EMPLOYER SPONSORED VISA ~ Subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme

This visa, referred to as the TSS visa, enables employers to address labour shortages by bringing in genuinely skilled workers where they cannot source an appropriately skilled Australian.

It facilitates targeted use of overseas workers to address temporary skill shortages, while ensuring that Australian workers get priority. TSS visa holders can work in Australia in their nominated occupation for their approved sponsor under one of three streams:

Temporary Residence Transition stream:

This stream may be available if your employer wishes to sponsor you for permanent residence.

You may be eligible under this stream if you hold either of the following:

• Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa (subclass 482) – in the medium-term stream unless transitional arrangements apply
• Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457) – not granted under labour agreement arrangements or
• related associated Bridging visa

and have worked for your employer full-time in Australia on your TSS and/or subclass 457 visa(s) for at least:

• three out of the previous four years (before the nomination is made) in the same position that they have nominated you for or
• two out of the previous three years before the nomination is made, if transitional arrangements apply because you either held, or were an applicant for, a subclass 457 visa (which was subsequently granted) on 18 April 2017.

Direct Entry Stream:

The Direct Entry stream is for:

• people who have been nominated by their employer under the Direct Entry stream
• people who have never, or only briefly, worked in Australia, or
• temporary residents who do not qualify for the Temporary Residence Transition stream

Agreement stream:

The Agreement stream is for people sponsored by an employer through a negotiated formal labour agreement.