How to Find an Employer Sponsor in Australia

One of the most common questions we receive is, "How do I find an Employer to sponsor me?"

The decrease in state nominations and the end of the 408 Covid work visa have led many people in Australia to look for different ways to get a temporary visa. Also, the new Migration Strategy introduced in December 2023 is making people consider finding a sponsor to help them stay in Australia, which might help them become permanent residents in the future.

Finding a sponsor in Australia requires diligence, patience, a bit of strategy, and even some good luck. In this blog, we will provide 8 tips to help you to find a Sponsor in Australia.

1. Learn about the visa options and what they require for both the applicant and the sponsor

 There are four types of visas for which you will need an employer sponsor:

• The 482 Temporary Skill Shortage Visa enables Australian employers to address labor shortages by bringing in genuinely skilled workers.
• The new Skills in Demand Visa Subclass 482 - Specialist Skills, Core Skills and Labour Agreement
• The 186 Employer Nomination Scheme Visa allows skilled workers who are nominated by an employer to live and work in Australia permanently.
• The 494 Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional Visa is designed for skilled workers who wish to work in regional Australia.
• DAMA, or Designated Area Migration Agreements, for arrangements that offer a flexible approach to addressing unique economic and labor conditions across Australia. 

2. Preparing your profile for the employer-sponsored positions

First, make sure your CV and cover letter are relevant to Australian standards for an occupation on the relevant list. For example, if you are a Chef, highlight your relevant skills and experience and any training.

Questions you should ask yourself

• Is my LinkedIn profile updated to include experience and qualifications?
• Have I completed the English language testing required for many work visas?
• Does my occupation require registration, for example, for health professionals?

These steps can serve as the starting point in your search for a sponsor.

3. Searching the key online job websites

Seek is the most common job website in Australia. You can narrow the search by including keywords such as 482 sponsorship, employer sponsor, or DAMA, since many employers are not looking to hire employees that need a sponsored visa.

LinkedIn can also be a good place to look for potential sponsors in your field.

4. Researching and contacting employers that are already approved sponsors

You can find a list of approved accredited sponsors. Accredited sponsors are sponsors with a strong track record that are given faster processing times.

You can also find a Labour Agreement employer by searching those listed on the Department of Home Affairs website. See the searchable list in the Labour Agreement section in the link below: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/employing-and-sponsoring-someone/sponsoring-workers/nominating-a-position/labour-agreements/list-of-current-labour-agreements

Looking at the accredited sponsor or labour agreements lists can give you a starting point to try to identify companies that match your occupation. For example, restaurants or large hotels for Chefs.

5. Build your personal and professional network

Next, consider networking, including in-person events. Attend industry meetups, webinars, and forums, both online and in-person if possible. Conferences could be a good place to make connections within your industry. The more you network, the higher your chances of finding a potential sponsor.

6. Consider regional areas and smaller cities

Consider moving to regions where there are more shortages and potentially more opportunities to find a sponsor in your occupation.

For onshore candidates, consider roles in or related to the industry you are targeting, but possibly at a lower level than your desired job. For example, if you want to work as an Architect, also consider working as an architectural draftsperson. This could be your opportunity to start working in your field in Australia.

7. Engaging with the employer

When you find potential sponsors, it's time to engage.

For onshore applicants on temporary visas, you may want to consider getting a relevant job and building the relationship before you ask for sponsorship.

For offshore applicants, it can be more difficult because you may need to talk about wanting sponsorship very early on.

8. Getting professional help with the Visa

When you find a sponsor, consider seeking help from a registered migration agent or lawyer to help you with your visa application.

Contact us if you need help with an existing employer-sponsored visa such as 186, 482, 494, or DAMA.

A new Sponsor Visa Coming soon: The Skills in Demand Visa

The Migration Strategy, released in December 2023, introduced the Skills in Demand Visa with three pathways: Specialist Skills, Core Skills, and Essential Skills. The new Skills in Demand visa will provide more flexibility to workers and employers. The Skills in Demand Visa are set to be implemented in late 2024.

No Payment for Sponsorship 

It is important to know that you cannot pay an employer to sponsor you, and the employer is committing a crime if they ask for payment or receive a benefit for sponsorship.

The legislation imposes penalties on a person who asks for, receives, offers, or provides a benefit in return for a visa sponsorship or employment that requires visa sponsorship.

The aim is to:

• Prevent employers from asking potential employees for money or other benefits for a sponsored visa position.
• Prevent applicants from offering employees money or other benefits for a sponsored visa position.

Civil Penalties

• Infringement notice of up to AUD12,600 for a body corporate and AUD2520 for an individual for each failure.
• Civil penalty order of up to AUD63,000 for a corporation and AUD12,600 for an individual for each failure.

The visa holder can have their visa cancelled.

The sponsor can have their Standard Business Sponsorship cancelled.  If the employer has multiple employees on 482’s, then if their sponsorship is cancelled, none of the 482 holders can work for the employer.  This can be highly disruptive for an employer. 

Do you need help with your Sponsor visa application?

Our team of experienced Immigration Lawyers and Migration Agents look forward to assisting you with your visa application.

Based in Adelaide, South Australia, we provide Australian Immigration advice to people and businesses from all over the world.

You can book an appointment online or call us at (+61) 8 8351 9956.

To learn more about the TSS 482 visa click on the following links:

TSS 482 Visa Application Process
TSS 482 Business Sponsorship Requirements
TSS 482 Sponsorship - How do I find a Sponsor?
TSS 482 Sponsorship Obligations
TSS 482 Nomination Requirements
TSS 482 Nomination – Occupation Requirements
TSS 482 Nomination – Labour Market Testing (LMT)
TSS 482 Nomination – Salary requirements including the TSMIT and Market Salary
TSS 482 Nomination – Position Requirements
TSS 482 Visa Application Requirements
TSS 482 Visa application – English Requirement
TSS 482 Visa application – Age Requirement
TSS 482 Visa Condition 8607
TSS 482 Visa and Changing Employers
TSS 482 Occupation List
TSS 482 Regional Postal Codes
What are common issues for the TSS 482 Visa?
TSS 482 Business Sponsor Compliance and Response to Monitoring