Can You Sponsor Someone Already in Australia?

 Many employers meet skilled workers who are already onshore. Find out if you can sponsor them and how the process works.    

Yes, Australian businesses can sponsor workers already in Australia on other visas (such as student or graduate visas). They must meet the same requirements as offshore applicants, and their current visa must allow them to apply onshore.

Employers often discover talented staff who are already here studying or working casually. Sponsoring them can be easier than recruiting from overseas; they know your workplace and Australian standards.

However, you still need to go through the full nomination and visa process. The worker must hold a visa that lets them apply for a 482, 494 or 186 visa onshore. If their visa is about to expire, they’ll usually move onto a Bridging Visa while the new application is processed.

For example, a restaurant in Melbourne hired a chef on a Graduate visa. When the chef’s visa was due to expire, the business sponsored them under the 482 Core Skills stream. The chef continued working while the new visa was decided, and the restaurant kept its staff without interruption.

Key Considerations

• The occupation must be on the appropriate list.
• You must meet salary requirements.
• LMT advertising is still required unless certain concessions apply.
• The applicant must meet various English, educational, work experience and other skilled requirements as applicable to the nominated occupation and/or country of passport.
• Additional concessions to the above can potentially be sought via labour agreement rather than through standard business sponsorship.

Thinking about sponsoring a current employee?
Seven Corp can check their visa status and help you transition them legally to sponsorship.