Visa Options
- Subclass 457-Business (Long Stay) visa - Employer sponsorship requirements (377KB PDF file)
- Temporary Business Long Stay – Standard Business Sponsorship (subclass 457)
- Who is this visa for?
- How much will this visa cost?
- What does this visa let me do?
- Employer Eligibility
- Lawfully and actively operating business
- Direct employer of the employee
- Good business record and abide by immigration laws
- Benefit to Australia
- Advance skills of existing workforce
- Overseas business sponsors
- Regional employer concessions
Temporary Business Long Stay – Standard Business Sponsorship
(subclass 457)
A program for employers to sponsor approved skilled workers to work in Australia on a temporary visa. Employers can nominate a number of positions for different occupations under the same sponsorship application.
This is the most commonly used program for employers to sponsor overseas workers to work in Australia on a temporary basis. There are also special arrangements for employers in regional areas across Australia.
Employers can be either:
- Australian Businesses
- Overseas Businesses
Who is this visa for?
This visa is for employers who would like to employ overseas workers to fill nominated skilled positions in Australia.
How much will this visa cost?
You must pay a non-refundable application charge. If you are a pre-qualified business sponsor you will not have to pay the nomination and sponsorship charge
Charge Type Charge Amount Visa Application Charge
$250
Nomination Charge
$60
Sponsorship Charge
$285
What does this visa let me do?
With this visa you can employ overseas workers for a period of between three (3) months and four (4) years.
With this visa those people you employ from overseas can:
- work in Australia for a period of between three (3) months and four (4) years
- bring any eligible secondary applicants with them to Australia – secondary applicants can work and study
- after entering Australia, have no limit on the number of times they travel in and out of Australia.
Employer Eligibility
An employer needs to be approved as a sponsor in order to employ skilled workers from overseas. The following requirements must be met for an employer to become a sponsor.
Lawfully and actively operating business
The employer must be lawfully operating a business that is actually and actively engaged in business activities.
Example: A business that exists on paper only (for example a shelf company) is not acceptable.
New businesses or business proposals may be considered if there is clear evidence of intention to establish the business.
Direct employer of the employee
The sponsor must be the direct employer of the employee. The direct employer is usually responsible for such things as:
- Payment of salaries
- PAYG tax instalments
- Superannuation
- Conditions of employment
- Day-to-day supervision of the employee.
For groups of related companies, the direct employer can be related to the approved sponsor. For example, the head company of a corporate group of companies in Australia may be approved as a sponsor while a subsidiary company is the direct employer.
Good business record and abide by immigration laws
To meet this requirement:
- There must be nothing adverse known about the business
- If the employer has previously sponsored employees to Australia, they must have a satisfactory record of complying with immigration laws
- The activities of the business must not be illegal in Australia.
Benefit to Australia
The employment of skilled workers from overseas must benefit Australia. For example, the arrangement could:
- Provide employment for Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents
- Expand Australian trade in goods or services
- Improve business links with international markets
- Improve competitiveness within the sectors of the Australian economy.
Advance skills of existing workforce
The employer must also demonstrate that their Australian business operations will meet one of the following requirements:
- Introduce, use or create new business skills
- Introduce, use or create new or improved technology
- Have a satisfactory record of, or a demonstrated commitment towards training Australian citizens and Australian permanent residents.
Overseas business sponsors
If you are an employer with a business that has no formal operating base or representation in Australia, you may apply to bring employees to Australia to do one of the following:
- establish a branch or other business activity such as joint ventures, agency distributorships or subsidiary branches in Australia
- fulfil obligations for a contract or other business activity in Australia.
Note: Overseas Business Sponsors do not need to be operating in Australia but must meet all other employer eligibility requirements.
Regional employer concessions
If you are an employer in a regional area in Australia you may be eligible for concessions in meeting the minimum salary and skill level requirements for your nominated position.
© http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/skilled-workers/visa-temporary.htm
