Temporary 457 Visa
Subclass 457 - Business (Long Stay) Visa - Standard Business Sponsorship
The most popular of all the temporary visa options for Skilled Workers!
This is a program for employers to sponsor skilled workers to work in Australia on a temporary basis. Employers can nominate a number of positions for different occupations under the same sponsorship agreement.
The visa can be issued for a period up to four years. Whilst holding this visa, the employee is only permitted to work for the sponsoring company in the sponsored role and will need to obtain a further visa if they wish to significantly change their work conditions including a significant change in their role, location of the role or a change of employer.
Family members can be included as dependents in this application.
About The Visa Process:
The process for sponsoring a visa applicant is a three stage process. These being:
- the business sponsorship process
- the nomination application; and
- the personal visa application for the prospective employee
The application can only be processed in the above order. Should one section of the application not be successful, the visa cannot be issued to the employee.
Business Sponsorship Application
This is where the company must show that they are financially viable, can meet the sponsorship obligations associated with becoming a business sponsor and currently provide adequate training for existing Australian employees.
It should be noted that the sponsorship part of this process needs only to be completed once every three year period and an unlimited number of nominations are available under this agreement. This results in any subsequent application lodged by the company in the agreed three year period needing to only submit a nomination and visa application for the overseas national.
Nomination Application
This is where the position being offered to the employee along with the remuneration package is reviewed. The position must be of a full time nature as well as meet all the relevant Australian laws and award conditions for the relevant industry. The position on offer must be of a skilled nature and must be on the list of gazetted occupations which are eligible to be sponsored under this visa scheme.
In addition, evidence to confirm that the overseas national is to be remunerated at a market rate level must also be provided as part of this application.
Personal Visa Application
Finally, the personal visa application for the sponsored person is lodged and assessed. The Department of Immigration ensures that the visa applicant has the skills and work experience to fill the nominated role as well as assesses the health and character of the main applicant and all dependents included in the application.
If an overseas national already holds a Subclass 457 visa and now intends to move their employment to another Australian company, a further application must be submitted. To be eligible, the company who wishes to employ the overseas national must apply for or already have a valid sponsorship in place and submit a nomination application advising that they wish to sponsor the overseas national. Should the role on offer be similar to the role which the overseas national was originally nominated to fill, it may be possible for no further personal visa application to be submitted as any existing period of time left on the original visa can be moved across to the new sponsor.
Please take our quick step qualifier to see if you qualify?
