Working Visa

Employer Sponsored Visa ( Subclass 457, ENS, RSMS )

The Working Visa is designed to respond to the needs of Australia's employers by enabling them to recruit and nominate skilled people to fill positions that they have not been able to fill from the local labour market or through their own staff training.

Subclass 457

This is a temporary Visa for up to four years and requires sponsorship by an employer in Australia.

There are three parts in the application process:

1. The employer applies to become an Approved Sponsor (through a Standard Business Sponsorship OR by negotiating a Labour Agreement).

2. The employer Nominates a position

3. The employee applies for a Visa.

ENS (Subclass 186)

This Visa allows Australian employers to fill skilled positions with skilled overseas workers on a permanent basis where they cannot fill the skilled vacancies from the Australian labour market.

There are three streams or pathways to obtaining the ENS visa:

Temporary Residence Transition Stream - For applicants who have worked for the employer for two years on a Subclass 457 visa in the nominated occupation and are now being offered a permanent position in that company by the employer;
Direct Entry Stream - For applicants who have not held a Subclass 457 visa with the same employer for the last two years, or for those applying directly from outside Australia;
Agreement Stream - For applicants who are applying as part of a Labour Agreement.

RSMS (Subclass 187)

This Visa allows Australian employers in regional or low population areas of Australia to fill skilled positions with skilled overseas workers on a permanent basis where they cannot fill the skilled vacancies from the Australia labour market.

There are three streams or pathways to obtaining the RSMS visa:

Temporary Residence Transition Stream - For applicants who have worked for the employer for two years on a Subclass 457 visa in the nominated occupation and are now being offered a permanent position in that company by the employer;
Direct Entry Stream - For applicants who have not held a Subclass 457 visa with the same employer for the last two years, or for those applying directly from outside Australia; and
Agreement Stream - For applicants who are applying as part of a Labour Agreement.