Standard Business Sponsor

• The sponsor must be a lawfully operating business;
• The sponsor must be financially stable and profitable;

Nominated Position

• Subject to conditions of employment(other than earnings) that are equal to those that apply (or would apply) to Australians performing equivalent work in the same location.
• Be included on the current Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL – Pathway to Permanent residence) OR Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL). NOTE: Certain occupations on these lists will be subject to additional requirements.
• Subjected to ‘Labour Market Testing’ (LMT)i.e. the sponsor must have attempted to recruit a suitably skilled and qualified Australian to work in the nominated position. This requires the sponsor to provide evidence that he/she has advertised the position within the last 4 months, for a period of at least 4 weeks. NOTE: Alternative LMT criteria apply in certain circumstances.
• Nominator must make a contribution to the Skilled Australian Fund (SAF) for each year the overseas worker will be employed by the business. Please note that SAF levy payments are tax deductible.

Visa Applicant

The visa applicant must:

• have skills (qualifications and/or work experience) that match those required for the nominated position.
• have at least two years of full-time experience (or the part-time equivalent) in the nominated occupation (or a related field).
• genuinely intend to work in the nominated position.
• have made adequate arrangements for health insurance during the entire stay in Australia, and meet the relevant health and character criteria.
• have the required level of English proficiency.

TEMPORARY RESIDENCE TRANSITION STREAM

Nominated Position

• Subject to conditions of employmentthat are equal to those that apply (or would apply) to Australians performing equivalent work in the same location
• Be included on the current Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List unless transitional arrangements apply NOTE: Certain occupations on these lists will be subject to additional requirements
• Nominator must make a one-off contribution to the Skilled Australian Fund (SAF).Please note that SAF levy payments are tax deductible
• Be available for a period of at least 2 years

Visa Applicant

The visa applicant must:

• Have worked in the nominated occupation for a period of 3 years within the last 4 years full-time employment as a TSS visa holder with the same sponsoring business
• Make the commitment to work in the nominated role for a period of at least 2 years
• Have the required level of English proficiency
• Meet the health and character requirements

DIRECT ENTRY STREAM

Nominated Position

• Subject to conditions of employmentthat are equal to those that apply (or would apply) to Australians performing equivalent work in the same location
• Be included on the current Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List, unless transitional arrangements apply. NOTE: Certain occupations on these lists will be subject to additional requirements
• Nominator must make a one-off contribution to the Skilled Australian Fund (SAF). Please note that SAF levy payments are tax deductible
• Be available for a period of at least 2 years

Visa Applicant

The visa applicant must:

• Successfully completed a skills assessment of qualifications and work experience relevant to the nominated occupation – 3 years of relevant full-time employment required
• Make the commitment to work in the nominated role for a period of at least 2 years
• have the required level of English proficiency
• Meet the health and character requirements

SC 400

Up to 3 months (6 months in limited circumstances)

Visa applicant must:

• be invited or supported by the intended employer or organization.
• have specialist skills, knowledge or experience that is needed but cannot be found in Australia.

SC 408

Visa applicant must:

• have the required skills.
• be supported or sponsored.
• meet additional requirements of the relevant stream.
• work in the entertainment industry.
• participate in activities at the invitation of an Australian organisation.
• participate or observe in an Australian research project.
• work in a skilled position under a ‘staff exchange arrangement’.
• participate in high-level sports competitions or sports training programs.
• participate in a special programme approved by the department.
• do full-time religious work.
• be employed as a superyacht crew member.
• do full-time domestic work in the household of certain senior foreign executives.
• participate in a government-endorsed event.

SC 407 TRAINING VISA

• Employer nominated Stream
• Occupational Trainees Stream

This new regional visa has been introduced in November 2019:

• Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) –Subclass 494

It is a temporary visa that can lead to a permanent visa after the applicant spends 3 years living, working and studying in the regional area.

The Permanent Skilled Regional Visa –Subclass 191 will come into effect in November 2022.

Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) –Subclass 494

The Subclass 494 replaced the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa (RSMS) Subclass 187. This is a five-year visa which will include a large number of occupations, some of the key visa requirements are:

• You must receive a full-time job offer for a position in a regional area;
• The position must be on the relevant occupation list;
• The salary rate must meet the market standards;
• You must have at least three years of full time and relevant work experience;
• You must provide a positive Skills Assessment in the relevant occupation.

Definition of “regional area” under the current legislation: most locations outside Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Two categories of regional areas have been identified:

• Major regional centres: Gold Coast, Perth, Adelaide and other cities such as Wollongong, Newcastle, Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Illawarra, Geelong and Hobart;
• Regional centre & other regional areas: the remaining geographical areas with the exclusion of the above-mentioned Centres.