Certain sponsors will be eligible to apply for “accredited status.” Accredited sponsors receive priority processing for all TSS nominations and visa applications – usually these applications are processed in less than five days.
Also, applicants who are sponsored by an accredited sponsor are not required to obtain police certificates from countries other than Australia if they provide a written reference from their accredited sponsor confirming that they are of good character and have not been convicted of any criminal offences.
Set out below are the categories of sponsors who are eligible for accreditation.
Criteria for becoming an Accredited Sponsor
- Category 1 Commonwealth, state and territory government agencies:
- Must have Australian workers comprising at least 75% of their workforce in Australia.
- Category 2 “Australian Trusted Traders” must:
- Have Australian workers comprising at least 75% of their workforce in Australia;
- Engage all TSS/457 visa holders as employees under a written contract of employment that includes at least the minimum employment entitlements as required under the National Employment Standards (NES) (if applicable); and
- Have all Australian employees paid in accordance with an Enterprise Agreement or an internal salary table that reflects the current market salary rates for all occupations in their business.
- Category 3 Low volume usage and high percentage of Australian workers must:
- Have Australian workers comprise at least 85% of their workforce in Australia;
- Are not a sole trader or a partnership (some exceptions apply);
- Have an annual turnover of at least AUD4M for the last two years (some exceptions apply);
- Have been a standard business sponsor for at least one year (some exceptions apply);
- Have nominations approved for at least one primary TSS or subclass 457 visa holder in the last year (some exceptions apply);
- Have a nomination non-approval rate of less than 3% for the last year;
- Have no adverse monitoring outcomes;
- Have all Australian employees paid in accordance with an Enterprise Agreement or an internal salary table that reflects the current market salary rates; and
- Engage all TSS /457 visa holders as employees under a written contract that meets NES (if applicable).
- Category 4 High volume usage and medium percentage of Australian workers (at least 75%) must:
- Have Australian workers comprise at least 75% of their workforce in Australia;
- Are not a sole trader or a partnership (some exceptions apply);
- Have an annual turnover of at least AUD4M for the last two years;
- Have been a standard business sponsor for at least two years;
- Have nominations approved for at least 10 TSS 457 visa holders in the last two years;
- Have a nomination non-approval rate of less than 3% for the last two years;
- Have no adverse monitoring outcomes;
- Have all Australian employees paid in accordance with an Enterprise Agreement or an internal salary table that reflects the current market salary rates; and
- Engage all TSS and/or subclass 457 visa holders as employees under a written contract that meets NES (if applicable).
More information about becoming an Australian Trusted Trader can be found here.
How to apply
Businesses can apply for accredited status when they apply to become a standard business sponsor or when renewing an existing sponsorship.
If the business does not meet the requirements for accredited status, the application for standard business sponsorship will still proceed and be assessed in the usual way.
For advice regarding becoming an accredited sponsor, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@hartmanlawyers.com.au for Australian immigration assistance.
Disclaimer:
The information on this website is intended only to provide a summary and general overview on relevant matters. It is not intended to be comprehensive nor does it constitute legal advice. You are advised to seek legal or other professional advice before acting or relying on any of the content contained in this website.