What Is An Employer Nomination Scheme?

The Employer Nomination Scheme is a visa that enables skilled individuals to work in Australia on a permanent basis. It involves two stages; nomination by an approved Australian employer, and an application made under the nominated stream. The three streams to apply through are the Temporary Residence Transition stream, the Direct Entry stream, and the Agreement stream.

The Temporary Residence Transition stream is relevant for 457 visa holders who have worked with the same employer for two years and are being offered a permanent position. The Direct Entry stream is available to individuals that have never or only briefly worked in Australia, temporary residents who don’t qualify for the Temporary Residence Transition stream, and those that received a nomination from an employer before 1st July 2012. The Agreement stream is for individuals that are sponsored by an employer through a labour agreement.

To apply, applicants must have received a nomination from an approved Australian employer for a chosen occupation. They must also be younger than 50 years old (unless stated otherwise) and meet certain skills, qualifications and English language requirements.

Applicants can include married or de facto partners and dependent relatives including children. Within the application form is a statement that applicants will obey Australian law and respect Australian way of life. Anyone 18 years old or more will be expected to sign this after reading the Life in Australia book. Applications for the ENS visa are to be made online in or outside of Australia.

Once the applicant has been granted the visa, they and their included family members are entitled to permanent residency. This includes living, working and studying in Australia, receiving Medicare, sponsoring other relatives for permanent residency, applying for Australian citizenship and travelling to and from Australia for five years following the approval of the visa.