Nurses looking to work in Australia on a 457 visa


We've recently been asked about the rules and regulations revolving nurses who wish to come to Australia on a 457 visa and what’s involved in the process.

In order to sponsor Nurses on 457 visas, the usual 457 visa process is followed, however, there are extra registration and licensing requirements. If you’re an overseas nurse looking to come to Australia, you must first be registered in your home country as a nurse, and then you need to apply for Australian licensing via Australian Health Practitioner Registration Agency (AHPRA). Find the AHPRA online here: www.ahpra.gov.au

Prior to submitting the 457 application, it is essential that you go through the AHPRA’s registration process as the Australian registration is required before the 457 visa can be granted. The registration process assesses your skills and qualifications and makes an assessment as to whether you meet the Australian nursing standards.

In addition, they will also have to have relevant educational qualifications in order to meet the skill requirement for this visa.

Australian 457 Visa: the difference between a Standard Business Sponsorship & Labour On-Hire Sponsorship


As a company which assists individuals seeking to obtain 457 visa sponsorship in Australia, we constantly see confusion regarding the features, benefits and differences between the two ways of obtaining 457 visa sponsorship. These two avenues are; Standard Business Sponsorship a Labour On-Hire Sponsorship.

The main difference between both is that the visa holder is either sponsored directly by a
company they are providing the services for (Standard Business Sponsor) or via a third party (Labour On-Hire Sponsorship). There are advantages and disadvantages with both, which may influence your decision to chose one avenue of sponsorship over another.

Through securing and maintaining a Labour Hire Agreement with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Australian, provides the on-hire industry with a clear pathway for the recruitment and contracting of skilled overseas workers. on-hire firms seek to attract and contract overseas workers to on-hire out to unrelated businesses. The labour agreement

When applying for a 457 visa, the on-hire company must meet the same requirements as a Standard Business Sponsor. If you maintain sponsorship through an on-hire company, although on-hire companies are a surrogate employer, you can only be paid directly by the sponsoring (on-hire) company.


Advantage and Disadvantage of a Standard Business Sponsorship:
Advantage: With Standard Business Sponsorship, you have access to opportunities for Employer Nominated Sponsorship (ENS) for Permanent Residency.
Disadvantage: While sponsored through Standard Business Sponsorship you remain restricted to one employer/ role and need to find a new company to sponsor you if you want to move – essentially, you may need to go through the whole visa process again.

Advantage and Disadvantage of a Labour On-Hire Sponsorship:
Advantage: Labour On-Hire Sponsorship provides flexibility with options for permanent or contract based work. You can work on various projects at different sites within your sponsored classification while maintaining sponsorship through an On-hire Firm. On-hire agreements give you flexibility to change jobs without having to apply for/renew your 457 visa. 
(A lot of Labour On-Hire’s also provide salary packaging options – that allows a visa holder to maximise their take home pay through deductable expenses and allowances.)
Disadvantage: At present, although this is being challenged, you cannot apply for Permanent Residency under the Employee Nomination Scheme (ENS).


Whether an individual elects to secure visa sponsorship through Standard Business Sponsorship or visa a Labour On-Hire is entirely up to them and their individual circumstances. It is important for individuals to consider all options before making a decision when it comes to what route of sponsorship that they want to take. There are other facets to making this decision, if you have any further questions please contact us at info@ozmigration.net.au.

Want to work in Australia?


John Glover from OzMigration Solutions explains how you can work & immigrate to Australia.

Sponsoring International Workers


Bizarre as it seems, despite the rise in unemployment, Australia is still suffering from a severe shortage in many skilled occupations. Even when having to downsize in one area, many employers have requirements in other departments that are near impossible to fill in a reasonable time, often leaving key roles open for months on end, resulting in more inefficiencies and further poor results – it’s a vicious cycle.

Although the migration program has recently been pared back, these changes relate only to the permanent visa classes. Employers seeking access to the international resource pool are still able to apply to become approved sponsors under the Standard Business Sponsor program and thereby be eligible to offer sponsored temporary residence visas to suitable international candidates.

In the past, accessing foreign talent was the domain of the multinational blue chip corporations only. SME’s were unsure of how to tackle this complex beast, and more often than not, simply steered away from it. However, with the assistance of registered migration agents and the expertise of consultants who specialise in this niche area, smaller and medium sized enterprises are now starting to realise the benefit of being able to expand their search for talent across the globe. The application costs are relatively minor, especially when compared to the returns realised by having the right person on board on time.

Know your obligations

One of the areas of highest concern is the obligations that the business bears in order to sponsor a visa. There are many horror stories about companies being caught short, and ending up out of pocket when an employment relationship goes sour. While most are urban legends, there certainly have been incidents where companies have been burned simply because they weren’t aware of what their rights and obligations were. Make sure that you fully understand your obligations before you make any offer of employment. DIAC publishes Information Booklets from time to time, stating the requirements. Take the time to familiarise yourself with these obligations to prevent nasty surprises later on. If using an employment management company, find out if they are willing to underwrite some of the more onerous obligations, or how you can protect yourself against later claims through having a solid employment contract in place. Once understood, the visa undertakings are easy to meet.

The role of the migration agent

Migration agents are there to make your dealings with the DIAC as pain-free as possible. They should know the legislation thoroughly and be willing to spend time with you explaining the ins-and-outs of the visa classes. Only use an agent registered with the Migration Agents Registration Authority, and make sure that your agent is well versed in the employer nominated visa classes. Migration law is a vast and complex area, and many agents choose to specialise in only one or two categories. Don’t be afraid to ask for references - a good agent should be happy to supply you with these.

The role of the employment management firm

Employment management firms are often able to simplify the process of employing international workers by offering an outsourced management service. This generally comprises of a payroll service (to offer benefits such as the Living Away From Home Allowance) and a monitoring service, to ensure that the DIAC requirements are being met). The more established firms should also be able to offer you a full package, complete with visa assistance, negotiation between the potential employee and the business, employment law advice and ongoing employment management services. Once again, don’t be afraid to ask for references.

Moving Forward

If you have roles within your business that have traditionally been hard to fill, or one that you are currently struggling to find a suitable candidate for, step out and consider the international workforce. For a relatively small investment, you could tap into a fresh skills pool, where you aren’t clamouring against competing employers or getting involved in bidding wars for the right candidate. There are many thousands of people looking for the opportunity to move themselves and their family to our country. Being offered a sponsored visa is often their only choice, and once secured, their gratitude is evident in their work ethic, with them often going on and rising rapidly through the ranks at their new organisation. Good Luck!

1

Oz Migration Blogs

Nurses looking to work in Australia on a 457 visa


We've recently been asked about the rules and regulations revolving nurses who wish to come to Australia on a 457 visa and what’s involved in the process.

In order to sponsor Nurses on 457 visas, the usual 457 visa process is followed, however, there are extra registration and licensing requirements. If you’re an overseas nurse looking to come to Australia, you must first be registered in your home country as a nurse, and then you need to apply for Australian licensing via Australian Health Practitioner Registration Agency (AHPRA). Find the AHPRA online here: www.ahpra.gov.au

Prior to submitting the 457 application, it is essential that you go through the AHPRA’s registration process as the Australian registration is required before the 457 visa can be granted. The registration process assesses your skills and qualifications and makes an assessment as to whether you meet the Australian nursing standards.

In addition, they will also have to have relevant educational qualifications in order to meet the skill requirement for this visa.

Australian 457 Visa: the difference between a Standard Business Sponsorship & Labour On-Hire Sponsorship


As a company which assists individuals seeking to obtain 457 visa sponsorship in Australia, we constantly see confusion regarding the features, benefits and differences between the two ways of obtaining 457 visa sponsorship. These two avenues are; Standard Business Sponsorship a Labour On-Hire Sponsorship.

The main difference between both is that the visa holder is either sponsored directly by a
company they are providing the services for (Standard Business Sponsor) or via a third party (Labour On-Hire Sponsorship). There are advantages and disadvantages with both, which may influence your decision to chose one avenue of sponsorship over another.

Through securing and maintaining a Labour Hire Agreement with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Australian, provides the on-hire industry with a clear pathway for the recruitment and contracting of skilled overseas workers. on-hire firms seek to attract and contract overseas workers to on-hire out to unrelated businesses. The labour agreement

When applying for a 457 visa, the on-hire company must meet the same requirements as a Standard Business Sponsor. If you maintain sponsorship through an on-hire company, although on-hire companies are a surrogate employer, you can only be paid directly by the sponsoring (on-hire) company.


Advantage and Disadvantage of a Standard Business Sponsorship:
Advantage: With Standard Business Sponsorship, you have access to opportunities for Employer Nominated Sponsorship (ENS) for Permanent Residency.
Disadvantage: While sponsored through Standard Business Sponsorship you remain restricted to one employer/ role and need to find a new company to sponsor you if you want to move – essentially, you may need to go through the whole visa process again.

Advantage and Disadvantage of a Labour On-Hire Sponsorship:
Advantage: Labour On-Hire Sponsorship provides flexibility with options for permanent or contract based work. You can work on various projects at different sites within your sponsored classification while maintaining sponsorship through an On-hire Firm. On-hire agreements give you flexibility to change jobs without having to apply for/renew your 457 visa. 
(A lot of Labour On-Hire’s also provide salary packaging options – that allows a visa holder to maximise their take home pay through deductable expenses and allowances.)
Disadvantage: At present, although this is being challenged, you cannot apply for Permanent Residency under the Employee Nomination Scheme (ENS).


Whether an individual elects to secure visa sponsorship through Standard Business Sponsorship or visa a Labour On-Hire is entirely up to them and their individual circumstances. It is important for individuals to consider all options before making a decision when it comes to what route of sponsorship that they want to take. There are other facets to making this decision, if you have any further questions please contact us at info@ozmigration.net.au.

Want to work in Australia?


John Glover from OzMigration Solutions explains how you can work & immigrate to Australia.

Sponsoring International Workers


Bizarre as it seems, despite the rise in unemployment, Australia is still suffering from a severe shortage in many skilled occupations. Even when having to downsize in one area, many employers have requirements in other departments that are near impossible to fill in a reasonable time, often leaving key roles open for months on end, resulting in more inefficiencies and further poor results – it’s a vicious cycle.

Although the migration program has recently been pared back, these changes relate only to the permanent visa classes. Employers seeking access to the international resource pool are still able to apply to become approved sponsors under the Standard Business Sponsor program and thereby be eligible to offer sponsored temporary residence visas to suitable international candidates.

In the past, accessing foreign talent was the domain of the multinational blue chip corporations only. SME’s were unsure of how to tackle this complex beast, and more often than not, simply steered away from it. However, with the assistance of registered migration agents and the expertise of consultants who specialise in this niche area, smaller and medium sized enterprises are now starting to realise the benefit of being able to expand their search for talent across the globe. The application costs are relatively minor, especially when compared to the returns realised by having the right person on board on time.

Know your obligations

One of the areas of highest concern is the obligations that the business bears in order to sponsor a visa. There are many horror stories about companies being caught short, and ending up out of pocket when an employment relationship goes sour. While most are urban legends, there certainly have been incidents where companies have been burned simply because they weren’t aware of what their rights and obligations were. Make sure that you fully understand your obligations before you make any offer of employment. DIAC publishes Information Booklets from time to time, stating the requirements. Take the time to familiarise yourself with these obligations to prevent nasty surprises later on. If using an employment management company, find out if they are willing to underwrite some of the more onerous obligations, or how you can protect yourself against later claims through having a solid employment contract in place. Once understood, the visa undertakings are easy to meet.

The role of the migration agent

Migration agents are there to make your dealings with the DIAC as pain-free as possible. They should know the legislation thoroughly and be willing to spend time with you explaining the ins-and-outs of the visa classes. Only use an agent registered with the Migration Agents Registration Authority, and make sure that your agent is well versed in the employer nominated visa classes. Migration law is a vast and complex area, and many agents choose to specialise in only one or two categories. Don’t be afraid to ask for references - a good agent should be happy to supply you with these.

The role of the employment management firm

Employment management firms are often able to simplify the process of employing international workers by offering an outsourced management service. This generally comprises of a payroll service (to offer benefits such as the Living Away From Home Allowance) and a monitoring service, to ensure that the DIAC requirements are being met). The more established firms should also be able to offer you a full package, complete with visa assistance, negotiation between the potential employee and the business, employment law advice and ongoing employment management services. Once again, don’t be afraid to ask for references.

Moving Forward

If you have roles within your business that have traditionally been hard to fill, or one that you are currently struggling to find a suitable candidate for, step out and consider the international workforce. For a relatively small investment, you could tap into a fresh skills pool, where you aren’t clamouring against competing employers or getting involved in bidding wars for the right candidate. There are many thousands of people looking for the opportunity to move themselves and their family to our country. Being offered a sponsored visa is often their only choice, and once secured, their gratitude is evident in their work ethic, with them often going on and rising rapidly through the ranks at their new organisation. Good Luck!