The Employer Nomination Scheme offers skilled overseas workers the opportunity to gain permanent residency in Australia through employer sponsorship.

Key Requirements:

• Job Offer: You must have a confirmed offer of skilled employment from an approved Australian employer.
• Skills & Experience: You must possess the relevant qualifications, licensing (if applicable), and work experience for the nominated position.
• Sponsorship: The sponsoring employer must nominate you for a role that meets the skill level and occupation requirements set by the Australian Government.

Benefits:

• Permanent Residency: Live and work in Australia indefinitely.
• Unrestricted Travel: Travel to and from Australia freely while complying with your employment conditions.
• Family Inclusion: You may include immediate family members in your application. For dependent adult children (aged 18 or over), additional documentation is required to prove financial and personal dependency.

Visa Streams:

1. Direct Entry Stream – This visa lets skilled workers, who are nominated by an employer, live and work in Australia permanently.

Requirements:

• You must be nominated by an Australian employer.
• Your occupation must be on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations.
• You must have at least Competent English.

2. Labour Agreement Stream – This visa lets skilled workers who are nominated by their employer live and work in Australia permanently. The Labour Agreement stream might be for you if you currently work, or will work, for an employer who is party to a labour agreement.

Requirements:

• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The employer must have a labour agreement.

3. Temporary Residence Transition Stream – This visa lets skilled workers, who are nominated by their current employer, live and work in Australia permanently.

Requirements:

• You must be nominated by an Australian employer.
• ​​​​​​​​​​​​You must hold a subclass 457, 482 or eligible bridging visa.
• Usually, you must have worked in eligible sponsored employment on a full-time basis for at least two years.

For more information, you can visit the Department of Home Affairs.

This visa enables regional employers to address local labour shortages by sponsoring skilled overseas workers for positions where no suitable Australian candidates are available.

Key Features:

• Regional Focus: Designed specifically for employers in designated regional areas of Australia.
• Skill-Based Sponsorship: Applicants must be nominated for an eligible skilled occupation and meet all skill, qualifications, and English language requirements.
• Pathway to Permanent Residency: You may be eligible to apply for permanent residency through the Subclass 191 visa after holding the Subclass 494 visa for 3 years, provided you meet all relevant requirements including income thresholds and residency conditions.
• Duration of Stay: Up to 5 years

Eligibility Criteria:

• Be nominated by an approved work sponsor.
• You must have an occupation on a relevant skilled occupation list.
• Meet the Competent English language requirement.
• Be under the age of 45 at the time of invitation.
• Complete a suitable Skills Assessment in the nominated occupation.

Visa Streams:

1. Employer Sponsored Stream – This visa enables regional employers to address identified labour shortages within their region by sponsoring skilled workers where employers can’t source an appropriately skilled Australian worker.

Requirements:

• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​You can live, work and study only in designated regional areas of Australia.
• You can apply for permanent residence after 3 years from the time your visa is granted.

2. Labour Agreement Stream – This stream is for skilled workers nominated by employers who have a labour agreement. Labour agreements are developed between the Australian Government (represented by the Department) and employers.

Requirements:

• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Your employer has to have a labour agreement with the Australian government in effect.

3. Subsequent Entrant Stream – This visa is for members of the family unit of a Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (SESR) (Provisional) visa (subclass 494) holder who are applying separately for their SESR visa and wish to join the primary SESR visa holder in Australia.

Requirements:

• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​This is for members of the family unit of SESR visa holders.

For more information, you can visit the Department of Home Affairs.