Program Overview

Labour Agreements are formal and legal arrangements to employ a number of skilled overseas employees. Agreements are normally operative for two (2) to (3) years and both permanent and temporary visas can be issued under these arrangements.

Who is this program for?

An employer might consider a Labour Agreement in the follow circumstances:

• where they need employees to fill occupations not listed as approved occupations for the Temporary Business (Long Stay) Subclass 457 visa, permanent Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) or Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme, or occupations which are not covered under the Australian Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO) yet a genuine need for skills and a shortage of such exists
• where a business recruits labour for the supply to an unrelated business and/or the hiring of labour to unrelated businesses
• meat companies (On 15th October 2007 Migration Regulations were amended and now exclude these companies from the standard business sponsorship program)

How much does this program cost?

Negotiating Labour Agreements does not cost.

There is a non-refundable fee for every Temporary Business (Long Stay) Subclass 457 visa nomination and visa application.

There is also a non-refundable charge for every Permanent visa application but there is no fee for lodging a nomination.

What does this program let me do?

This program allows you to employ multiple overseas skilled workers on either permanent and/or temporary visas.

Temporary Visa

This visa allows people you employ from overseas to:

• work in Australia for a time frame of up to four (4) years
• bring with them to Australia any eligible secondary applicants. Secondary applicants are able to work and study in Australia
• enjoy unlimited travel in and out of Australia for the period of their temporary employment

Permanent Visa

This visa allows those workers your employ from overseas and any secondary applicants included in their visa application to reside permanently in Australia.

Permanent residents of Australia are able to:

• work and live in Australia permanently
• study at Australian academic institutions such as schools, tafes or universities
• claim healthcare which is subsidised under the Australian Medicare system and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
• apply for applicable social security payments (subject to specific conditions and waiting periods)
• apply for Australian citizenship (subject to specific conditions and residency eligibility criteria)
• become sponsors for others wishing to obtain permanent residence in Australia