Employer sponsored visas
OVERVIEW
The Australian Employer-Sponsored Visa program allows Australian employers to sponsor and hire foreign workers to fill specific skilled positions when they cannot find suitably qualified or experienced Australian workers. These visas are designed to address skill shortages and facilitate the entry of skilled workers into the Australian labor market.
Visa Categories
- Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa (Subclass 482): This visa allows employers to sponsor skilled workers on a temporary basis for up to four years
- Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Visa (Subclass 186): This visa provides a pathway to permanent residency for skilled workers who have been nominated by their employer. It includes the Direct Entry stream, Transitional stream, and Agreement stream.
Eligibility Criteria
Sponsorship:
Employers must be approved sponsors to nominate foreign workers for employer-sponsored visas.
They must meet specific criteria, including a commitment to employing local labor and compliance with Australian workplace laws.
Nomination
The eligibility criteria vary depending on the type of visa and stream.
Processing Time
Processing times for the TSS visa can vary but typically range from several weeks to a few months.
The processing time for the ENS visa can also vary, but it often takes several months.
The processing time may be shorter for applicants who qualify under the Direct Entry stream.