Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (Subclass 494)
The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494) (SESR visa) enables Australian employers in designated regional areas to nominate skilled overseas workers.
The SESR is to assist employers in regional and low population growth areas of Australia where they have been unable to fill vacant positions with Australian citizens or permanent residents living in or wishing to move to the regional area where the nominated position is located.
When an employer decides to nominate a skilled overseas worker for a SESR visa in the Employer Sponsored (ES) stream, the nomination must be accompanied by advice completed by a relevant Regional Certifying Body (RCB).
The RCB must have responsibility for the area where the nominated position is located. RCBs provide advice to the Department regarding the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) for the occupation. More information is available about the SESR visa here.
RDA Orana works through the process one on one with employers to ensure the best chance of success. We encourage you, as a first step to contact our migration team via dama@rdaorana.org.au or (02) 6885 1488. We can then arrange an appointment to meet with you and discuss the options and requirements for an application.
Regional Certifying Body (SESR subclass 494)
As a Regional Certifying Body (RCB) for the Orana region, Regional Development Australia (RDA) Orana provides advice to the Department of Home Affairs (Home Affairs) on the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494) (SESR visa) in the Employer Sponsored (ES) stream.
We’re here to help
The RCB’s role is to provide advice to Home Affairs on the SESR – ES applications, using local area knowledge to advise on whether the nominee for the position will be paid at least the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) for the occupation.
ES stream nominations must be accompanied by advice from an RCB; however, this advice can be provided before or after lodgement of the ES stream nomination application with Home Affairs.
RCBs must provide their assessment advice to Home Affairs within 28 days of receipt of the request. RCB advice is valid for 3 months from the date of issue.
Where does the SESR visa apply?
The SESR visa covers all of Australia except Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Areas of Australia is further defined by reference to a Legislative Instrument that specifies regional areas by post code. You can view this list here.
Criteria: Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR)
There is a market salary rate framework for the SESR visa program. As a result, where the overseas skilled worker will be paid less than AUD250,000, nominators need to demonstrate that:
- they have determined the AMSR
- the overseas skilled worker will not be paid less than this amount (i.e. less than what an Australian worker would be paid)
- both the AMSR and what the overseas skilled worker will be paid, excluding any non-monetary benefits in both cases, must be no less than the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) – i.e. currently AUD53,900.
Current Process for Regional Certifying Body (RCB) Recommendation for subclass 494 visa
Gather your documents. For RDA Orana to be able to complete an assessment we require the following:
- Form 1404 electronically filled – Questions 1-10 completed
- Completed and signed Form 956, if using a migration agent
- Employment contract detailing the position, location, applicable Award, Agreement or industrial instrument and remuneration details
- Copy of the draft or lodged nomination application
- Documents supporting the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) if the employee will be paid less than AUD $250, 000. You can use salary details from an existing employee in the same position.
Contact RDA Orana by email about your application via dama@rdaorana.org.au.You can provide your documents as attachments if you are ready to apply or we can go through the document checklist with you.
RDA Orana will generate an invoice for the RCB Fee that will be sent to you.
Notify RDA Orana when you have paid the RCB application fee.
RDA Orana will assess the documents and may undertake either a face to face or phone interview with the business owner, and respond with one of the following responses:
- An RCB Letter of Recommendation and signed Form 1404
- A request for more information
- An RCB Letter of Rejection and signed Form 1404
If a request for more information has been sent to you, you will have a period of 10 business days to provide the additional information for your application to remain open.
If you have received an RCB Letter of Recommendation or Rejection, from this point, RDA Orana is no longer involved in the process. The process will then continue with the Department of Home Affairs.
Fees and Charges
Standard Assessment of Applications
- Standard Assessment Fee for decision ready applications will be $800 (GST Inclusive) and is payable at the time of application.
- The Assessment fee is non-refundable. Assessing decision ready applications can take around 10 business days. Where additional information is requested, the original fee will be valid for a period of 3 months from the date of payment.
- After 3 months has lapsed, an additional fee of $400 (GST Inclusive) will be charged to continue the application for an additional 3 months.
Priority Assessment of Applications
- Priority Assessment of decision ready applications MAY be available, dependent on prior staffing commitments. These applications will undergo first pass assessment within 1 week of receipt of both the fee and all relevant documents.
- Where additional information is requested, the application will revert to the Standard Assessment timeline. The original fee will be valid for a period of 3 months from the date of payment.