Employer Sponsored Visas
Australian businesses can sponsor skilled workers to live and work in Australia on a temporary or permanent basis, in order to address labour shortages.
Subclass 482 Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) Visa
The subclass 482 visa allows businesses in Australia to address labour shortages by employing skilled workers in instances where they are unable to identify appropriately skilled Australians.
You may be eligible to apply for this visa if you are:
- sponsored by an Australian business, and
- will be working in an eligible nominated occupation, and
- possess the relevant qualifications, work experience and English language competency.
Visas may be granted for either up to 2 or 4 years, depending on the occupation. There may be a pathway to permanent residence, depending on the occupation, under the Employer Nomination Scheme.
Subclass 494 Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa
Much like the subclass 482 visa, the subclass 494 visa allows businesses in Australia to address labour shortages experienced in regional Australia.
You may be eligible to apply for this visa if you are:
- sponsored by an Australian business located in regional Australia, and
- will be working in an eligible nominated occupation which features on the Regional Occupations List (ROL), and
- possess the relevant qualifications, work experience and English language competency, and
- have at least 3 years of relevant, full-time work experience, and
- hold a positive skills assessment in the nominated occupation
Visas may be granted for up to 5 years. Subject to meeting relevant criteria, a pathway to permanent residence may be available after 3 years.
Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme
This visa allows Australian businesses to sponsor skilled workers for a permanent visa, allowing them to work, or continue working, in an eligible occupation within their business.
This program has two streams:
- The Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream – in order to be eligible under this stream you must be the holder of a subclass 457 visa or 482 visa and have worked with your employer as the holder of this visa for a prescribed period.
- The Direct Entry stream – in order to be eligible under this stream, you must have an occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), hold a positive skills assessment in your nominated occupation, and have at least 3 years of full-time work experience
Applicants must be under the age of 45, with limited exceptions to this requirement.