Month: March 2019

New Category Added to the Accredited Sponsor Scheme

Posted by Rebecca Berkovic on

The Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs has recently agreed to a new category of accredited sponsor (category 5), as explained below.

Background

The Accredited Sponsor Scheme provides streamlined processing arrangements for those sponsors who apply to become accredited. Accredited sponsors receive priority processing for Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) nominations and visa applications, with most applications processed in less than five days as well as priority processing for ENS (Employer Nomination Scheme subclass 186) and RSMS (Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme subclass 187) nomination and visas applications. The scheme has four categories of sponsors which are described below:

  • Category 1: Commonwealth, state and territory government agencies with Australian workers making up at least 75% of the workforce in Australia.
  • Category 2: Australian Trusted Trader with Australian workers making up at least 75% of the workforce in Australia.
  • Category 3: Low volume usage and high percentage of Australian workers (at least 85%).
  • Category 4: High volume usage and medium percentage of Australian workers (at least 75%).

For each of these categories there are a number of conditions that a business must meet to be accredited, such as requirements relating to minimum annual turnover, business structure and employment arrangements.

New Category 5: Major investment in Australia

A new Category 5 has been added to the Accredited Sponsor Scheme. In order to be accredited in this category applicants must:

  • have made a major investment in Australia (of at least AUD50 Million) which has directly generated Australian employment. Options for measuring a “major investment” may include:
  • a lasting contribution to Australia, including: the value of the investment, the company’s pattern of investment, jobs created, export outcomes generated, tax contribution; or
  • innovative business practices or technologies, including: introducing new skills and capabilities, setting up research activities in Australia or collaborating with Australian research institutions; or
  • supporting exports and the expansion of Australian industry within global supply chains, particularly in high value-add areas.
  • not be a sole trader or a partnership.
  • have been a standard business sponsor for at least one year.
  • have nominations approved for at least one primary TSS/457 visa holder in the last year.
  • have had more than 97% of nomination applications approved in the last year.
  • have no adverse monitoring outcomes.
  • have paid all Australian employees in accordance with an Enterprise Agreement or an internal salary table that reflects the current market salary rates.
  • engage all TSS/457 visa holders as employees under a written contract that meets National Employment Standards where they apply.

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.

Labour Agreement Update

Posted by Rebecca Berkovic on

Labour agreements for aged care providers

A number of aged care providers care for older Australians from multicultural backgrounds. In these circumstances specialised services may be required, for example, to care for aged Australians with limited English language proficiency or cultural requirements.

Accordingly, aged care providers can request a company specific labour agreement to sponsor skilled overseas workers for a Temporary Skill Shortage(TSS) subclass 482 visa, or an Employer Nominated Scheme (ENS) subclass 186 visa.

The Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs has recently agreed to allow aged care providers in multicultural communities to seek the following terms and/or concessions to be included in their labour agreement:

  • a pathway to the permanent residency ENS visa, provided nominees having been employed for at least three years on a TSS visa,
  • an age concession allowing ENS visa nominees to be up to 55 years old, and/or
  • a lower English language proficiency requirement equivalent to the short-term stream of the TSS visa (ie International English Language Testing System (IELTS) component scores of at least 4.5 and an overall IELTS score of at least 5.0).

Labour agreements will only be considered where it is demonstrated that Australians cannot fill skill shortages and standard work visa programs cannot be used.

Changes to Minister of Religion Labour Agreements

The Minister of Religion Labour Agreement (MORLA) settings have recently changed.

  • Religious institutions can now seek a MORLA to sponsor overseas workers under the additional occupation of ‘Religious Assistant’.
  • Thresholds for sponsoring the occupation of ‘Minister of Religion’ have been made more flexible. Previously, the nominee was required to work in the most senior position in a specified location. Under new arrangements, the nominee can work in any senior position.

Sponsors will still need to demonstrate they meet all requirements of the program and have made reasonable efforts to fill positions with Australians.

 

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.

Visas for General Practitioners

Posted by Rebecca Berkovic on

Visas for General Practitioners

The Visas for GPs initiative was announced in the 2018-19 Budget as part of the Government’s Stronger Rural Health Strategy—a 10 year plan to meet health workforce needs across regional, rural and remote Australia. The Visas for GPs initiative is intended to allow the Government to better manage the growth and distribution of the national medical workforce.

From 11 March 2019, a Health Workforce Certificate (HWC) will be required for an employer to nominate a position for the ENS visa (subclass 186), RSMS visa (subclass 187), and TSS visa (subclass 482) in the following occupations:

  • General Practitioner (ANZSCO 253111),
  • Medical Practitioners not elsewhere classified (nec) (ANZSCO 253999), and
  • Resident Medical Officer (ANZSCO 253112).

An HWC is a letter issued by a Rural Workforce Agency confirming the genuine need to fill a primary healthcare position at a given location in Australia by an overseas doctor in the above occupations.

Under this initiative, the number of doctors entering the primary healthcare workforce through the skilled migration program will be reduced by about 200 doctors a year, over a period of four years. This initiative will direct doctors into areas that have lower access to services such as rural, remote and regional areas of Australia.

Importantly, the Department of Home Affairs has warned that nomination applications for doctors that do not contain the HWC will be subject to processing delays and the nomination cannot be approved.

For advice regarding submitting a nomination which requires an HWC, 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.