Arrive Australia - Employer Enquiries

Employer-Sponsored Migration Advice for Australian Businesses

Need to Sponsor a Skilled Worker in Australia?

Arrive Australia helps Australian employers understand and manage employer-sponsored migration.

Whether you are looking to sponsor one skilled employee, recruit workers from overseas, retain an existing temporary visa holder or develop a broader international workforce strategy, our Registered Migration Agents can help you identify the appropriate pathway.

We assist businesses with employer-sponsored visas, business sponsorship, nominations, regional migration, labour agreements and ongoing sponsorship compliance.

Where international recruitment is also required, Arrive Australia works alongside Konnecting's specialist recruitment divisions to provide employers with an integrated recruitment and migration solution.

This enquiry service is specifically for Australian employers.

Make an Employer Enquiry

CALL 1300 131 131.

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Employer Migration Services Australia

Practical Migration Advice for Employers

Employer-sponsored migration can provide Australian businesses with access to skilled people when the required capability cannot readily be sourced locally.

However, sponsoring an overseas worker involves more than selecting a visa.

Before proceeding, employers should consider:

• whether the business is eligible to sponsor;

• the duties of the proposed position;

• the appropriate occupation classification;

• whether the occupation is eligible;

• salary and market salary requirements;

• Labour Market Testing where applicable;

• the worker's qualifications and experience;

• licensing or professional registration requirements;

• English language requirements;

• the most appropriate visa pathway;

• sponsorship costs and obligations; and

• potential long-term retention pathways.

Arrive Australia can assess these factors before your business commits significant time or resources to a proposed sponsorship.

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Employer-Sponsored Visa Options

Depending on the employer, position, location, and worker, several Australian migration pathways may be available.

Skills in Demand Visa – Subclass 482

The Skills in Demand visa—subclass 482, commonly known as the SID visa—is one of Australia's principal temporary employer-sponsored visa programmes.

It allows eligible Australian employers to sponsor appropriately skilled overseas workers in nominated positions where the applicable requirements are satisfied.

The SID programme includes:

• Core Skills stream;

• Specialist Skills stream; and

• Labour Agreement stream.

Arrive Australia can assist with:

• Standard Business Sponsorship;

• occupation and position assessment;

• salary considerations;

• Labour Market Testing;

• nomination applications;

• subclass 482 visa applications; and

• sponsorship compliance.

Learn About SID Visa Sponsorship

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Employer Nomination Scheme – Subclass 186

Permanent Employer-Sponsored Migration

The Employer Nomination Scheme subclass 186 provides eligible employers with a pathway to sponsor skilled workers for permanent residence.

It can be relevant where an employer wants to:

• retain an existing sponsored employee;

• provide a longer-term pathway for a valued worker;

• recruit an eligible skilled professional permanently; or

• support workforce retention.

Depending on the circumstances, pathways can include Temporary Residence Transition and Direct Entry.

Eligibility requirements differ between streams.

Our Registered Migration Agents can assess whether a subclass 186 pathway is available to your employee or prospective candidate.

Learn About The 186 Visa

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Regional Employer Sponsorship – Subclass 494

Businesses operating in designated regional areas may have access to the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional subclass 494 visa.

Subclass 494 provides a five-year provisional employer-sponsored visa for eligible skilled workers employed in designated regional Australia.

It can be particularly relevant for employers experiencing persistent workforce shortages outside Australia's major metropolitan centres.

Regional employers may also have access to a broader range of occupations or other migration arrangements depending on their location.

Discuss Regional Sponsorship​

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Labour Agreements

When Standard Sponsorship Programmes Are Not Enough

A Labour Agreement may provide an alternative where an Australian employer has a demonstrated need for overseas workers but cannot adequately access the required occupations or conditions through standard skilled visa programmes.

Depending on the circumstances, options may include:

• Industry Labour Agreements;

• Designated Area Migration Agreements – DAMAs;

• Company-specific Labour Agreements; and

• other approved labour agreement arrangements.

Labour agreements are not appropriate for every employer.

They generally require a genuine workforce need and evidence supporting the employer's request.

Arrive Australia can assess whether a standard employer-sponsored pathway should be used first or whether a Labour Agreement may warrant further consideration.

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Designated Area Migration Agreements – DAMA

Migration Options for Employers in Designated Regions

A designated area migration agreement, commonly known as a DAMA, is an agreement between the Australian government and a designated regional authority.

DAMAs can provide participating regional employers with access to migration arrangements that may differ from standard skilled migration programmes.

Depending on the individual DAMA, this may include:

• additional occupations;

• different eligibility settings;

• age concessions;

• English language concessions;

• salary concessions; or

• pathways tailored to regional workforce needs.

Available occupations and concessions vary between DAMA regions.

An employer generally needs to operate within the relevant designated area and satisfy the requirements of both the regional authority and the Department of Home Affairs.

Our migration team can assess whether your business may have access to an applicable DAMA.

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Standard Business Sponsorship

Does Your Business Need to Become an Approved Sponsor?

If your organisation intends to sponsor eligible overseas employees through the Skills in Demand programme, it may first need to become an approved Standard Business Sponsor.

Arrive Australia can assist employers with assessing and preparing sponsorship applications.

This can include reviewing:

• business operations;

• trading history;

• organisational structure;

• proposed workforce requirements;

• sponsorship history;

• compliance matters; and

• supporting documentation.

Becoming an approved sponsor does not automatically mean every proposed worker can be sponsored.

Each position, nomination and candidate must satisfy the applicable requirements.

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Already Employing a Temporary Visa Holder?

Not every employer enquiry involves recruiting someone from overseas.

You may already employ a worker who:

• holds a temporary visa;

• is working for another sponsor;

• wants to transfer sponsorship;

• is approaching visa expiry;

• wants permanent residency;

• has changed position;

• needs a new nomination;

• has changed employment circumstances; or

• may have another migration option available.

Arrive Australia can assess the worker's current immigration position and advise your business on available employer-sponsored options.

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Sponsorship Transfers

Can You Sponsor Someone Who Is Already in Australia?

Potentially, yes.

Australian employers frequently identify skilled workers who are already in Australia on temporary visas.

Depending on the worker's existing visa, occupation and circumstances, your business may be able to nominate the person for a new employer-sponsored position.

A new employer should not assume that an existing visa automatically permits the worker to commence employment immediately.

The worker's visa conditions, proposed nomination and employment arrangements should be assessed before the change occurs.

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From Temporary Sponsorship to Permanent Residency

For many businesses, migration is not simply about filling an immediate vacancy.

Retaining experienced employees can be equally important.

Depending on eligibility, employees sponsored under the Skills in Demand programme may later have access to permanent employer-sponsored migration through the Employer Nomination Scheme subclass 186 or another permanent residence pathway.

Considering the longer-term migration strategy early can help employers understand:

• potential employee retention options;

• expected sponsorship timeframes;

• future nomination requirements;

• likely costs;

• permanent residence pathways; and

• workforce succession planning.

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International Recruitment + Migration

Need Us to Find the Worker as Well?

Some employers already have a suitable overseas candidate and only require migration assistance.

Others know they need skilled workers but do not yet have the candidates.

Arrive Australia operates alongside Konnecting's specialist recruitment divisions, allowing employers to access both services where required.

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Specialist recruitment capability includes:

Engineering Personnel

Engineering, infrastructure, mining, resources and technical professionals.

Auto Recruiter

Automotive technicians, motor mechanics, diesel mechanics, automotive electricians, panel beaters, vehicle painters and automotive specialists.

Blue Collar Skills

Qualified tradespeople, technicians, maintenance, manufacturing and skilled trade occupations.

Healthcare Staffing

Nurses, allied health professionals, medical practitioners and healthcare specialists.

Agri Crew

Agriculture, horticulture, livestock, food production and specialist agribusiness occupations.

Scientific People

Scientific, laboratory, technical and specialist professionals.

IT Recruiter

Information technology and digital professionals.

This integrated model allows recruitment and visa eligibility to be considered together rather than identifying an overseas candidate first and discovering migration problems later.

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Employer Sponsorship Compliance

Sponsorship Does Not Finish When the Visa Is Granted

Approved sponsors have ongoing obligations under Australia's employer-sponsored migration framework.

These can include obligations relating to:

• employment conditions;

• equivalent terms and conditions;

• record keeping;

• notification of certain changes;

• cooperation with inspectors;

• prescribed costs;

• employment arrangements; and

• other sponsorship requirements.

Employers should maintain appropriate systems for managing sponsored workers throughout their employment.

Arrive Australia can provide migration advice to help businesses understand their sponsorship obligations and identify potential compliance issues.

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Workforce Migration Planning

Planning to Recruit Multiple Overseas Workers?

Businesses with ongoing or larger workforce requirements should consider migration as part of broader workforce planning.

Rather than assessing every vacancy separately, we can help employers consider:

• occupations required;

• number of positions;

• workforce locations;

• salary structure;

• local recruitment activity;

• candidate availability;

• sponsorship capacity;

• visa pathways;

• regional migration opportunities;

• Labour Agreement options;

• permanent residence pathways; and

• ongoing employer compliance.

This can be particularly useful for organisations undertaking:

• business expansion;

• major projects;

• regional growth;

• new site openings;

• workforce replacement programmes;

• acquisitions;

• large-scale recruitment; or

• long-term skills planning.

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Industries We Assist

Arrive Australia assists Australian employers across a broad range of industries.

Our experience includes:

• Engineering

• Construction and Infrastructure

• Mining and Resources

• Automotive

• Manufacturing

• Skilled Trades

• Agriculture and Agribusiness

• Food Production

• Healthcare and Allied Health

• Aged Care

• Scientific and Technical Services

• Information Technology

• Professional Services

• Regional Industries

• Other eligible skilled occupations

Migration eligibility is determined by the applicable visa requirements rather than industry alone.

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Why Employers Choose Arrive Australia

Registered Migration Advice

Australian employer sponsorship is regulated immigration work.

Our Registered Migration Agents provide advice based on the employer's actual circumstances rather than relying on generic visa information.

Employer-Focused Migration Strategy

We assess the requirements of the business, position and proposed worker together.

Recruitment Capability When Required

Where you do not already have the candidate, we can work with Konnecting's specialist recruitment teams to search Australia and international markets.

Temporary and Permanent Pathways

We can advise on temporary sponsorship as well as potential permanent employer-sponsored pathways.

Regional Migration Expertise

Regional businesses may have additional migration options, including subclass 494 sponsorship and applicable DAMA arrangements.

Labour Agreement Capability

Where standard sponsorship options do not adequately address a genuine workforce need, we can assess whether a Labour Agreement strategy warrants consideration.

Ongoing Employer Support

Our involvement can extend beyond the initial visa application to sponsorship strategy, future nominations, permanent residence planning and employer compliance.

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How Our Employer Enquiry Process Works

1. Tell Us What Your Business Needs

Provide details about:

• your organisation;

• position;

• occupation;

• location;

• salary;

• proposed employee;

• number of vacancies; and

• your current recruitment situation.

2. Initial Employer Review

We review the information to identify the likely issues and potential migration pathways.

3. Speak With Our Migration Team

Where appropriate, one of our migration professionals can discuss the employer's circumstances and determine what further assessment is required.

4. Migration Strategy

If you proceed, we can provide advice and assistance regarding the appropriate sponsorship, nomination and visa process.

5. Recruitment if Required

If you do not yet have a suitable candidate, we can connect you with the appropriate specialist Konnecting recruitment division.

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Frequently Asked Questions for Australian Employers

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Speak With an Employer Migration Specialist

If your business is considering sponsoring an overseas worker, retaining a temporary visa holder or developing an international workforce strategy, speak with Arrive Australia before you proceed.

Tell us:

• your business name;

• industry;

• location;

• occupation required;

• salary;

• number of positions;

• whether you already have a candidate;

• the candidate's current location and visa status, if known; and

• whether your business has sponsored workers previously.

Our team can then determine the appropriate next step.

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Employer Enquiry

For Australian employers seeking migration or sponsorship assistance.

Submit Your Employer Enquiry

Call 1300 131 131 from within Australia.

Arrive Australia Migration Service.
MARN 0853698