On 29 October 2019, David Coleman, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, made an instrument (Migration (LIN 19/216: Exemptions from Skill, Age and English Language Requirements for Subclass 186, 187 and 494 Visas) Instrument 2019) specifying the exemption from skill, age and language requirements for Subclass 494 visa.
Subclass 494 visas—Employer Sponsored stream
Exemption from age requirement
(1) For the purposes of subclause 494.223(2) of Schedule 2 to the Regulations, applicants are not required to have been under 45 for the purposes of Subclass 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional)) visas in the Employer Sponsored stream in any of the following circumstances:
(a) the applicants are academic applicants;
(b) the applicants are regional medical practitioner applicants;
(c) the applicants are science applicants;
(d) the applicants are Subclass 444/461 workers;
(e) the applicants are Subclass 457/482 workers.
Exemption from skills and employment history requirements
(2) For the purposes of subclause 494.224(7) of Schedule 2 to the Regulations, the requirements of subclauses 494.224(2) to (5) of that Schedule are not required to have been met for the purposes of Subclass 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional)) visas in the Employer Sponsored stream in either of the following circumstances:
(a) the applicants are academic applicants;
(b) the applicants are Subclass 444/461 workers.
(3) For the purposes of subclause 494.225(2) of Schedule 2 to the Regulations, applicants are not required to have been employed as mentioned in paragraph 494.225(1)(a) of that Schedule for the purposes of Subclass 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional)) visas in the Employer Sponsored stream in either of the following circumstances:
(a) the applicant is an academic applicant;
(b) the applicant is a Subclass 444/461 worker.
