The requirements are modest — you only need

1. The applicant is under 45；

2. Holds the equivalent of an IELTS 6 in each band；

3. Holds a positive skills assessment for a nominated occupation on the medium- and long-term list;

4. Has three years of full-time work experience related to the nominated occupation；

5. Secures sponsorship from an eligible employer in Australia

A wide range of eligible occupations

The Subclass 186 occupation list is also very broad, with 216 occupations in total. Popular Subclass 186 occupations include:

Generous quotas and many occupations

Based on the quotas the Australian Government set at the start of this financial year, employer sponsorship still tops the list, with a sizeable increase over 2021-22 — the quota has risen to 35,000 places。

Is employer sponsorship processing as usual? Is the grant rate high?

A: Employer-sponsored visas have always been a mainstream Australian skilled-migration pathway, with substantial quotas every year and very stable processing, and the number of grants has consistently ranked first among skilled-migration pathways. According to the latest Department of Home Affairs data, the 2021-22 grant rate reached as high as 97.1%。. So once an applicant successfully obtains the nomination, the grant generally follows very smoothly.

Who is an Australian employer-sponsored visa suited to?

1. 1.    An EOI migration score below 65 points

Because of age and English, many applicants cannot lift their EOI score and remain stuck around 50-60 points. They could try Subclass 491 regional state nomination, but that requires living in a regional area for three years and earning at least AUD 53,900. Middle-aged and with families in tow, many are reluctant to take the indirect Subclass 491 regional route.

1. 2.    Having waited years for points-based skilled migration with no result

Most applicants work in popular occupations where the invitation cut-off sits well above their own score — for example accounting, IT and engineering, where current Subclass 189/190 EOI invitation rounds mostly require 85 points or more, while applicants have only around 65-75. Their skills assessment and English results expire and get renewed in turn, yet the invitation never comes.

1. 3.    Wanting to lock in the outcome as soon as possible

With their children’s schooling, employment and business plans in mind, applicants want to seize the moment while employer-sponsorship quotas are generous and processing is fast — no competing on points with international students, no grinding away for a high English score — and comfortably secure permanent residency with their family and move to Australia.

Are the requirements on the employer demanding?

In an employer-sponsored application, the employer’s standing largely determines the whole case. We therefore assess the employer’s eligibility from several angles, including: any adverse record, the company’s turnover, whether it is profitable, its organisational structure (the ratio of existing staff on visas to full-time employees), and whether there is a genuine need for the nominated position.At the same time, we need to provide enough evidence for the case officer to accept that the applicant is irreplaceable in the company’s recruitment for the role.

Can the application be lodged from outside Australia?

Australian employer sponsorship allows you to apply and be granted offshore. We have already helped many outstanding overseas professionals use Subclass 186 employer sponsorship to lodge their whole family’s applications offshore and secure Australian permanent residency in a single step.

Accountant, Quantity Surveyor, Software Engineer, ICT Business Analyst, Information Systems Security Specialist and many other popular occupations

Past articles worth revisiting

Australian migration fully restored, net overseas migration hits a record high

For those who rushed to lodge late last year, the road to PR is steadily bearing fruit

Overseas engineering, advertising, design, finance and more receiving fast, direct invitations — this NSW pathway has suddenly taken off!

2023