The Australian Government’s Skills Shortage Visa program is the brains, brawn, and beauty of regional employment. While Australia’s got talent, the immigration restrictions of the past few years have shown us, we need to import some talent too! So, the 482 Skills Shortage Visa allows migrants to gain entry to Australia if they possess the skills we need to thrive. As a Queensland employer, bringing a skilled worker in from overseas requires a few hurdles jumped but it’s not too difficult to bring new skills to your region.
What our expert, Ben Klatt says:
In all my years working in upskilling training, and in government roles, I found an ongoing problem, that really has a very simple solution. Australia, especially the regions, has a shortage of educational facilities that deliver the right skills at the right time. I know, it’s because we’re so spread out that it’s very difficult to put tertiary educational facilities in every postcode, but with so many institutions offering 100% online study now, the skills shortage should be far simpler to solve. A combination of online learning and skilled migration should sure us up for generations to come.
What does the Australian Government want?
Visa subclass 482 is wholly about proven skills. The visa requirements (view more here) allow for up to four years of full-time work in Australia provided you’re sponsoring someone with the right skill set, and the occupation is on the sponsored list. You can also hire an employee who has independently secured a working visa (subclass 189) or an employee who has fulfilled the skills assessment and satisfied the immigration points system for the occupation in question.
Which occupations are in high demand?
The Visa subclass 482 job categories are listed on an Australian Government Legislative Instrument Document. The list is varied, with everything from professional staff including qualified ICT Support Officers to Workplace Health and Safety Officers, to farmers, musicians and florists. It’s not just mining engineers and quality assurance auditors – there’s a broad selection of options. The full list of applicable occupations can be found here. If you have a worker in mind, they will need to be sure that they meet the criteria in the “points system”. This includes their ability to speak English, their general health (including chest xrays) and professional criteria, each assigned a numeric weight. If they don’t “have enough points” they may need to undertake study to ensure their birth country qualifications and experience are recognised here. This is usually done via a reputable RTO.
How can I hire a worker to come to the regions?
The process for a 482 subclass visa begins with international recruitment. Where you’re not part of a global franchise, this can be done through migration agents or Australian colleges for international students. Once you’ve found the employee, you will need to go through the Migration Program. The process can take days, weeks or months depending on the candidate and their birth country. Hong Kong and New Zealand immigration is somewhat simpler than from other countries. The Skilled Migrant 482 Subclass rules change fairly regularly as Australia’s workforce needs change. Queensland’s workforce needs are often different to the rest of the country too, having a vast agricultural, mining and tourism sector, not to mention a whole lot of land and a natural wonder of the world. No wonder we experienced skill shortages!
Disclosure: Although QPE is NOT AFFILIATED with Skills Recognition Australia, the staff were instrumental in preparing this article.
