The Australian Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) grants permanent residence to overseas workers who are sponsored by their Australian employer. The Employer Nomination Scheme is specifically designed to enhance Australia's ability to compete globally while satisfying genuine shortages in the Australian skilled labour market.

Australian Employer Nomination Scheme Visa Basic Requirements

The Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) allows overseas workers or temporary workers in Australia to be sponsored for permanent positions that the employer has been unable to fill from within the Australian labour market or through their own training efforts. The Employer Nomination Scheme visa application process is made up of two important stages:

1. Nomination by the employer

The Australian employer must obtain sponsorship status. To obtain sponsorship, the employer must:

• Demonstrate that they are actively and lawfully operating in Australia.
• Have a commitment to training existing employees.

Once the employer has demonstrated they satisfy the sponsorship criteria, the position to be filled (or nominated) must also meet certain requirements. For example, the position must be full time for at least 3 years and be on the gazetted list of approved occupations for this category.

2. Visa application

Once the nomination has been approved, the visa application must be lodged within six (6) months. The visa application must be lodged at the same Business Centre of DHA as the corresponding nomination, even if the nominee is outside Australia. To qualify, prospective applicants must be less than 49 years of age, meet the prescribed English language criteria and hold the necessary skills and qualifications for the nominated position. In some cases, applicants may access exemptions for the age, skills and English language criteria depending on the occupation, salary and past work experience for their particular case. All applicants are required to satisfy certain health and character requirements in order to meet the visa criteria.

In cases where an applicant does not have a sponsor, there is the ability to lodge an Expression of Interest through the DHA SkillSelect database. This step allows prospective employers and also the state/territory governments to view applicant details and offer sponsorship.