Are You Qualified For An Employer Sponsored Visa?

If you are working in Australia and the end of your visas validity period is looming, one option which may be open to you may be to apply for an Employer Sponsored Visa. If you are currently in Australia on an Australian Skilled Migrant Work Visa, and you are skilled in a particular type of occupation which is required in Australia, you may find yourself in the position to apply for an Employer Sponsored Visa.

If you are a skilled and qualified hairdresser, for example, and Australia did not have enough hairdressers, you may be able to get your employer to sponsor your application for this visa. This would allow you to continue working for your employer on a more long term basis – depending on the terms of your visa, you may need to re-apply in a few years time – again with the cooperation of your employer.

Should you be granted this visa, there are benefits to enjoy and possible drawbacks to be aware of..

Am I Qualified?

On the Australian governmental website there is a list of all of the occupations in which Australia has a deficit of skilled workers. This could be anything from IT personnel to bricklayers to, as previously mentioned, hairdressers.

If you have gained a recognized qualification (and by recognized, I mean on a National Certification kind of scale) in one of the listed professions, and you have an employer who is content to sponsor you, there is a good chance you would be qualified for an Employer Sponsored Visa.

If you have done some work in one of the listed trades, but you are not certified, it may be well worth considering the pursuit of certification as this can be very useful in terms of visas, be they Employer Sponsored Visa, Business Visa, or Australian Skilled Migrant Work Visa.

Do Business Skills Count?

If you are self employed, and skilled in business, you may be eligible to apply for a Business Visa – this would permit you temporary residency in Australia in order to invest in Australian business, start up or manage your own Australian based business. Although initially more temporary, this Business Visa does have the potential to eventually be extended on a more permanent basis through the State sponsored Business Visa, however that requires sponsorship from the relevant Australian State.

Is My Employer Sponsored Visa Going To Affect Me Negatively?

Lets say you came to Australia on a 3 year Australian Skilled Migrant Work Visa, and since that expired you have been staying in the country on an Employer Sponsored Visa. What happens if your job changes and you no longer like it as much? If the only reason you are still allowed to be in Australia is because your work says they need you to, it does mean that your employer will have a lot of power over you.

I am not saying that all employers who may make use of this type of visa are servants of the devil and are all out to get you, but it is something to think about.

If your circumstances should change and you need to move to a different state or city – possibly for your partner, being tied down to an employer with a commitment of this magnitude may not be an ideal situation to be in.

If, on the other hand, your job is perfect and you are enjoying it, and can see yourself working for this employer for the next few years, it may not be that bad an idea – it all comes down to how much you like your job, really (plus of course how good you are at it!).