Employer Sponsored Visas
A visa can feel like a full time job – let us do it for you. We’re here to help you fast-track your application.
This page is for employees seeking a visa. Are you a business or employer?
Which visa can we help you with?
It’s normal to feel unsure when deciding which visa you should apply for – we can help you decide. Learn more about the subclasses we support below:
Short-term Skill Shortage (TSS) visa
This short-term visa lets an employer sponsor a skilled worker to fill a position they can’t find an equally skilled Australian worker to fill. With this visa you can live and work in Australia and if eligible, apply for permanent residence.
Employer Nomination Scheme visa
This visa lets skilled workers, who are nominated by their employer, live and work in Australia permanently.
Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa
This visa lets skilled workers who are nominated by an employer in regional Australia, live and work in Australia permanently.
Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa
This short-term visa allows regional employers to sponsor skilled workers to address identified labour shortages within their region when they can’t source an appropriately skilled Australian worker.
Training visa
This temporary visa lets people take part in workplace-based occupational training to improve their skills for a job, area of tertiary study, field of expertise or in a professional development training program in Australia.
How we take the stress out of your application
Peace of mind
With over 20 years of experience, and input from former Visa Processing Officers from the Department of Home Affairs, our team will identify the right visa for you and prepare an application with a 99% chance of approval. If your visa isn’t approved, you’ll get your Matilda agency fee refunded.
Time-saving technology
We’ll cut your hours of work from 200 to 20 by preparing your application for you.
Photo albums, long form statements, travel history, government forms and more will be taken off your plate and completed to the highest standard by your agent.
Unlimited expert support
We provide personalised and unlimited support to our clients. This includes a free 30 minute consult with our migration experts and unlimited check-ins and application reviews.
Applying for a employer sponsored visa with Matilda
Here’s the step-by-step of what to expect when you work with us.
1. Find an employer who will sponsor you to work and live in Australia
Many employers don’t sponsor employees. Matilda supports employers who are interested in becoming sponsors.
2. Take our eligibility quiz
Answer a few simple questions to find out if you’re eligible with Matilda.
3. Get your personalised plan based on your migration goals
Receive a personalised plan for how to secure your visa based on your skills and experience.
4. We’ll do the heavy lifting for you
You provide the basic info, then we do the heavy lifting of drafting your eligibility related legal statements and coordinating with your employer.
5. Final review and lodgement
Your application undergoes multiple reviews from our migration experts prior to being lodged with the Government.
6. Receive post-lodgement support
We’ll keep you updated on your visa processing time and support you with post-lodgement tasks.
Get your visa!
Take your career to new places
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“Matilda made the sponsorship process so easy to go through. They gave clear, helpful advice to my employer and me, handled most of the work, and I could tell they deeply cared about securing my future to live and work in Australia.”
Alfonso
Our pricing is always transparent
All prices are inclusive of GST.
Subclass 482
This is a short-term visa that allows employers to meet skills needs by sponsoring workers to work in Australia.
Subclasses 186 and 187
This is a permanent visa that allows skilled workers who are sponsored by an employer to live and work in Australia.
This page is for employees seeking a visa. Are you a business or employer?
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, an Australian employer can sponsor and employ an overseas worker. To do so, the employer will need to prove that they can’t find a suitable Australian citizen or permanent resident to fill the job vacancy and will need to become an approved sponsor.
In most cases, employers can only sponsor skilled workers who are qualified in an eligible occupation listed on the Skilled Occupation List. Employer-sponsored visas can be granted on either a short-term or permanent basis, too.
Learn more in our ultimate guide to employer-sponsored visas.
There are a range of employer-sponsored visa options available, each with its own eligibility criteria.
In general terms, to qualify for an employer-sponsored visa, a skilled worker:
- Must be qualified for a job listed on the Skilled Occupations List (unless exempt)
- Must have at least two years’ work experience in this occupation
- May need to complete a skills assessment related to this occupation
- May need to provide evidence of relevant registration or licensing
Application processing times vary significantly between different types of visas. Processing times are managed by the Australian Department of Home Affairs and can change frequently.
As of May 2024, the average processing time for sponsorship under the Short-term Skill Shortage Visa (TSS) (subclass 482) is 50% of applicants processed within eight days and 90% processed within four months.
Visit the Home Affairs website to check the current visa processing times for your visa subclass.
As of 1 July 2024, the costs for employee-sponsored visas include:
- Permanent employer-sponsored visa under the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186): AUD$4,770
- Short-term stay under the Short-term Skill Shortage Visa (TSS) (subclass 482): AUD$1,495
Plus, employers will need to pay a range of application costs, including:
- Becoming an approved sponsored (under the TSS 482 visa program): AUD$420
- Nominating a visa application for the TSS 482 visa: AUD$330
- Paying the Skilling Australians Fund levy: this is a tiered pricing system based on your business turnover and the proposed time your employee is going to stay in Australia
To check the current fees and charges for your specific permanent visa subclass, head to the Department of Home Affairs website.
Remember that this is only the Government fees and these costs are not refundable, even if your application is rejected. If you decide to work with a migration agent, you’ll also pay their agent fees. It’s up to the employer and the applicant to agree on who will cover these costs.
To find out more about sponsoring an applicant as an employer, visit our For Businesses page.