Get The Visibility Your Company Needs
Reduce compliance risks and mobility costs while managing individual and project-related travel with ImmiSMART: the solution that unifies your travel and mobility programs.
Australia Immigration Services
With offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Newland Chase Australia provides corporations and individuals operating in Australia with complete support for all their immigration and visa needs – inbound to Australia and outbound to more than 190 countries around the world. Our full spectrum of services allows us to manage all of your business visa and employee immigration needs.
Australia’s migration laws are complex and constantly changing. With our unmatched experience, knowledge, and expertise we will guide clients through the entire process – supporting companies and individuals each step of the way. At the core of our leadership team are several former senior managers and officers of the Australian Department of Immigration with experience across the operational, policy, and secretariat areas of the Department.
Regulated by Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA) as per the Code of Conduct.
Immigration Summary
Our Australia immigration experts act as trusted business advisors – supporting you in virtually any unique or complex immigration-related matter. Our Australia team is able to manage the scope of immigration in large-scale projects and employee moves, as well as guide you through the immigration complexities involved in corporate restructuring, mergers, and acquisitions. Below is an overview the more common employment-based immigration routes that we manage for employers.
The Subclass 400 Temporary Work (Short-Stay Specialist) visa is for short-term assignees who will be in Australia for highly specialised, non-ongoing work or to participate in an event at the invitation of an Australian organisation.
This visa is usually granted for a stay of up to three months within a 12-month period, although up to six months may be granted at the discretion of the Australian authorities, and in very limited circumstances (with a strong business case).
This visa cannot be extended, but can be applied for again from outside Australia, in the event that a return visit is required due to the nature of the work. Multiple visas are unlikely to be granted for an applicant to remain onshore for any more than 6 months in any 12-month period, as the work would generally be deemed ‘ongoing’ and no longer within the scope of the 400 visa.
The Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa is designed for employers wishing to sponsor overseas workers to fill nominated skilled positions in Australia on a temporary basis. Employers can be either Australian or overseas entities.
The 482 Visa is divided into two main streams, determined by the nominated occupation: short-term and medium-term.
The TSS (Subclass 482) Medium-Term stream is available for occupations listed on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) or the Regional Occupation List (ROL). It can be issued for up to four years, may be renewed and may lead to Australian permanent residency.
The TSS (Subclass 482) Short-Term stream is available for occupations listed on the Short-term Skilled Occupation list (STSOL). It can be issued for up to two years, may be renewed onshore once and does not lead to Australian permanent residency.
The applicant must have relevant skills and experience corresponding to ANZSCO. If the applicant does not have a tertiary qualification, they will need the equivalent relevant experience in the nominated occupation in the past five years. As a general rule, the immigration authorities will expect to see at least five years of experience for post-professional positions and three years for trade positions.
If providing a qualification, the primary applicant must also demonstrate at least two years' relevant work experience. Some primary TSS visa applicants must undergo a mandatory skills assessment as part of the visa application process.
English language proficiency tests are required for all principal applicants unless the applicant::
- holds a passport from Canada/Ireland/New Zealand/UK/USA;
- can demonstrate at least five cumulative years of full-time study in a secondary and/or higher education institution where the instruction was delivered in English; or
- is an intra-company transferee with a guaranteed base salary of over AUD 96,400 per year.
The Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa allows Australian employers to fill skilled positions in Regional Australia (generally defined as anywhere outside the Brisbane, Sydney, or Melbourne metropolitan areas). Applicants must must be under 45 years old, have competent English and hold a successful skills assessment at the time of lodgement.
There must be a Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) or Labour Agreement, and a Nomination either approved or submitted before a visa application can be lodged. Nomination applications must include evidence that Labour Market Testing has been undertaken, as well as advice from a Regional Certifying Body confirming that the market rate is acceptable for the local area. A Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy is payable.
Nomination applications must include evidence that Labour Market Testing has been undertaken, as well as advice from a Regional Certifying Body confirming that the market rate is acceptable for the local area. A Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy is payable.
Once granted, the visa will be valid for five years, with a number of compliance conditions. Holders are also eligible for Medicare, so private health insurance is not required.
Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) allows Australian and overseas businesses to sponsor foreign nationals for the Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) and Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visa. In order to be approved as a sponsor, the business will firstly need to demonstrate that it is actively and lawfully operating, and that no adverse information is known about the business. An SBS is valid for five years from the date of approval. Once approved, the business is then eligible to nominate an unlimited number of applicants until the SBS expires. As an approved sponsor, the business is obliged to abide by the relevant sponsorship requirements. These sponsor obligations are wide reaching and aim to ensure that overseas workers are not disadvantaged. Our Australian immigration experts will assist you in obtaining and maintaining your SBS by providing you with the support you need to maintain compliance.
Accredited Sponsorship Status – Sponsors who qualify for accredited status will receive priority processing of all TSS nomination and visa applications. In addition to application for sponsorship, in order to qualify as an accredited sponsor, the business must show that it meets additional requirements relating to the percentage of Australian employees in its workforce, turnover, usage of the 457/TSS program, and that it has wages set in accordance with an Enterprise Agreement or an internal salary table that reflects the current market salary rates.
The Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) is a permanent residency route which allows Australian employers to fill highly-skilled positions in Australia with a non-Australian citizen or resident.
The 186 visa has three streams with differing criteria:
- Direct Entry - Applicant must demonstrate at least three years relevant, full-time work experience and pass a skills assessment by the authorised professional body;
- Temporary Residence Transitional - Hold a 457/TSS visa and have worked for the nominating employer for at least a period of three years’ full time (alternative provisions apply to certain 457 visa holders – contact us for further information);
- Agreement Stream - be sponsored by an employer through a labour agreement with permanent positions, and meet all relevant criteria set out in the agreement.
In all streams, the nominating employer is required to lodge a nomination application for the position of the visa applicant and demonstrate that there is a genuine need for the visa applicant to fill the position.
Nationals of New Zealand may travel to Australia and take up employment without restriction and without the need to apply for a visa. New Zealand Citizens are granted a Subclass 444 Special Category visa at the border every time they enter Australia. Please note this arrangement does not apply to permanent residents of New Zealand.
Our team of 50 Australian immigration consultants are highly qualified and dedicated professionals with extensive experience in all aspects of Australian immigration. They come from the best of legal, consulting, in-house corporate, and government backgrounds, and bring a breadth of experience and insight both in immigration and a multitude of industry sectors. Every Newland Chase Australia consultant is a registered Migration Agent with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA) and is a member of the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA). In addition to English, a number of our team members can communicate with clients in their native languages – such as Mandarin, Thai, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Urdu, and Hindi. With a dedication to service and a consultative approach, our people act as your trusted advisors and partners in achieving your business goals in Australia.
Our Australian leadership team directs over 50 immigration experts working for you in Australia. Meet our Australia leadership team: