If you are an employer having difficulty finding a suitable candidate for a vacant position locally, there are many skilled workers currently onshore with full work rights, on a temporary, provisional or permanent visa. Some of the visas you may encounter are listed below.
For those on a temporary or provisional visa, please note that obtaining skilled work assists them with pathways to permanent residency that do not require direct employer sponsorship.
The Department of Home Affairs
The Department of Home Affairs manages multiple visa programs that allow business to sponsor overseas workers and visa holders. Detailed information on the options available can be found on their website.
Business, Industry and Regional Outreach Officers
Officers are located across Australia and provide information to businesses on Australia’s regional and skilled migration programs. They can be contacted via their online Business, Industry and Regional Outreach contact form.
Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190)
Skilled migrants on these visas are permanent residents with full work rights (even if not yet a citizen).
The 190 visa is for skilled workers who are nominated by a state or territory government agency. The visa holder must remain in the state or territory which nominates them for the first two years.
Read detailed information about this visa on the Department of Home Affairs website. Enquiries regarding these visa requirements should be directed to Department of Home Affairs. Questions about State Nomination requirements can be directed to Migration Tasmania.
Skilled Regional (provisional) Visa (subclass 489) / (subclass 491)
The 489 visa and the 491 visa are for skilled workers who are nominated by a state or territory government agency. This visa allows skilled workers to live and work (with full work rights) in specified regional areas in Australia for up to four years (subclass 489) and five years (subclass 491). Permanent residency is available in as little as two years for subclass 489 and three years for subclass 491 if work and residency requirements set by the Department of Home Affairs are met. The whole of Tasmania qualifies as a regional area.
Read detailed information about this visa on the Department of Home Affairs website. Enquiries regarding these visa requirements should be directed to Department of Home Affairs. Questions about state nomination requirements can be directed to Migration Tasmania.
Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) and Student Visa (subclass 500)
After completing their course, international students may be eligible for a temporary graduate 485 visa. This gives them full work rights for the duration of the visa, which can be from 18 months up to four years, depending on their qualification.
While they are still studying, international students can work for up to 20 hours per week during the semester and for unlimited hours during semester breaks. To address workforce shortages, until 30 June 2023 all student visa holders and their dependants are able to work more than 40 hours a week.
You can read detailed information about this visa on the Department of Home Affairs website. Enquiries regarding this visa subclass should be directed to the Department of Home Affairs.
Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO)
If you find a skilled worker onshore you can check the work rights attached to their visa using the Department of Home Affairs Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO).