Under the 457 visa, there are two categories:
- Labour Agreements
- Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS)
A labour agreement is a formal agreement between the Government and a person or organisation in Australia. Under this agreement, an employer is authorised to employ people in Australia on a temporary or permanent basis. The purpose is to provide a flexible solution to skill shortages when there is a demonstrated need that cannot be met by Australian workers. The agreements are generally in effect for three years.
Labour agreements fall into four categories:
- Company-specific
- Industry
- Project
- Designated area migration agreements
Generally, a labour agreement must specify:
- The skills shortage in the business and why the vacancies can’t be filled by Australian workers. You need to have made a genuine and recent attempt to employ Australian workers.
- The number of skilled workers required
- The age, skills and English requirements related to the occupation.
If the occupation you wish to employ is not on the Skilled Occupations List for the 457, then you may be able to negotiate a Labour Agreement. It is also the only option for semi-skilled labour.