Employer Sponsorship for Australian work visas

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:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. Temporary activity sponsors: This will be the best option for you if you are sponsoring employees under the following visa categories.

   • Temporary Activity visa (SC 408)

   • Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (SC 403) under the PALM scheme

   • Training visa (SC 407)

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.

1. Standard business sponsor

• Have a legally established business in or outside of Australia

• Currently be operating

• Have no adverse information regarding your business

• Demonstrate a strong record of commitment to, employing local labour

• Must declare that you will not engage in discriminatory recruitment practices

2. Accredited sponsor

• Be a standard business sponsor

• Meet the characteristics for the appropriate category below which fits your circumstances

3. Temporary activities sponsor

• 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. 

• Have a good business record

• Obey Australian laws

• Fulfill the requirements of the specific sponsorship requirements for the specifc visa that you are intending to sponsor your employee

  • Temporary Activity visa (SC 408)

  • Temporary Work (International relations) visa ( SC 403) - This is mostly for Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme

  • Training visa (SC 407)

Step 1: Become an approved sponsor

Step 2: Make the nomination application

Step 3: Make the visa application