Employer Sponsored Permanent Residency (186 subclass) Visa
(Prospective or Appointed Staff (Foreign Nationals)
Permanent Employer Sponsored Visas - Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS)
The Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) allows the University to sponsor highly skilled staff who is foreign nationals for a permanent visa to work in Australia. These visas are primarily used for international skilled overseas workers who are either offered continuing or long term (3 years or more) fixed employment by the University.
The University is not obliged to sponsor visa holders for permanent residency and may consider requests on an individual basis as part of a competitive recruitment/ employee attraction and retention strategy for highly skilled recruits.
A School or Division may nominate an international candidate with this visa if the position to be filled is highly skilled and cannot be filled by an Australian citizen or permanent resident. This must be demonstrated by undertaking a competitive selection.
Subclass 186 ENS eligibility requirements
The subclass 186 visa will be the relevant sponsored visa under the ENS option. To be eligible for a University sponsorship, the staff member must meet one of the following relevant streams mentioned below;
Direct Entry stream is appropriate for applicants who are:
- in Australia and do not hold a subclass 457;
- orhave not held a subclass 457 for the last two years;
- orapplying directly from overseas.
Temporary Residence Transition stream is applicable for subclass 457 visa holders who have worked with the University for the last two years and will be employed full time in the same appointment or position for at least two years, without any express exclusion of the possibility of renewal.
The staff member must also;
- be younger than 50 years of age
- meet the skills and qualifications requirements
- meet English language requirements.
Note; there are exemptions relating to age, skills and English language ability. These depend on your nominated occupation, salary and past work experience. If necessary the university can apply for an exemption at time of lodgement.
The University's eligibility guideline for an ENS is as follows:
- A letter of recommendation endorsed by the Dean or Supervisor must be provided before the application will be considered.
- The staff member must have an employment contract that allows him/her to be employed full time in the nominated position for at least two years from the date of permanent visa grant; and
- The staff member must meet all the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) eligibility requirements for the relevant nominated ENS stream.
Subclass 186 visa process
The ENS has 2 stages:
- The University’s Relocation Consultant submits an employer nomination application online to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC)
- The University's Relocation Consultant will contact the nominated staff member with visa instructions on how to lodge an online visa application once the visa nomination is lodged.
Note: Upon nomination approval the applicant must be lodged their visa application within 6 months of date of the nomination approval from DI&C. Failure to lodge within 6 months will require the university to lodge a new nomination (the new nomination fee will be at the expense of the applicant).
ENS visa processing time
The visa processing time for this application is approximately 8 months or longer.
Processing time may be delayed depending on mandatory checks for health and police/security assessments from overseas Consulates.
Delays may result if further Skills or English proficiency checks are required by the DI&C.
Please also be aware that the processing time is contingent on providing a "decision ready" application to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. A "decision ready" application means that all the minimum required documents requested in the nomination and visa check lists are submitted with the relevant application form. Therefore the application must be submitted with all the required documentations as outlined in the nomination and visa check lists to the appropriate visa processing centre.
ENS application costs
- DI&C nomination fee visa cost is AUD$540 payable by the sponsoring School/Division at time of lodgement
- DI&C personal visa cost is AUD$3,060 payable by the Visiting Academic at time of lodgement, however the appointee may be entitled to claim the cost as per their relocation allowance entitlements.
