Employer Sponsorship

This is one of the most popular Australian working visas. It enables employers to address labour shortages by sponsoring skilled workers where an appropriately skilled Australian worker cannot be sourced.

This visa has three streams, including the Short-Term Stream, Medium-Term Stream and Labour Agreement Stream. Occupations can be on either the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STOL), the Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) or the Regional Occupation List (ROL) - see Department of Home Affairs: Skilled Occupation List

Subclass 482 visa requires a three stage process.  First, the employer will need to be approved as a sponsor. Second, the visa applicant must be nominated and be approved for the position. Third, the applicant applies for the visa.

Visa holders are required to work for the sponsoring employer in the nominated position. Should an applicant wish to change employers, a new nomination will be required. Depending on the nominated occupation, there are pathways to permanent residency.

The Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (Subclass 482 Visa) allows the visa holder to

• Work in Australia for up to four years (depending on which list the occupation is on).
• Bring any eligible secondary applicants with you to Australia – secondary applicants can work and study.
• After entering Australia, there is no limit on the number of times you travel in and out of Australia whilst on this visa.

As an employee, you must meet all the following requirements

• Be sponsored by an employer to fill a nominated position.
• Have skills, qualifications, experience and an employment background which match those required for the position.
• Demonstrated English language proficiency.
• Be eligible for any relevant licences or registration required for the nominated position.
• You can apply for this visa while you are in Australia, only if the last visa you held is not a Transit visa (Subclass 771) or a Special Purpose visa.

The Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Subclass 186 visa is for skilled applicants who are outside Australia as well as skilled temporary residents who are already living in Australia.

There are three streams via which an applicant can apply for the subclass 186 visa:

Temporary Residence Transition Stream – for temporary residents who have already completed three years of work on a subclass 457/482 visa, and whom have an employer who is willing to offer them a permanent position.

Direct Entry Stream – for applicants who have never worked in Australia or have only worked in Australia for a brief period. This visa allows skilled workers to live and work in Australian permanently.

Agreement Stream - for applicants who are sponsored by their employer through a labour or regional migration agreement.

To apply for this visa, an applicant must be:

• Nominated by an employer
• Be under 45 years of age
• Meet the skills and qualifications requirements
• Meet the English language requirements

The visa allows you and any dependent family members included in your visa application to live as permanent residents in Australia. Australian permanent residents can:

• Live and work in Australia on a permanent basis
• Study in Australia at school or university
• Receive subsidised healthcare through Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
• Access certain social security payments
• Be eligible for Australian citizenship
• Sponsor people for permanent residence

Direct Applications for this visa ceased from 16 November 2019, however some subclass 457 visa holders are still eligible to apply for the Temporary Transition Stream. Please contact us to find out if you are eligible.

This visa enables employers in regional and low population growth areas of Australia to sponsor highly skilled workers either from overseas (or from people temporarily in Australia) to fill skilled vacancies in their business.

Employers must be lawfully operating in Australia and the position must provide full time employment in Australia for two years. Conditions of employment and wages must comply with Australian legislation and awards.

Temporary Residence Transition Stream – for applicants who have already completed three years on a subclass 457/482 visa, and who have an employer who is willing to offer them a permanent position in a regional area of Australia.

This visa allows you and any dependent family members included in your visa application to live as permanent residents in Australia.

Australian permanent residents can

• Live and work in Australia on a permanent basis
• Study in Australia at school or university
• Receive subsidised healthcare through Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
• Access certain social security payments
• Be eligible for Australian citizenship
• Sponsor people for permanent residence

The employer must meet the following obligations

• The employer must make sure that all relevant workplace laws and award conditions are met.
• The employer must provide the employee with a letter of offer or employment contract which states that the employee will be employed:
  • full-time
  • for a minimum of 2 years
  • in a regional area.

The employee must meet the following obligations

• Remain employed in the nominated position in the regional area for at least two years
• The visa may be cancelled if the employee does not comply with these obligations to complete the two-year contract with the employer.

This visa enables regional employers to address identified labour shortages within their region by sponsoring skilled workers where employers can't source an appropriately skilled Australian worker.  

This visa has three streams available:

• Employer Sponsored stream
• Labour Agreement stream
• Subsequent Entrant Stream

Visa holders can live, work and study in designated regional areas of Australia, and can apply for permanent residence after 3 years (upon meeting requirements)  from the time their visa was granted (via Subclass 191).

For the employer sponsored stream, applicants are required to have at least three years of highly relevant experience in the nominated occupation, have a relevant skills assessment (unless exemption applies), be under age 45 years and meet minimum standards of English language proficiency.