Employer Sponsored Visa
Employer Sponsorship in Australia: A Pathway for Skilled Workers
Employer sponsorship in Australia is a key pathway for foreign nationals looking to establish their careers in the country and perhaps settle in permanently. There are various visas that allow Australian employers to recruit skilled workers to fill gaps in the workforce when local talent is insufficient. At ILCA, we specialise in providing comprehensive support to both employers and employees, helping them navigate the complexities of employer sponsorship while ensuring compliance with Australian immigration laws.
The Government has increased the planning level for Employer Sponsored from 44,000 visas in 2024–25 to 58,040 visas for the 2026–27 permanent Migration Program.
What is Employer Sponsorship?
Employer sponsorship involves an Australian business sponsoring a foreign worker for a visa, allowing them to live and work in Australia for a certain period. There are several visa programs designed for employer sponsorship, with the Skills in Demand Visa (SID) subclass 482 and the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Visa subclass 186 being the most common choices.
Updated Skilled Visa Processing Priorities – Ministerial Directions 121 & 122
From 19 September 2026, the Department of Home Affairs has introduced new skilled visa processing priorities under Ministerial Direction 121 and Ministerial Direction 122. These Directions replace Ministerial Direction 119 and set out how certain temporary, provisional, and permanent skilled visa applications are ordered for processing. These changes do not alter visa eligibility criteria or skilled occupation lists. They only affect the order in which applications are assessed.
Ministerial Direction 121 – Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand / TSS)
Subclass 482 applications are now processed in the following order:
1. Highest Priority: Applications relating to occupations in Construction, Healthcare, Teaching, Agriculture, Aquaculture & Fishing, Resources, Australia’s law enforcement or defence interests.
2. Specialist Skills stream applications
3. Primary applicants onshore at the time of lodgement
4. Primary applicants offshore whose application is not combined with another person’s application
5. All other applications
Ministerial Direction 122 – Provisional & Permanent Skilled Visas
Direction 122 applies to the following visa subclasses: 186, 187, 189, 190, 191, 489, 491, 494, 887, 888.
Processing priority is as follows:
1. Highest Priority: Applications relating to occupations in Construction, Healthcare, Teaching, Agriculture, Aquaculture & Fishing Resources, Australia’s law enforcement or defence interests
2. Primary applicants onshore at lodgement
3. Primary applicants offshore whose application is not combined with another person’s application
4. All other applications
Important Note
This information is current and accurate at the time of writing. Ministerial Directions 121 and 122 commenced on 19 September 2026 and apply to both new and existing applications that have not yet been finally decided.
Contact Us Today
If you’re an employer looking to sponsor a foreign worker, or an employee seeking employer sponsorship opportunities, contact us at ILCA for a consultation. Let us help you build a skilled, diverse workforce or navigate your pathway to permanent residency in Australia.
