457 Temporary Business (Long Stay) visa

The 457 Employer Sponsored visa has proved highly successful with over 100,000 current visa holders across Australia. Many Local Governments have benefited using this visa as part of an overall recruitment and retention strategy. With pressures on skill shortages set to continue into the foreseeable future Local Governments must remain well informed and flexible in their approach to meeting HR provisions. Like any recruitment process, it is essential that selection processes are diligent and protect both the employee and the sponsor from political, financial and organisational exposures.

Permanent Employer Sponsored Visas

Local Governments may already be aware that there are other visa options such as permanent visas available for their Temporary Business (Long Stay) employees, which can assist your employees in various ways to settle into Australia. They allow access of greater public services, study advantages, pathways to citizenship and more. It also can assist Local Governments with retention strategies by freeing up access to the housing market and reinforcing longer term employment. The Local Government is also no longer required to fulfill the obligations undertaken during the Temporary Business (Long Stay) phase.

There are two main options for Local Governments to recruit or progress employees under permanent visas, the Employer Nomination Scheme (121/856) and the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (119/857).

For more information please contact the Recruitment and Selection  Team. Recruitment Manager: Lydia Highfield 92132079 lhighfield@walga.asn.au, Recruitment Advisor: Melika Aydin 92132023 melikaa@walga.asn.au