WORK VISAS
Work Visas
Australian Employers -
Looking to sponsor and recruit foreign employees? What are the visa options?
Short term / Long term
For short term employment between 2 to 4 years, you will be looking at the s/c482.
If you wish to sponsor someone over the long term, you will be considering the s/c186 or s/c187 which is a permanent visa and entitles your foreign recruit to reside permanently in Australia upon grant.
Nominated role
Before you decide to recruit/sponsor a foreign worker, you must check if the nominated position falls within the Skilled Occupation List (“List”) as published in the Dept. of Home Affairs’ website.
If the nominated position is not within the list, you will not be able to sponsor a foreign recruit. Please note that there may be other similar positions on the List with similar position descriptions. You should speak to us to see if there is an alternative role within the List which may be offered to your foreign recruit.
Regional or Sydney
If the position is in Sydney/Melbourne, you will be looking at the s/c 482 or the s/c186.
If the position is a regional area, you will be looking at the s/c 482 or the s/c187.
Age of your recruit
For permanent work visas s/c186 and s/c187, there is an age limit of 45.
If you are looking to recruit an above age limit foreign worker, you will only be able to sponsor him/her on a short term basis of 2 to 4 years on the s/c482.
Work experience of your foreign recruit ?
For the s/c 482, minimum relevant work experience is 2 years and that Skills Assessment is mandatory for certain occupations.
For the s/c 186 or 187, the foreign recruit must have a minimum of 3 years of relevant work experience.
Business Financials
Please note that all business financials including BAS, tax return and Company financials must be submitted as part of the Sponsorship application. If you have concerns over your business financials, please consult our office before proceeding with your recruit.
Over the last 11 years, we have assisted many Employers with the sponsorship of their foreign recruits, our Corporate Employer clients range from food retail; professional practices to the construction industry.
More FAQs
FOR EMPLOYERS
Can I sponsor any foreign workers?
No, you can only sponsor a foreign worker if the role is one of those contained within the Skilled Occupation List available at the Dept. of Home Affairs’ website.
Can I offer a lower salary range to the foreign workers?
No, as part of your Nomination application, you will need to prove that the salary offered to the foreign worker is comparable to those offered in Australia, you will need to submit advertisements of competing roles as evidence as part of your Nomination application.
Can I sponsor a worker even if my Business has no trading activities and local employees?
Yes, you can - however, you must have a very detailed business proposal justifying how you intend to build up your business in the next 12 to 24 months plus strong funding evidence for your Business. Strong capital investment or a facility agreement of some sort is generally required for these Sponsors.
Contents contained herein are for general information only and are not intended to be legal advice.
How do I conduct labour market testing (LMT)?
LMT requires you to advertise the nominated role across 3 national websites (Seek, Jora and Jobactive) for a minimum of 4 weeks. Note that for some workers, depending on their country of origin, LMT is not required. If LMT is required, it must be completed before a position is offered to the foreign worker.
Can we ask the foreign workers to pay for all related sponsorship expenses?
No, the Sponsor is required to pay all fees and any training levies for Stages 1 and 2. The Worker should pay all fees for Stage 3 only.
What financials are required as part of my Sponsorship Application?
Generally speaking, 12 months of BAS and 2 years of Tax Return and Financial Statements are required. The purpose of which is for the Dept. to assess your Business’ its financial capacity and its necessity to recruit foreign workers.
.
