Employer Sponsored Visas

Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa

Subclass 482

Common requirements

  • Have an approved sponsor
  • For the short-term & medium-term stream: be nominated to work in a specific occupation and for the approved sponsor (unless eligible for exemption)
  • For the labour agreement stream: be nominated to work in a specific occupation under the terms of a labour agreement
  • Have a min of 2 years’ work experience in the nominated occupation or related field
  • Have a positive skills assessment (if required for the nominated occupation)
  • Have a suitable health insurance
  • Have functional (min.) level of English knowledge
  • For the Short-term stream: have genuine intentions to stay temporarily in Australia
  • Meet health and character requirements

This visa subclass is divided in three streams: Short-Term Stream, Medium-term stream and Labour Agreement Stream. The TSS visa is designed to fill labour shortages in Australia.

This is a temporary visa that allows skilled workers and their families to work in Australia for up to 2 years for occupations at the short-term skilled occupation list (STSOL) or up to 4 years for occupations at the medium and long-term strategic skills list (MLTSSL) or at the regional occupation list (ROL). Hong Kong passport holders may stay up to 5 years

It requires you to be sponsored by your employer (an Australian Business).

You can apply for this visa in or outside of Australia. If applying inside of Australia, you must hold a substantive visa or the appropriate Bridging Visa. 

For a short-term stream there is a possibility of extending the visa for another 2 years.

For a medium-term stream it may lead you to obtain a permanent residency in Australia via transition to visa subclass 186.

This is a 3-stage process visa: sponsorship, nomination and visa application. 

Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Visa

Subclass 186

This visa subclass allows skilled workers and their families to live permanently in Australia. It also allows visa applicants and their families to work and study in Australia for an indefinite period, have access to Medicare and apply for Australian citizenship (if eligible). It requires you to be sponsored by your employer (an Australian Business).

This visa has three streams: Direct Entry Stream, Labour Agreement Stream or Temporary Residence Transition Stream.

Common requirements

  • Be nominated by an Australian employer
  • Have the qualifications and skills necessary for the job 
  • In most cases you must be under 45 years of age when you apply for this visa
  • Meet health and character requirements

Direct Entry Stream

  • You do not need to hold a TSS visa
  • Requires a direct nomination from an Australian employer
  • Have 3 years minimum of work experience on the nominated occupation or relevant (unless eligible for exemption)
  • Have a positive skills assessment (in most cases)
  • Have competent (min.) level of English knowledge

Labour Agreement Stream

  • Must hold a 457 or TSS visa granted under a labour agreement 
  • You need to be working or have a prospective work arranged for an nominated Australian employer, holder of a labour agreement

Temporary Residence Transition Stream

  • Must hold a 457, TSS visa or specific Bridging Visa (A, B or C)
  • Have worked for a nominated Australian employer for a minimum of 3 years full time whilst holding a 457 or TSS visa
  • Requires a nomination from an Australian employer that has been approved in the last 6 months before visa lodgment date.
  • Have competent (min.) level of English knowledge

Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa. 

Subclass 494

Common requirements

  • Be nominated by an approved Australian employer to work in a specific occupation at the appropriate skills occupation list
  • Have a positive skill assessment 
  • Be under 45 years of age when you apply for this visa (unless eligible for exemption)
  • Have the minimum required English skill knowledge
  • Meet health and character requirements

This visa allows skilled workers and their families to work for an Australian employer located in regional Australia. You will be able to live, work and study only in a designated regional area which includes all of Australia except for Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. 

This visa is designed to fill labour shortages in Australia, that cannot be filled by Australian workers in these regions. You and your family members will have access to Medicare.

After 3 years holding this visa you may apply for a permanent residency (if eligible). This visa subclass is the Skilled Regional subclass 191, that will come available from November 2022

This visa has two streams: Employer Sponsored Stream and Labour Agreement Stream

Employer Sponsored Stream

  • Requires 3 years minimum of full-time work experience on the nominated occupation or relevant

Labour Agreement Stream

  • Requires 3 years minimum of full-time work experience on the nominated occupation or relevant
  • The employer must hold a labour agreement and the labour agreement must be in place between the employer and the Australian government

Our intent is to provide you only with a general overview information of these visa subclasses and/or any other migration matter. This information may not be up to date with migration regulations and legislations as migration law is very dynamic. If you intend to apply for this visa, we strongly recommend you schedule a migration consultation to discuss any applicable factors under your specific circumstances.