u003ch3u003eStandard Business Sponsorship (SBS) is required if you wish to sponsor a foreign worker through the Temporary Skill Shortage visa (TSS visa – subclass 482) or Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494).u003c/h3u003ernu003ch2u003eRequirements and Benefitsu003c/h2u003ernu003ch3u003eTo be successful in applying for the SBS, you must be able to demonstrate that:u003c/h3u003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003ethe business is operating lawfully (which can be in or outside Australia); andu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ethe business does not have any adverse information recorded against it (e.g. the business has been found guilty by a court of an offence).u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003ernu003ch3u003eFor Australian businesses, you are required to further demonstrate that:u003c/h3u003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003ethe business has proven track record showing its commitment to employ local labour; andu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eno discriminatory recruitment practices will be engaged for this position.u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003ernOnce approved, SBS is valid for 5 years and allows you to sponsor an eligible employee to apply for the TSS visa (subclass 482) and Subclass 494 visa.rnu003ch2u003eWhen you are an sponsoru003c/h2u003ernu003ch3u003eSince SBS is approved, you are required to meet the following obligations:u003c/h3u003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003ethe foreigner workers are protected from exploitation;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ethe visas were used to meet genuine skills shortage; andu003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003ernu003ch3u003eYou must notify the Department in writing if:u003c/h3u003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003ethere are any changes to the business structure, the business’s contact details, the business financial situation (e.g. becomes insolvent or is bankrupt);u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ethe foreign worker ceases employment with you, has a change in duties or did not commence working with you.u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003ernu003ch3u003eThere are other obligations on SBS sponsors such as:u003c/h3u003ernAssume all costs yourselfrnu003ch3u003eYou must pay and assume all of the following costs yourself:u003c/h3u003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003ecost of becoming a sponsor: u003cstrongu003eAUD$420u003c/strongu003eu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003enomination chargesu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003emigration agent costs associated with sponsorship and nomination applicationsu003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e
u003ch3u003eAustralian employers which are Standard Business Sponsors are eligible to apply for accreditation to become an Accredited Sponsor.u003c/h3u003ernu003ch2u003eBenefitu003c/h2u003ernAccredited Sponsors receive faster turnaround on all subclass 482 visa applications from months to as fast as 5 business days.rnThe labour market testing requirements are less rigorous comparing to Standard Business Sponsors. Accredited Sponsors can satisfy the labour marketing testing by merely publishing advertisements on their own website, without the need to advertise on national recruitment websites/agency.rnrnThe sponsored employees of an Accredited Sponsor are not required to provide police clearance for each country they have lived in. This reduces the processing times for preparing such applications.rnu003ch2u003eRequirementsu003c/h2u003ernu003ch3u003eApart from meeting all requirements to be a Standard Business Sponsor, one of the following categories of requirements must be met:u003c/h3u003ernu003ch2u003e1.Commonwealth, state and territory government agencies:u003c/h2u003ernThe workforce comprises 75% Australian workers.rnu003ch2u003e2. Australian Trusted Tradersu003c/h2u003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eYou must be an Australian Trusted Trader;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eThe workforce comprises 75% Australian workers;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eWritten contract of employment for all TSS Visa (Subclass 482) which meets the National Employment Standards (unless their occupation is exempt from this requirement); andu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eYou have paid all Australian employees in accordance with an Enterprise Agreement or an internal salary table that mirrors the market salary rates for all occupation in your business at the time.u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003ernu003ch2u003e3. Low volume usage and high percentage of Australian workers (at least 85%)u003c/h2u003ernThe workforce comprises 85% Australian workers;rnu003ch3u003eThe Department has:u003c/h3u003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eapproved at least 1 TSS visa nomination in the past 2 years; andu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eapproved more than 97% of the nomination application in the past one year;u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003ernu003ch3u003eThe business:u003c/h3u003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eis not a sole trader or a partnership;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ehas an annual turnover of at least AUD $4 million for the past 2 years;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ehas been a Standard Business Sponsor for at least 1 year;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ehas complied with all obligations for the sponsorship;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ehas no adverse monitoring outcomes;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ehas paid all Australian employees in accordance with an Enterprise Agreement or an internal salary table that mirrors the market salary rates for all occupation in your business at the time; andu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ehas written contract of employment for all TSS Visa (Subclass 482) which meets the National Employment Standards (unless their occupation is exempt from this requirement).u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003ernu003ch2u003e4. Start-up businessu003c/h2u003ernRequirements for start-up business are largely the same as Category 3 above, however the Department is able to use its discretion to waive some of the time related requirements (e.g. approved at least 1 TSS visa nomination in the past 2 years)rnu003ch2u003e5. High volume usage and medium percentage of Australian workers (at least 75%)u003c/h2u003ernThe workforce comprises 75% Australian workers.rnu003ch3u003eThe Department has:u003c/h3u003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eapproved at least 10 TSS visa (or subclass 457) nomination in the past 2 years; andu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eapproved more than 97% of the nomination application in the past 2 year;u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003ernu003ch3u003eThe business:u003c/h3u003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eis not a sole trader or a partnership;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ehas an annual turnover of at least AUD $4 million for the past 2 years;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ehas been a Standard Business Sponsor for at least 2 year;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ehas complied with all obligations for the sponsorship;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ehas no adverse monitoring outcomes;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ehas paid all Australian employees in accordance with an Enterprise Agreement or an internal salary table that mirrors the market salary rates for all occupation in your business at the time; andu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ehas written contract of employment for all TSS Visa (Subclass 482) which meets the National Employment Standards (unless their occupation is exempt from this requirement.u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003ernu003ch2u003e6. Major investment in Australiau003c/h2u003ernu003ch3u003eThe Department has:u003c/h3u003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eapproved at least 1 TSS visa (or subclass 457) nomination in the past 1 year; andu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eapproved more than 97% of the nomination application in the past 1 year.u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003ernu003ch3u003eThe business:u003c/h3u003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003ehave made a major investment in Australia (of at least AUD$50 million) which has directly generated Australian employment;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eis not a sole trader or a partnership;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ehas been a Standard Business Sponsor for at least 1 year;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ehas no adverse monitoring outcomes;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ehas paid all Australian employees in accordance with an Enterprise Agreement or an internal salary table that mirrors the market salary rates for all occupation in your business at the time; andu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ehas written contract of employment for all TSS Visa (Subclass 482) which meets the National Employment Standards (unless their occupation is exempt from this requirement).u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e
Temporary Activity Sponsorship (TAS) is required if you wish to sponsor a foreign worker through thernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eTemporary Activity Visa (Subclass 408),u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eTemporary Work (International Relation) Visa (Subclass 403) (Seasonal Worker Program stream or Pacific Labour Scheme) oru003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eTraining Visa (Subclass 407).u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eTAS is valid for up to five years with the option to renew after.u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003ernu003ch3u003eRequirementsu003c/h3u003ernTo be successful in TAS application, you must be an Australian organisation (including corporation, partnership, association) lawfully established in Australia (except an individual, sole proprietor or sole trader).rnrnSmall or start-up businesses may be eligible to apply as long as evidence of active operation and a capability to comply with sponsorship undertaking can be presented.rnrnSpecific requirements and exceptions are imposed on some specific streams of the visas. Please contact us for a free consultation to confirm the most appropriate stream for your application.rnu003ch2u003eSponsor’s obligationsu003c/h2u003ernu003ch3u003eThe sponsorship obligations framework requires TAS Sponsors to make sure that the sponsored employees:u003c/h3u003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eworking conditions meet Australian standards;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eare not exploited by the TAS Sponsors; andu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eare employed for the visa programmes’ intended purpose.u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003ernu003ch3u003eTAS Sponsors are also required to observe the following obligations:u003c/h3u003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eObligation to cooperate with inspectors;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eObligation to ensure same terms and conditions of employment for sponsored employees and Australian employees;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eObligation to ensure sponsored employees work or participate in nominated occupation, program or activity;Obligation to keep records and provide records and information to the Minister;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eObligation to keep the Department of Home Affairs informed when certain events occur (e.g. address changed, the sponsored employee doesn’t participate in the position, etc);u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eObligation to send a notice of an event or change to the Departmentu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eObligation not to recover, charge or transfer certain costs (e.g. migration agent fees, costs of becoming a TAS Sponsor); andu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eObligation to pay costs to locate and remove an unlawful non-citizen.u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003ernu003ch2u003eCostu003c/h2u003ernu003ch3u003eAUD$420u003c/h3u003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eExtending your sponsorship approvalu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eYour approval as a temporary activities sponsor is usually valid for 5 years.u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eTo continue to sponsor visa applicants for more than 5 years, apply to extend your sponsorship approval before it expires.u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eIf your sponsorship approval expires before you apply to extend it, you must reapply and be approved before you can sponsor another visa applicant.u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e
Labour Agreements are contracts negotiated between an employer, employer group or industry group and the Commonwealth Government (represented by the Department) to allow the employer to sponsor a set number of foreign skilled worker subject to various requirements to work in Australia for the position prescribed in the Labour Agreements.rnu003ch2u003eGeneral requirementsu003c/h2u003ernu003ch3u003eThe Labour Agreement must:u003c/h3u003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eset out the relevant skills shortage in the business and explain why these vaccines cannot be filled by Australian workers;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eprovide a pathway of either permanent or temporary entry into Australia;u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eprovide a maximum number of foreign workers needed; andu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003especify the age, skill and English requirements for the position in skills shortage.u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003ernu003ch3u003eLabour Agreements are generally in effect for five years and provide for visas to be granted under one or more of the following visas:u003c/h3u003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eTemporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa (subclass 482);u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eEmployer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186); andu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eSkilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494)u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e
