edited.jpg

WORK

Accredited Sponsorship

What is Accredited Sponsorship ?

Accredited Sponsorship status is granted to Australian employers that possess a significant, regular and ongoing need to sponsor/nominate overseas workers under the Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482) (TSS) visa. Applications lodged by Accredited Sponsors receive privileged treatment by the Department of Immigration, resulting in faster turn-around times. To be an accredited sponsor, the company must have been a standard business sponsor.

Most applications lodged by Accredited Sponsors are finalized in less than 5 days. In addition,  certain low-risk TSS nomination applications will also receive streamlined processing (that is, the nominations are auto-approved and a decision is made within minutes of lodgement).

A person or organization can become an Accredited Sponsor as part of their application to become an approved Standard Business Sponsor or to renew their sponsorship. If a sponsor is awarded accredited status, they will be able to receive priority processing of all nomination and visa applications in relation to the following visas:

For example, most Accredited Sponsor nominations are approved in approximately 5 business days. Furthermore, certain low-risk nomination applications go through streamlined processing where nominations are auto-approved. For more information about the priority in which sponsored work visas are processed.

Accredited sponsorship lasts for 5 years once you are approved.


What is the Application Process for Accredited sponsorship?

The application for Accredited Sponsorship can be lodged online, similar to renewing a standard business sponsorship. There are 4 categories of sponsors that are eligible to apply for Accredited Sponsorship, with requirements as follows:

+ Category 1: Commonwealth, state and territory government agencies

  • For Government agencies.
  • Australian workers must make up at least 75% of the workforce in the agency.

+ Category 2: Australian Trusted Traders

  • Australian workers make up at least 75% of the workforce in Australia.
  • Must have written contract of employment for all TSS and/or 457 visa holders that meets the National Employment Standards (unless their occupation is exempt)
  • All Australian employees are paid in accordance with an Enterprise Agreement or an internal salary table that reflects the current market salary rates for all occupations in the business

+ Category 3: Low volume usage and high percentage of Australian workers (at least 85%)

  • Australian workers make up at least 85% of the total workforce in Australia
  • The company has been approved at least one nomination for a TSS or subclass 457 visa holder in the last year before the sponsorship is lodged
  • The company’s approval rate for lodged nomination applications in the last year before the sponsorship is lodged is more than 97%
  • Not a sole trader or a partnership
  • The company has an annual turnover of at least AUD 4 million for the last two years
  • The company has been a standard business sponsor for at least one year
  • The company has complied with all of the sponsorship obligations
  • All Australian employees are paid in accordance with an Enterprise Agreement or an internal salary table that reflects the current market salary rates for all occupations in the business
  • Must have written contract of employment for all TSS and/or 457 visa holders that meets the National Employment Standards (unless their occupation is exempt)

+ Category 4: High volume usage and medium percentage of Australian workers (at least 75%)

  • Australian workers make up at least 75% of the total workforce in Australia
  • The company has been approved at least 10 nomination for a TSS or subclass 457 visa holder in the last two years before the sponsorship is lodged
  • The company’s approval rate for lodged nomination applications in the last two years before the sponsorship is lodged is more than 97%
  • Not a sole trader or a partnership
  • The company has an annual turnover of at least AUD 4 million for the last two years
  • The company has been a standard business sponsor for at least two years
  • The company has complied with all of the sponsorship obligations
  • All Australian employees are paid in accordance with an Enterprise Agreement or an internal salary table that reflects the current market salary rates for all occupations in the business
  • Must have written contract of employment for all TSS and/or 457 visa holders that meets the National Employment Standards (unless their occupation is exempt)

What are the Eligibility Requirements for Accredited Sponsorship?

To qualify for accreditation, the sponsor must meet the requirements outlined for at least one of the four categories outlined below:

1.Commonwealth, state, or territory government agency: Australian workers must comprise at least 75% of their workforce in Australia.

2. Trusted traders:

3. Low-risk sponsor (low volume usage and high % of Australian workers):

  • Australian workers comprise at least 85% of their workforce in Australia;

  • Cannot be a sole trader or partnership;

  • Annual turnover of at least 4 million in the past two years;

  • Has been a standard business sponsor for at least one year;

  • No adverse monitoring outcomes unless reasonable to disregard (this information will be available on Departmental systems);

  • Nominations have been approved for at least one primary 457/482 visa holder in the last two years;

  • Has nomination non-approval rate of less than 3% for the last year;

  • All 457 and/or 482 holders are engaged as employees under a written contract that meets National Employment Standards (NES) where they apply; and

  • All employees are paid in accordance with an Enterprise Agreement or an internal salary table that reflects the current market salary rates.

4. Low-risk sponsor (high volume usage and medium % of Australian workers):

  • Australian workers comprise at least 75% of the workforce in Australia;

  • Cannot be a sole trader or partnership;

  • Annual turnover of at least 4 million in the past two years;

  • Has been a standard business sponsor for at least two year;

  • No adverse monitoring outcomes unless reasonable to disregard (this information will be available on Departmental systems);

  • Nominations have been approved for at least ten primary 457/482 visa holder in the last two years;

  • Has nomination non-approval rate of less than 3% for the last two year;

  • All 457 and/or 482 holders are engaged as employees under a written contract that meets National Employment Standards (NES) where they apply; and

  • All employees are paid in accordance with an Enterprise Agreement or an internal salary table that reflects the current market salary rates.


What We Like About This Visa?

As above, there are several attractive features and benefits of being an Accredited Sponsor, such as:

  • Streamlined nominations will be auto approved within minutes with no manual intervention. 

  • Labour Market Testing can be simply met by providing evidence of advertising for the sponsored role on their website. 

  • Visa applicants will not be required to obtain an overseas police clearance provided their sponsoring employer is able to issue a reference letter to confirm good character and no prior conviction. 

  • Processing times of approximately two business days in most cases and up to 5 days. 

  • The auto-approval and shorter processing times is extremely beneficial; potentially allowing you to bring an overseas worker to work for your business within one (1) week


Client Testimonials

….we call it Support Network

As navigating through the immigration law process may be difficult, our former clients have agreed to share their experiences through telephone chats, emails and meeting in person.

These are their stories…


What Questions Do Migration Agents Ask Our Accredited Specialists

  1. Under what business structure, can a job placement company, apply to be a sponsor with the sole purpose of charging a fee to visa applicants? And is there a method which would allow the sponsor to place the visa applicant with another unrelated business?

  2. How can employers charge a payment to the visa applicants in exchange to sponsor, without being caught under the immigration offence ‘cash for visa’?

  3. How many types of visas (including streams), can a Temporary Activities Sponsor benefit from, in sponsoring more candidates? And are there any difference in the sponsorship obligation?

  4. Can a visa applicant pay for costs related to the visa applicant? or must the Sponsor pay for all costs? How do I explain & educate my client, a large company who does not wish to pay for any costs for the sponsorship because the Director feels that the visa applicant has more to benefit than the company.

  5. In what circumstances will a visa applicant lose their right to appeal a refusal?



What are the Legal Personas to Choose From?

Our lawyers are considered “book-smart”, while others are more inclined towards being labelled “street-smart”. The younger lawyers tend to be very fast & responsive, but a handful are slow (although they beg to differ, that slow & steady wins the race). The older lawyers are usually more attentive and have a reputation of customer relations. But if money is no object, you can engage a bunch of them, or all of them.

Why are there different prices for the same service?

We have a variety of legal professionals, allowing you the freedom to choose according to lawyer’s fees, speed, experience and most importantly a personality that matches yours. This way, our clients get the best of shopping around different law firms while eliminating the need to re-tell the story again and transferring of supporting documents. Naturally, junior lawyers charge lower fees and the more years of experience our lawyers gain, the higher their fees. However, it is not all always about profiting, some of our lawyers are open to pro-bono cases (free legal advice).

Similar to the concept of “shopping centers”

…...ALL UNDER 1 ROOF 
shopping around has never been easier


NEXT STEP