Australia’s Employer-Sponsored Visa programs are the foundation of solving the Australian labor shortage as they allow foreign workers to be sponsored by employers. These visas are an important tool in addressing the shortage of local expertise.
This blog talks about Australia’s Employer-Sponsored Visas
Employer-sponsored visas in Australia are designed to help employers sponsor skilled foreign workers to fill labor shortages. There are four main types of employer-sponsored visas:
Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa Subclass 494
Subclass 494 of Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa is a visa program that has been established for regional employers in Australia to sponsor skilled workers from other countries to fill the gaps in the labor market.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the key aspects of this visa:
Visa Overview:
Purpose: Deal with workforce deficit in regional localities.
Streams: Employer-Sponsored Stream
Eligibility Criteria:
- Age Limit: Typically below the age of 45 years at the time of applying.
- English Requirement: High level of English language proficiency.
- Work Experience: Minimum of 3 years of directly related skilled work experience.
- Skills Assessment: Full appreciation of competencies to the job offer.
- Health and Character Requirements: Will be subject to certain health and character tests.
Employer Requirements:
- Location: Employers must not be located in the major cities that are Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, unlike the regional areas that have been designated.
- Occupation: The position must meet all requirements like being among the listed qualified jobs.
- Duration: The job description entails permanent employment that may be for at least 5 years.
- Approval: The companies need to seek RCB approval and work at the Australian Market Salary Rate(AMSR).
Application Process:
- Nomination: Employers have to nominate the applicant through ImmiAccount, providing the relevant information about labor market testing and a real need for the position.
- Visa Application: Following the nomination, applicants apply for the visa directly through ImmiAccount, submitting necessary documents like identification, skill certification, English ability proof, and character certificate.
Benefits:
- Permanent Residency Pathway: Viable pathway to permanent residence by meeting the requirements indicated in the Subclass 191 visa.
- Lower Cost to Employers: One SAF fee level for nomination, unlike other visas that are multiple-stage procedures.
- Permanent Residency Pathway: Applicants can switch to permanent residency via the Skilled Regional Visa (subclass 191) after meeting conditions, such as living and working in a regional area for 3 years.
This visa category is designed to help the regional employers cope with the skill deficits, and the skilled workers are provided with a way to become permanent residents in Australia.
The Employer Nomination Scheme Visa Subclass 186
Employer Nomination Scheme Visa Subclass 186 is a route for professionals to move to Australia and work with permanent residency. Here is a detailed overview of this visa program:
Visa Overview:
Purpose: Grants permanent residency to workers nominated by Australian employers.
Streams: Direct Entry Stream
Eligibility Criteria:
- Age Limit: Applicant has to be less than 45 at the time of submission.
- English Requirement: Language competency in English.
- Work Experience: At least 3 years of relevant experience in skilled work.
- Skills Assessment: Job performance assessment from the employer’s point of view.
- Health and Character Requirements: We need to conform to regulatory agencies standards.
Application Process:
- Nomination: Employers have to endorse the applicant before applying for the visa.
- Visa Application: Nominated applicants can apply once they hold the visa and corresponding documents like identity, skill assessment, and character report.
Employer Requirements:
- Location: The employment must be Australian-based, and, indeed, the hiring employer needs to have a real need for that position.
- Occupation: The position should fulfill the requirements for the skilled occupation list.
- Financial Viability: The employers should show evidence of their financial abilities to accommodate the employee for at least two years.
Document Checklist:
The Essential Documents Include:
- Employment contract.
- Paid levy fee evidence.
- Annual salary rate proof.
- Business legality documents.
- Genuine needs evidence.
- Financial statements.
- Position details.
- Organizational chart.
- Health workforce certificate (if applicable).
English Language Requirements:
- Functional English level for Direct Entry and Labour Agreement streams.
- English-level competency is necessary for the Temporary Residence Transition stream.
Permanent Residency Pathway:
Applicants are eligible to apply for Australian citizenship after fulfilling the required residency criteria. The 186 visa class provides a direct route to permanency in Australia for persons wishing to relocate under employer sponsorship. It allows skilled workers to settle permanently in Australia if they meet certain criteria like their qualifications, skills, and employer’s nomination.
The Temporary Skill Shortage Visa, Subclass 482
The Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (Subclass 482), in Australia is a program that enables employers in Australia to sponsor highly skilled workers in situations where there is a temporary shortage of the said Skill. Here is a detailed explanation of this visa:
Visa Overview:
- Purpose: Developed to temporarily deal with skill shortfalls in Australia.
- Duration: Usually gives people a stay of up to four years.
- Streams: Short-Term Stream
Eligibility and Application Process:
- Skill Assessment: With relationship to the chosen trade, the job candidates may be required for the skill verification from the appropriate authority, either, from Trades Recognition Authority or VETASSESS.
- English Requirement: Generally, English proficiency, considered a skill, is counted as one of the competencies.
- Age Limit: Participants must be under 45 years old when they make their application.
- Nomination and Visa Application: The employer needs to nominate the applicant, thereby allowing the latter to apply for the visa using the ImmiAccount system.
Family Members and Conditions:
- Family Inclusion: In some cases, families are allowed to process their visas at the same time as the primary applicants, including spouses, dependent children, and other eligible relatives.
- Conditions: Workers need to stay in their occupation that was specified in the visa, be employed within 90 days after arrival, and not stop working for more than 60 consecutive days.
Transition to Permanent Residency:
Permanent Residency Pathway: The applicants may be eligible for a permanent residency through an employer’s nomination for visa Six (permanent residency), for example, under specific conditions.
Costs and Additional Information:
- Visa Fees: The cost of a Subclass 482 visa can go from AUD1,290 to AUD2,690, depending on the stream.
- Skill Assessment: Skill test involves assessment of skills and nomination of the occupation.
- Changing Employers/Occupations: Changing employers or occupations may mean a new application for a new visa if needed.
Additional Notes:
- Labour Agreement Stream: This channel is an option for employers who have labor agreements in place to sponsor immigrant workers under certain circumstances.
- Subsequent Entrants: Family members can apply as subsequent entrants by processing the same documents with the primary applicant’s visa application.
Subclass 482 visa is an essential visa class for Australian people to resolve economic issues that involve unemployment when local workers have to depend on their overseas counterparts.
The Training Visa – Subclass 407
The Training Visa: Subclass 407 is a temporary visa under which people are allowed to take part in workplace-based occupational training in Australia. Here is a detailed explanation:
Visa Purpose:
Occupational Training: Developed for people who want to upgrade their knowledge, get the certification, or pursue continuous learning.
Key Points:
- Sponsorship: It will be a requirement for any of the applicants to be sponsored by a provider that is on the approved list.
- Training Program: Involve a training program provided by the employer.
- Duration: Often, applicants are provided with a stay of usually 2 years, but this depends on the training program.
- Work Requirement: The applicants must work for their sponsor company at least 30 hours a week.
- Family Inclusion: Spouses and dependent children of age would be allowed to submit applications along with the visa holder.
Streams:
- Workplace-based Training: Hands-on learning opportunities customized to the needs of the employee.
- Professional Development: Improving skills that are relevant to the applicant’s job area.
- Research Programs: Participating in a research project related to the same degree.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Sponsorship Requirement: An eligible sponsor has to be nominated by an approved sponsor.
- Training Plan: The training program should be structured and customized to meet the favored candidate’s needs.
- Occupational Experience: In the nomination process required experience in the same occupation should be fresh and recent.
Application Process:
- Online Application: Applicants may visit the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website and apply online through ImmimAccount.
- Documentation: Submitting some vital documents like passport, identification evidence, sponsorship proof, diplomas, and certifications together with the financial documents.
- Application Fee: It typically costs AUD 315 to acquire a Training Visa Subclass 407.
Conditions and Restrictions:
- Work Limitation: Visa holders are mostly not permitted to do anything else other than the designated kind of training.
- Health Insurance Requirement: Australian law requires everybody to have health insurance.
Benefits:
- Skill Enhancement: Chance to enhance skills as well as to obtain firsthand knowledge.
- Family Accompaniment: Provision of the possibility of submitting the visa petition on behalf of all relatives.
With the Skill Visa 407 – Professional Training Visa, workers can take part in occupational training activities in Australia build their skills level, and enhance their professional life.
To apply for an employer-sponsored visa, your organization must create an account, become an approved sponsor, nominate the employee, and finally the employee can apply for the visa. The visa processing time for these visas may vary depending upon the Australian Government’s priorities.
The Bottom Line
The employer-sponsored visas come in different types, which include the Temporary Skill Shortage, Employer Nomination Scheme, and Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa. Each visa has its requirements, so employers and potential holders need to understand this in advance and apply according to the conditions of the respective visa.
Ausyes Migration assists people in obtaining an Employer Sponsored Visa for Australia who seek advice, help, and guidance during the visa application process. We provide services like visa choice help or support over the process of visa transition from temporary to permanent. AusYes has a team of skilled Registered Migration Agents who are well aware of all the recent legal instructions and the visa requirements to make visa applications a success. We are the experts, and with over 15 years of experience, we have helped many applicants and their families integrate into Australia for work or permanent migration. Besides, AusYes also provides continued support for migration arrangements and helps applicants link up with the employers they will work for; hence, the transition to live and work in Australia would be smooth.
Also Read: Australia’s Intake System for 2024: A Comprehensive Guide
