Employer-Sponsored Visa(Work Visas)

If you're interested in moving to Australia, an employer-sponsored visa can be a practical way to make this a reality. This type of visa allows Australian employers to sponsor skilled workers from other countries to fill roles that they struggle to fill with local talent. It provides skilled migrants with an opportunity to live and work in Australia, often leading to a pathway for permanent residency.

The employer-sponsored visa program creates a mutually beneficial arrangement. Australian employers gain access to a wider pool of qualified workers, helping them address skills shortages in specific industries. Skilled migrants, in turn, gain a stable job, experience in the Australian workforce, and an opportunity to build a new life in Australia.

However, it's important to note that the requirements and policies for this visa can change over time. These changes are influenced by various factors, such as the current demand in Australia’s job market and workforce needs in different sectors. As a result, the visa program is designed to adapt to Australia’s evolving economic and labor requirements, ensuring that only the most in-demand skills are eligible for sponsorship.

Sponsoring a worker to Australia

If you're an Australian employer looking to sponsor a skilled migrant to fill an essential role in your business, there are specific criteria you’ll need to meet to be eligible. We created a free short ebook guide on how to sponsor skilled migrant to Australia. To get a comprehensive guide, you may download our free ebook.

Below are temporary and permanent options for this visa program.

Temporary/Provisional Visa

Training Visa
Subclass 407 Visa

A visa allowing migrants take part in a workplace-based training in Australia. This is a temporary visa valid for up to 2 years. To be eligible, applicant must be sponsored, nominated, or invited by an Australian business

Skills In Demand (SID)
Subclass 482 Visa

A temporary visa option for Australian employers to outsource and sponsor offshore workforce. There are 4 streams under this visa subclass:
Core Skills Stream
Specialist Skills Stream
Labour Agreement Stream
Subsequent Entrant

Skilled Employer Sponsored Visa
Subclass 494 Visa

A provisional visa suitable for regional employers to fill in labour shortage within their region. This visa subclass allow them to sponsor skilled workers outside Australia. There are 3 streams under this visa subclass:
Employer Sponsored Stream
Labour Agreement Stream
Subsequent Entrant

Permanent Visas


Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS)
Subclass 186 Visa

A permanent visa for skilled workers who are nominated by an Australian businesses. It aims to help Australian businesses fill in skills required for their operation which they cannot source locally. There are 3 streams under this visa subclass:

Direct Entry Stream
Labour Agreement Stream
Temporary Residence Transition Stream

Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional)
Subclass 191 Visa

A permanent visa suitable for those who worked in designated regional areas of Australia. There are two streams under this visa subclass. One of which doesn’t require a sponsor or nominator. However, the applicant must meet the required income threshold and hold a subclass 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Provisional) visa for at least 3 years. The other stream are suitable for Hong Kong and British passport holders who demonstrates their commitment to work and live permanently in Australia. Below are the streams under this visa subclass:
Regional Provisional Stream
Hong Kong Stream

Frequently

Asked       

Questions

  • To be eligible for an employer-sponsored visa, applicants generally need to meet certain criteria, including:

    • A valid job offer from an Australian employer for a skilled position on the skilled occupation list

    • Relevant qualifications, skills, and experience for the job

    • Meeting English language requirements

    • Health and character requirements

    • For some visas, working with the sponsoring employer for a minimum period may also be required before applying.

  • Yes, some employer-sponsored visas offer pathways to permanent residency (PR) in Australia. For instance, the subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) visa is a permanent visa, and certain streams within the subclass 482 visa can allow applicants to transition to PR after working in Australia for a specified period with their sponsoring employer.

  • The subclass 482 (Temporary Skill Shortage) visa is a temporary visa allowing skilled workers to stay in Australia for up to two or four years, depending on the occupation and stream. It may lead to permanent residency under certain conditions.

    The subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) visa is a permanent visa that allows skilled workers to live and work in Australia permanently. The 186 visa requires nomination by an employer and can be applied for directly or after holding a 482 visa for a specified period.

  • The costs associated with an employer-sponsored visa are typically shared between the employer and the applicant. Employers are responsible for certain fees, such as the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy, while applicants generally cover the visa application fee and other costs like health checks and English language tests. Specific cost-sharing arrangements depend on the employer’s policies and the visa type.