Is your hospitality or restaurant business experiencing labour shortages in the local market and needing overseas workers? Or would you like to contribute your services to hospitality businesses in Australia? There are several visa options available to assist in hospitality in Australia, particularly in rural, remote, and regional areas – but also in some metropolitan areas like Melbourne.
Metropolitan and regional cafes and restaurants often express their difficulty in sourcing managers, chefs, and cooks locally. Unfortunately, labour shortages are likely to have worsened for the hospitality sector during the pandemic as travel restrictions have meant many hospitality businesses in Australia that have been limited in their ability to engage overseas workers. Fortunately, the occupation ‘Chef’ has been recognised by the Government as critical to the supply of essential goods and services during the current pandemic.
It may therefore be possible to access priority Government visa and nomination processing so your business can more quickly access the skills it needs. Here’s what you should know about employing overseas workers for work in the hospitality industry.
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Hospitality Sector Visa Melbourne
Thankfully for many hospitality businesses, after almost two years of requiring workers to be granted Critical Work Travel Exemptions to enter the country, participating States and Territories in Australia re-opened their international borders to fully-vaccinated eligible skilled visa holders from December 2021. International testing and quarantine requirements may also apply depending on the State or Territory of arrival.
These relaxed restrictions mean employers are no longer limited to engaging overseas migrants that can meet a Critical Work Travel Exemption and they can once again more easily engage skilled migrants for their work needs. You may therefore be considering which visa and sponsorship options are available to the hospitality and restaurant sector. There are a few options in the migration program that are commonly used by the sector – such as:
- TSS 482 Visas – for a 2 or 4 year visa period, depending on eligibility;
- Regional 494 Visas – for a 5 year visa period with a provisional pathway to Permanent Residence;
- Working Holiday Program Visas – for young applicants from eligible countries.
- Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMA’s) and Labour Agreements – to establish a visa and sponsorship arrangement with the Government for current and future migration needs;
- Independent Skilled 189, 190 or 491 Visas – for non-employer sponsored Permanent Residence;
- Permanent Residence 186 and 187 Visas – to retain visa holders for work in your business.
The applicant and business’ eligibility for these visas depends on several factors, including the circumstances of work, genuine requirements to employ a skilled migrant, and Australian labour market conditions – among others. Our registered migration agents can conduct an eligibility assessment of the visa options that may be available based on your circumstances.
Page last updated: 4 January 2022 – you may wish to contact Interstaff’s Registered Migration Agents so that your circumstances can be assessed with the most up-to-date migration requirements.
How Interstaff’s migration experts can help
Interstaff regularly works with businesses in the hospitality industry to determine a migration strategy that will meet their labour needs. It is important to understand the variety of visa options available to your business’ employees, which may include employer-sponsored visas, general skilled migration, and pathways to transition to Permanent Residence. There are also several factors to consider when ensuring the business and applicant remains compliant with Australia’s visa and sponsorship obligations, changing migration laws and regulations, and international travel restrictions/procedures. Our Registered Migration Agents begin by reviewing your circumstances and eligibility and advising on the most suitable options and any relevant visa requirements. Following a consultation, our migration agents can assist with all aspects of the application process and assist with any queries you may have or complexities that may arise.
While the sponsorship, visa, and nomination application process can be complex and require ongoing liaisons with the Department of Home Affairs, State and Territory agencies, and regional certifying bodies, don’t let legal compliance and administrative burdens hinder your business’ growth and competitiveness in the industry. Our migration agents are well-equipped to manage your visa and migration requirements, having assisted businesses for over 30 years since 1988. We are focused not only on managing your business migration requirements but also on providing a supportive employee experience to your candidates requiring visas. We coordinate the visa process on behalf of you and your visa applicants while providing professional advice at each step of the process.
Interstaff Industry Experience – Melbourne’s Hospitality Industry
Our team assist with the process to engage overseas workers for your business. We work with several hospitality venues and have successfully processed numerous visas for our clients, which has helped them to reduce business risks such as staff turnover. We understand complex ownership structures and help your business remain compliant with migration legislation requirements. Our experienced migration agents are sought for their expertise in business migration – and regularly assist business owners and their overseas employees with their skilled migration needs.
Get in touch with our Registered Migration Agents on 1800 449 858 to discuss your business migration needs. You can also call our Melbourne Office on 03 8319 0902 or +61 8 9221 3388 (International) for more information.