Employer Sponsored Visas

Several visa options are available for the employer sponsorship program. Through this program, Australian businesses can nominate highly skilled overseas workers to fill the positions that cannot be filled locally. Some of the most common visa subclasses under this program are:

Employer Nomination Scheme visa – Direct entry stream (subclass 186)

To be eligible for this visa subclass, an applicant must be nominated by an Australian employer, the applicant’s occupation must be on the relevant skilled occupations list and must have a competent level of English. The visa allows the applicants to live and work in Australia indefinitely.

Employer nomination Scheme visa – Temporary residence transition stream (subclass 186)

A nominated applicant who has held a 457, TSS or a related bridging visa A, B or C and have worked for the employer full-time for at least three years can apply for this visa subclass.

Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa – Direct entry stream (subclass 187)

An applicant nominated by the employer to live and work in regional Australia is eligible to apply for this visa subclass. The applicant must also fulfil the English requirement (competent level) and must have their occupation listed in the relevant skilled occupation list.

Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa -Temporary residence transition stream (subclass 187)

This visa is for applicants who hold a 457, TSS or a relevant bridging visa A, B or C and have been nominated by their employer to work in regional Australia. The applicant must have worked full-time for at least three years at the time of application.

Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482)

Under this subclass, an employer can sponsor a suitably skilled worker in a role which cannot be filled in by an Australian citizen. There are mainly four streams under this subclass:

• Short-term stream: An applicant can stay for up to two years (up to four years if the International Trade obligation applies) in Australia. The occupation must be on the short-term skilled occupation list.
• Medium-term stream: An applicant can stay for up to four years in Australia. The occupation must be on either the Medium and Long-Term Strategic List (MLTSSL) or the Regional Occupation List (ROL)
• Labour agreement stream: The visa is particularly for skilled workers nominated by an employer who has a Labour Agreement. This visa allows the application to live in Australia for up to four years.
• Subsequent entrant: This visa is for family members of applicant who hold subclass 457 and TSS visas who are separately applying for their visa.

Not sure which visa you are eligible to apply for? Not confident whether your occupation is in the skilled occupation list? Don’t worry!