This month, the Government announced the Accredited Sponsorship Scheme will be expanded to allow more businesses to access priority processing times of up to 5 business days for a 482 visa, compared to the current average wait of 42 business days for a 482 Visa. Currently only 900 businesses have been accredited under the Scheme and the Government expects the number of businesses with access to faster visa processing will triple by the end of 2019. The expanded scheme now allows businesses who have invested at least $50 million into their Australian operations in the past five years to become eligible for the Accredited Sponsorship Scheme and more efficiently sponsor overseas workers on a 482 Visa for temporary skills gaps.
Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Mr Coleman believes the expansion of the scheme will provide greater certainty and confidence in business workforce planning arrangements and support the growth of businesses making significant contributions to Australia’s economy.
“Extending the scheme to reputable businesses that have invested $50 million in Australia will ensure those businesses can access the skilled workers they need, and they can continue to contribute to the economy through further investment, job creation and innovation,” Mr Coleman said.
How businesses can benefit from the Accredited Sponsorship Scheme
Businesses that are eligible to access visa processing times of only five business days or less for their 482 Visa applicants are better able to compete with other global organisations for highly skilled and experienced overseas candidates. The reduced time frame also provides options to secure workers for more urgent work requirements or tight project deadlines, although Labour Market Testing will still be required to provide evidence of the difficulty in sourcing a suitable candidate locally before engaging a 482 Visa holder.
Is my business eligible for the Accredited Sponsorship Scheme?
Eligible businesses can apply to receive priority visa processing by upgrading their Standard Business Sponsorship to Accredited status. To apply for the Accredited Sponsorship Scheme, businesses must demonstrate an unblemished track record of compliance with Australian migration and employment law, amongst other requirements.
A business’ level of investment in Australian operations is only one category of eligibility for the Accredited Sponsorship Scheme, with some of the other business categories eligible for the scheme requiring smaller financial investments. To apply, businesses will need to be either:
- An Australian Trusted Trader with at least 75% of its workforce in Australia
- A publicly-listed or private company with an annual turnover of at least AUD $4 million in the last 2 years. The business must also be an active 457/TSS sponsor with a non-approval rate of less than 3% and a particular percentage of Australian workers.
- A Commonwealth, State or Territory agency with at least 75% of Australian workers.
- A major investor with at least AUD $50 million invested in Australian operations.
To understand how the Accredited Sponsorship Scheme differs to Standard Business Sponsorship and lead times to secure a 482 Visa applicant, view our fact sheet here. You may also be interested to know the Government has announced a $19 million plan to provide priority visa processing to businesses sponsoring workers in regional areas over the next four years – read our article on this here.
Interstaff | Business Migration Specialists since 1988
We encourage you to contact Interstaff’s team of Registered Migration Agents to assess and advise whether your business meets the requirements for the Accredited Sponsorship Scheme and how we can prepare and manage the application process on your behalf. Simply contact 08 9221 3388 or visa@interstaff.com
Source:
Interstaff Registered Migration Agents
Department of Home Affairs – Media Release
Migration Institute of Australia
