How to Apply for Employer Sponsored Visas

How often have you wished that your boss would suddenly send you to work abroad? Or that a company that you absolutely admire would see the potential in you and fly you to their offices? Today, you might be able to make those dreams happen. We are going to break down some of the most popular ways you can obtain an Australian work visa by receiving an employer sponsorship.

Working in Australia

Deciding to travel to another country is one thing. But deciding to work in it is a big leap. It takes a lot of courage and confidence, as it entails living on your own in a strange place. Despite that, it is worth the risk. In fact, it seems that people who take risks are often very successful individuals because exploring what the world has to offer opens the doors to new opportunities. Which, most likely, is what you are searching for yourself.

Australia is one of the most successful countries in the world. The country offers countless career opportunities for people worldwide. It is financially stable, has many wealthy communities, and allows for an excellent work-life balance.

Can I Get Sponsored to Work in Australia?

As you may already know, work sponsorship by employers in Australia is an offering for workers who live overseas and wish to travel and work there. It is also available to those who are already living in Australia but hold a different type of visa – one that does not permit them to work at the current time or those who are already in Australia but are working on another visa. Employers offer sponsorships mainly to skilled workers whom to fill job openings that could not be filled by the local population.

Contrary to popular belief that work sponsorship is hard to come by, it is actually quite common among different companies. In Australia, it is possible indeed to have employers sponsor you, assist with processing documents for travel and residency. One of the benefits is getting a permanent work visa.

If your situation belongs to either one of these, then you can definitely work in the country with employer sponsorship. Other types of employer sponsorship with visa options for sponsoring also include Work Skilled Visa or subclass 457 and Temporary Skill Shortage Visa or subclass 482 visa.

482 Visa Australia

Employer-sponsored visas are valuable and quite advantageous for workers. One of such visa options for sponsoring is the 482 visa Australia. 

The 482 visa, otherwise known as the TSS visa or the Temporary Skill Shortage visa, is a temporary visa that allows its holder to live in Australia while being employed full-time as part of the employer sponsorship program of a company. Your profession, of course, must be under a nominated occupation – one that is named under the Short Skilled List of Medium Long Term Skilled List

In order to qualify for a 482 visa in Australia, you should be mindful of the following requirements:

  1. You should have a job offer. You must ensure that a company has offered you work in Australia before attempting to apply for the 482 visa.

  2. You must have 2 years of relevant experience under a particular job related to the offered work in the last 5 years.

  3. You should be put forward for a skilled position by the company or an approved sponsor.

  4. You should meet the qualifications that are relevant to your circumstance and status, along with the English language requirements.

  5. You should be able to meet all the health and character requirements that are asked of you.

If you are worried about your age, there is no enforced age limit for a 482 visa. However, there is one if you want to opt for a permanent residency visa later on. A person who is given a visa under an MLTSSL occupation who wants to apply for a residency must have at least 3 years of experience under the same employer-sponsored visas, and must be under 45 years old at the time of the application. However, there are exemptions for such.

How Can a Company Offer Employer-Sponsored Visas?

A company should be able to sponsor you temporarily or permanently. The sponsoring company must qualify for the requirements mentioned above. There are other visa options available for sponsoring but the most popular one is the 482 visa.

However, there are additional requirements that a company must meet before sponsoring a 482 visa. A company, first and foremost, must be a standard business sponsor, which is quite easy as a normal part of the process. The business must be established legally with operations at the current time. All types of operation structures are welcome for this one.

Second, there must be no unfavorable information from the business or anyone that is associated with the company. This terribly affects the chances of being suitable as a sponsor. 

Third, the business in question must have a history of hiring locals or has demonstrated the employment of local labor within the country. Finally, there must be no discriminatory practices in terms of hiring employees. 

Visa options for sponsoring are easily made available if your sponsoring company or business is a reputable institution that has great ratings when it comes to hiring employees. The right to grant sponsorship through the Employer-Sponsored visas, like the 482 visa Australia, should only be given to those who are able to treat their employees with great care.

491 Visa

While 482 visa Australia provides a temporary visa for short-skilled workers, a 491 visa allows skilled workers to live and work in the country under different terms and conditions. 

A 491 visa, also known as the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa permits workers to stay for a span of 5 years. The perks include being able to either live, work or study in a specific regional area in the country. Here, you will be given a chance to travel outside Australia whenever you like while the visa is still considered valid. Contrary to the 482 visa, one can apply for a permanent residency visa only after 3 years from the set time that the visa is granted.

Can a Family Member Sponsor You in Australia?

If you have a relative that is already living in Australia, he or she can sponsor you with family sponsorship, particularly under a provisional skill visa. This is under the 491 visa, which is in stark contrast to the 482 visa Australia category. 

A family sponsorship can significantly increase your visa points score by 15 points (read about SkillSelect here). This might be required when you want to meet the minimum pass mark in your Expression of Interest (EOI) so you are more likely to be given an Invitation To Apply (ITA).

A provisional skilled visa, henceforth, can lead to a permanent visa after a specific amount of time that you have lived and work in a specific regional area of Australia for at least 3 years. 

If you want to apply for a family sponsorship instead of employer-sponsored visas, all of the regional areas are eligible, except for Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. The family member must be a certified Australian citizen or is a permanent resident before being able to sponsor. They can either be a child, a parent, a brother or a sister, an aunt or an uncle, a niece or a nephew, a grandparent, or a first cousin.

Other Immigrant Programs in Australia

Aside from the 491 visa and 482 visa Australia offers, there are other visa options for sponsoring. Ranging from a temporary work visa to a permanent work visa, there are other immigrant options to choose from. Some of the temporary ones include:

  • Temporary Skill Shortage visa or the Subclass 482

  • Temporary Graduate visa or the Subclass 485

  • Skilled – Recognized Graduate visa or the Subclass 476

  • Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa or the Subclass 489

  • Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa or the Subclass 188

Bear in mind that a TSS visa or a 482 visa requires sponsorship.

For the permanent visas:

Regional Visas

  • Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187) – needs sponsorship

  • Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) Visa (subclass 191)

Skilled Migration Visas

  • Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186) – needs sponsorship

  • Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)

  • Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) – needs sponsorship

  • Skilled Regional visa (subclass 887)

Business Investment Visas

  • Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888) – needs sponsorship

  • Business Talent (Permanent) visa (subclass 132) – needs sponsorship

Distinguished Talent Visas 

  • Distinguished Talent visa (subclass 124) – needs sponsorship

  • Distinguished Talent visa (subclass 858) – needs sponsorship

UIS Australia for Your Immigration Needs!

Are you planning to live, work or study in Australia? UIS Australia can help you! We provide services to make things easier and smoother for you in your attempt to immigrate to Australia. We work exclusively with fully authorized Regulated Australian Immigration Consultants. These are consultants of good standing, certified by the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA).

Let your visa endeavors and other hassles be left to us. Contact us today!

Ron Ford

Ron Ford immigrated with his family to Australia in 2005 to work as a social worker. Following their difficult immigration process, he slowly turned to blogging and creating content about immigration: "…As a family of 5, we struggled to make ends meet. I was working around the clock and Clarissa was working in housekeeping any time she could spare. The move to Australia completely changed our lives, but it cost us a lot of money, time, and tears. Ever since I've wanted to help others on their journeys the way I wished someone had helped us".

More Posts