Employer Nomination Scheme Visa

The Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) enables Australian employers to sponsor highly skilled workers to live and work permanently in Australia.

Employers can employ skilled workers from overseas or temporary residents who are already here visiting or working in Australia.

Features

This visa is a permanent residence visa for skilled workers. It allows you to work in Australia under one of three streams:

• the Temporary Residence Transition stream

• the Direct Entry stream

• the Agreement stream.

Requirements

You might be able to get this visa if you:

• have been nominated by an approved Australian employer

• are younger than 50 years of age, unless you are exempt

• meet the skills, qualifications and English language requirements, unless you are exempt

• apply under the stream for which you were nominated

The visa has three streams:

1. The Temporary Residence Transition stream is for subclass 457 visa holders who have worked for two years, while holding a subclass 457 visa, in the same occupation with their nominating employer (who has lodged a valid nomination with us under the Temporary Residence Transition stream), who wants to offer them a permanent position in that occupation.
2. The Direct Entry stream is for:
   
   • people who have been nominated by their employer under the Direct Entry stream

   • people who have never, or only briefly, worked in Australia, or

   • temporary residents who do not qualify for the Temporary Residence Transition stream
3. The Agreement stream is for people sponsored by an employer through a labour agreement.