A number of changes have been incorporated into the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS).

The Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) allows Australian employers to sponsor employees who are foreign nationals for a permanent visa to work in Australia.

An ENS visa is suitable for Australian employers who want to sponsor highly skilled workers for a permanent visa to work in their business in an approved occupation listed on the Employer Nomination Scheme Occupation List (ENSOL). The employees can be either skilled workers from overseas, or skilled workers who are currently temporary residents in Australia. 

The Employer Nomination Scheme has two parts. The employer must first apply to the Department of Immigration & Citizenship for approval of a nominated position as an ‘approved appointment’. The nomination application relates to a particular position and not to an individual.  

Secondly, the nominated employee must make a separate visa application. In order for a visa to be granted the nominated appointment must be approved and the visa applicant must satisfy the relevant criteria for the visa grant.

What changes have been made to Employer Nomination Scheme?

The changes made to the ENS program relate to:

• the occupations listed on the Employer Nomination Scheme Occupation List (ENSOL),
• the inclusion of an approved assessing authority, and 
• the minimum salary rate for ENS occupations. 

Specifically, the changes are;

• the removal of the occupation Slaughterer (ANZSCO 831212) from the Employer Nomination Skilled Occupation List (ENSOL). 
• the addition of Dog Handler or Trainer (ANZSCO 361111) to the ENSOL.
• the inclusion of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) in the ENSOL as an approved assessing authority. Note: skills assessments from this authority are solely intended for ENS applicants whom the organisation wishes to recruit for teaching or research positions.
• an indexation of the minimum salary rate under the ENS. Accordingly, the new ENS minimum salary level has increased from;

Employers under the ENS program must ensure that the nominated position pays a salary rate which is equal to or above the minimum salary rate specified for that particular occupation.  Please note that this is different from Australia’s subclass 457 visa program, Australian market salary rates do not apply to the Employer Nomination Scheme.