Form 80. Before the deadline, provide evidence of the steps taken, explain any delay and request more time where needed. Keep correspondence from the issuing authority. Check for a reply before assuming extra time has been granted.

The sponsored job ends before the visa expires

Read condition 8608 on the grant. Under the current cessation arrangements, an affected holder can have up to 180 consecutive days at a time and 365 days in total across the visa grant period away from sponsored employment. Separate rules govern work during that period and taking up a new sponsored role. Check remaining time, occupation, nomination and regional conditions before moving. Keep payslips, addresses and ATO records for any later subclass 191 application.

Claiming an age exemption on the strength of a job title

A university lecturer approaching 45 should check the academic applicant definition against the appointing institution, position and academic level. Gather the appointment letter and classification before relying on the exemption. Check skills assessment and experience against their own provisions. For a DAMA concession, check the signed agreement instead.

Migration Regulations 1994 · Home Affairs subsequent entrant guidance · Home Affairs character requirements · Home Affairs changes to sponsored workers’ visa conditions