Employer Sponsorship for Australian work visas
If you are a business that is facing labour shortages and looking to sponsor employees to work in your organisation, or you already have an employee and want to sponsor them, then this blog will provide you information on how to become a sponsor. This blog will discuss:
- Selecting the appropriate type of sponsorship
- Requirements to becoming a sponsor
- Process in sponsoring an employee
Selecting the appropriate sponsorship
There are 3 main types of sponsorships from which you can choose. Depending on the type of visa that you are going to sponsor your employee for, you can select the sponsorship for you. The types of sponsorships are as follows:
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Standard business sponsors: If you are sponsoring an employee for the Skills in Demand visa (SC 482) or the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494), then this is the best option for you.
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Accredited sponsors: Same as the Standard business sponsors, this sponsorship allows you to sponsor employees for the Skills in Demand visa (SC 482) and the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494). One of the main differences between the standard business sponsor and accredited sponsors is that the latter will receive priority in processing the relevant visa.
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Temporary activity sponsors: This will be the best option for you if you are sponsoring employees under the following visa categories.
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Temporary Activity visa (SC 408)
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Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (SC 403) under the PALM scheme
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Training visa (SC 407)
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You will not need to select a sponsorship type if you are sponsoring an employee for the SC 186 visa. The SC 186 visa doesn’t have a sponsorship application; it only has the nomination application and the visa application.
Requirements to becoming a sponsor
1. Standard business sponsor
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Have a legally established business in or outside of Australia
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Currently be operating
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Have no adverse information regarding your business
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Demonstrate a strong record of commitment to, employing local labour
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Must declare that you will not engage in discriminatory recruitment practices
2. Accredited sponsor
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Be a standard business sponsor
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Meet the characteristics for the appropriate category below which fits your circumstances
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Be an Australian government (Commonwealth, state or territory) department or agency
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Australian workers make up at least 75% of your workforce in Australia
- Be an Australian Trusted Trader with at least 75% Australian workforce.
- Have written contracts for 482 visa holders meeting National Employment Standards.
- Pay all employees according to Enterprise Agreements or market salary rates.
- Have at least 85% Australian workforce and meet specific visa and nomination approval requirements.
- Not be a sole trader or partnership (unless exempt) and have an annual turnover of at least AUD4M.
- Be a sponsor for at least 1 year and comply with all obligations, with no adverse monitoring outcomes.
- Pay Australian employees according to market salary rates and provide written contracts for 482 /457 visa holders meeting National Employment Standards.
- Have at least 75% Australian workforce, approved 10 SC 482 visas, and over 97% nomination approval in the past 2 years.
- Not be a sole trader or partnership (unless exempt), with an annual turnover of at least AUD4M and a standard business sponsor for 2+ years.
- Comply with sponsor obligations, have no adverse monitoring outcomes, and pay Australian employees according to market rates.
- Provide written contracts for TSS/457 visa holders meeting National Employment Standards.
- Make a major investment (AUD50M) generating Australian employment (exemptions may apply).
- Not be a sole trader or partnership (unless exempt), and be a standard business sponsor for at least 1 year.
- Have approved nominations for at least 1 SC 482 visa holder and over 97% nomination approval in the last year.
- No adverse monitoring outcomes, comply with salary agreements, and engage SC 482 visa holders under compliant contracts.
3. Temporary activities sponsor
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Be one of the organisation as in below
- an Australian organisation lawfully established and operating in Australia such as a company, body corporate, partnership, non-profit organisation or an unincorporated body (other than an individual, sole proprietor or sole trader) or
- an Australian Commonwealth, state or territory government agency or
- a foreign government agency lawfully operating in Australia, such as a consular or diplomatic mission, foreign tourist or media bureau, trade office or other foreign national government entity or
- an international organisation recognised by Australia and lawfully operating in Australia, such as the United Nations or
- an organisation that operates a superyacht, or the owner or captain of a superyacht or
- a sporting organisation lawfully operating in Australia or
- a religious institution lawfully operating in Australia.
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Have a good business record
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Obey Australian laws
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Fulfill the requirements of the specific sponsorship requirements for the specifc visa that you are intending to sponsor your employee
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Temporary Activity visa (SC 408)
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Temporary Work (International relations) visa ( SC 403) - This is mostly for Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme
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Training visa (SC 407)
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The process for sponsoring an employee
Step 1: Become an approved sponsor
Step 2: Make the nomination application
Step 3: Make the visa application
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