WORKING VISAS
Working visas to Australia are visas that allow their holders to live, work and study in Australia (temporarily or permanently), and, unlike professional immigration visas, the determining factor in the visa grant is the sponsorship of the employer who wishes fill a job vacancy that cannot be filled by an Australian citizen or resident. This scheme is called Employer Sponsored Scheme.
EMPLOYER SPONSORED SUBCLASS 482 (TSS)
The main subclass of temporary work visas to Australia is subclass 482 (TSS) – temporary skill shortage.
There are three streams in 482 visa and employers must designate one of the three TSS streams:
1. SHORT-TERM STREAM
The nominated occupation must be on the STSOL list;
Applicants must show that they intend to enter Australia temporarily;
The visa is valid for 1 or 2 years (unless an international trade obligation is applied);
A visa can only be renewed once in Australia.
2. MEDIUM-TERM STREAM
The nominated occupation must be on the MLTSSL list;
A higher level of English is required compared to a short-term stream;
The visa is valid for 1, 2, 3 or 4 years;
The visa can be extended without restrictions, and applicants may be eligible for permanent employer-sponsored options.
3. LABOUR AGREEMENT STREAM
This stream is intended for employers who have entered into a labour agreement with the Australian government. In this stream, the work experience and English knowledge requirements are less stringent than in other streams.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS INCLUDES 3 STEPS:
sponsorship application from the employers;
nomination of the occupation by the employers for potential or existing employees;
TSS visa application by the employee.
Both the employer and the employee are subject to certain requirements, although not as stringent as in the case of professional immigration.
REQUIREMENTS TO BE SATISFIED BY THE EMPLOYER:
The employer should be a legally operating business, without compromising history, seeking to use local (Australian) labour resources;
The occupation must be included in the list of occupations for the nomination by the employer.
OCCUPATIONS LISTS FOR TSS:
MLTSSL: a short list of the most popular professions. Allows to obtain a visa for a period of 4 years and for permanent residence;
STSOL: a longer list of occupations that are eligible for a TSS visa for up to 2 years;
Regional occupations: a list of professions that are eligible for TSS only if the position is on the regional list. This list is also suitable for permanent RSMS visas;
The proposed salary cannot be below the level of $ 53,900 per year.
REQUIREMENTS TO BE SATISFIED BY THE EMPLOYEE:
the applicant must have at least 2 years of work experience in the nominated occupation or “related field”;
level of English (not lower than IELTS 5555, for some ocupations the requirements can be increased);
formal educational qualifications and / or work experience relevant to the nominated occupation (for some occupations skill assessment may be required);
be of good character;
absence of health issues.