The Employer Nomination Scheme

A visa category under the permanent visa stream, the Employer Nomination Scheme is for skilled workers wanting to work in Australia. Applicants need to check they have been nominated by an approved Australian employer. They must then apply for a visa application under the stream in which they were nominated.

There are three streams in the Employer Nomination Scheme:

  1. The Temporary Residence Transition stream. This stream is designed for applicants holding a Subclass 457 visa holder who have worked for their nominating employer in the same occupation for two (2) years.
  2. The Direct Entry stream. Designed for applicants who have briefly or never worked in Australia. You must not have held a Subclass 457 visa with the nominating employer for the last two (2) years.
  3. The Agreement stream. This stream is for applicants who are being sponsored by a nominating employer via a Labour Agreement.

Stage 1: The Nomination

The nominating employer will need to show that:

Stage 2: The Visa Application Process

Once they have been nominated by their employer in Australia, applicants may then apply for the visa application. This must occur within six (6) months of the nomination being approved.

The applicant will need to show:

Under each relevant stream, there are also specific requirements that the visa applicant will need to meet:

The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) Visa

A permanent residence visa for skilled workers, the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) visa is for workers who have received a job offer to work in regional or low population areas of Australia. The aim of this visa program is to attract skilled workers to fill employment vacancies in skilled positions where local Australian workers are not available. There must be a genuine need for a paid employee, the position must be full time and it must last for at least two (2) years.

The visa comprises three streams:

  1. The Temporary Residence Transition stream. Designed for applicants who are Subclass 457 visa holders and have worked for their nominating employer in the same occupation for two (2) years.
  2. The Direct Entry stream. This stream is for applicants who have briefly or never been employed in Australia. Applicants should not have held a Subclass 457 visa with the nominating employer for the last two (2) years.
  3. The Agreement stream. A stream for applicants who are sponsored by their nominating employer via a Labour Agreement.

Generally, there are three (3) stages to an RSMS application:

Stage 1: RCB Certification

If an employer wants to nominate a visa applicant under the Direct Entry stream, they will need to apply to the Regional Certifying Body (RCB) in their local area. The employer will need to obtain advice from the regional certifying body about the position they wish to fill. They must demonstrate that there is a need for the nominated position within their business. Before they issue their approval, each RCB office will make an assessment using its own terms and requirements that need to be fulfilled.

Under the Temporary Residence Transition stream, no RCB certification is required.

Stage 2: The Nomination

In stage 2, the nominating business will must demonstrate that:

Stage 3: The Visa Application

Once they have been nominated by their employer in Australia, applicants will be able to make the visa application. The visa applicant will need to demonstrate:

Under each relevant stream, there are specific requirements that visa applicants need to meet:

Contact us for more information on your visa eligibility. Please call us at +61 413 910 985 or drop us an email at enquiry@GreatJourneyMigration.com.au.