Employer Sponsored Visas

ALC Lawyers expertise in employer sponsored visas

ALC Lawyers are specialists in the area of employer sponsored visas. We do not charge for initial consultations with business owners/directors/managers to determine eligibility and best pathways for visa sponsorship.

Once we have agreed on a strategy, we will prepare/lodge/manage the application process from start to finish on your behalf. We will, of course, need your cooperation in providing us with certain documentation, but otherwise we aim to make the process as easy as possible, whilst also ensuring all legal criteria are satisfied.

Visas requiring an employer to sponsor 

Temporary Skilled (Subclass 482 — Skills in Demand) The most commonly used employer sponsored visa. It allows businesses to sponsor skilled workers on a temporary basis – typically for up to four years – in occupations that appear on Australia’s skills lists. For employees earning above $135,000, the occupation list requirement does not apply. The 482 visa can also serve as a stepping stone toward permanent residency.

Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) A permanent residency visa for skilled workers nominated by an approved Australian employer. The 186 is often the end goal for employees who have been working in Australia on a temporary visa and are ready to make the transition to permanent residency, though direct entry is also possible for eligible applicants.

Training Visa (Subclass 407) A temporary visa that allows businesses to bring overseas workers into a structured occupational training program. It is not a general work visa – the primary purpose must be training rather than filling a labour shortage – and is commonly used where businesses want to develop the skills of overseas employees or trainees in a specific workplace setting.

Labour Agreements For businesses whose workforce needs fall outside the standard visa program, a labour agreement may be the right option. A labour agreement is a formal, binding arrangement between an employer (or industry body) and the Australian Government that allows sponsorship of workers in occupations or under terms not otherwise available through standard pathways.

Labour agreements are particularly relevant where:

• The required occupation does not appear on standard skills lists
• The business operates in a sector or region with specific, demonstrated workforce shortages
• Standard eligibility concession – such as English language requirements, age thresholds, or salary levels – standard criteria need to be adjusted to reflect the reality of the industry

There are three main types of labour agreement. Industry Labour Agreements cover whole sectors with pre-negotiated terms – current examples include aged care, meat processing, and horticulture. Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs) are regional arrangements, negotiated between the Commonwealth and a state, territory, or regional authority, that provide additional flexibility for employers in that area. Company Specific Labour Agreements (CSLA) are negotiated directly with a single employer for situations where no existing industry or regional agreement applies.

Labour agreements generally run for five years and operate as a separate stream within the 482, 186, and 494 visa programs. There is no cost to request a labour agreement, though standard nomination and visa application fees still apply.