Are you a skilled professional dreaming of working in Australia? Employer-sponsored visas could be your ticket to making that dream a reality. These visas offer opportunities for skilled workers to live and work in Australia temporarily or permanently, sponsored by an Australian employer.

Let’s delve into the key visa types and steps involved in securing employer-sponsored visas in Australia:

Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa:

1. This visa allows skilled workers to work in Australia temporarily. To be eligible, you must have an eligible occupation, a valid job offer from an approved sponsor, and meet the relevant registration and skills assessment and English language requirements. The visa is typically granted for up to 2-4 years and can be renewed.

2. This is the most common visa employers sponsor people on in the first instance.

    

Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Visa:

1. The ENS visa is a permanent residency visa that allows skilled workers nominated by an Australian employer to live and work permanently in Australia. To be eligible, you must have an eligible occupation, be nominated by an approved employer, and meet the relevant skills and English language requirements, and be under 45 years of age.

    

Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa:

1. The visa is aimed at addressing labour shortages in regional areas, the Subclass 494 visa allows skilled workers to live and work in regional Australia for up to 5 years. To be eligible, you must have a valid job offer from an employer in a designated regional area, meet the registration and skills assessment and English language requirements, and be under 45 years of age.

2. It’s worth noting that after only 3 years, you are eligible to transition to the Subclass 191 visa, which grants permanent residency independent of any further sponsorship requirements.

It’s important to note that securing employer sponsorship in Australia involves several steps and requirements:

Registration with AHPRA

• For nurses and midwives, registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) is a prerequisite before seeking employer sponsorship. This involves meeting specific registration criteria and providing evidence of qualifications and experience.

Skills Assessment by ANMAC

• Prior to lodging a visa application, nurses and midwives must have their skills assessed by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC). This assessment verifies that their qualifications and experience meet the requirements for migration purposes – but this must be for the correct ANZSCO code to match the nomination.

English Language Competency

• All visa applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency to meet Australian registration standards. This can be achieved through tests such as IELTS, OET, or PTE Academic.

Sponsorship and Nomination Processes

• Employers must obtain approval as a standard business sponsor, complete a month of labour market testing and nominate the candidate for the relevant visa subclass. These processes must be completed before the visa application can be lodged.

Seeking Legal Advice

• It’s crucial for applicants to seek professional legal advice or assistance from a qualified Australian immigration lawyer or registered migration agent. Please remember that recruitment agents are not legally qualified to advise on migration requirements, and an employer’s lawyer represents the employer’s interests, not the applicant’s.