Interstaff provides immigration and compliance advice to employers and individuals across a range of scenarios to engage existing visa holders, including:
- Understanding work rights and visa conditions
- Transitioning workers to employer-sponsored visas
- Managing Nomination Transfer applications when hiring existing 482 Visa holders
Understanding work rights and visa conditions
Common visa types that offer work rights without requiring employer sponsorship include:
- The 500 Student Visa, which allows limited work hours during study periods;
- The 417 and 462 Working Holiday Maker Visas, which permit short-term employment;
- Various Graduate Visas that enable recent international graduates to work full-time.
While this flexibility can ease short-term workforce pressures, employers are legally responsible for ensuring their workers have the necessary work rights.
We recommend employers register for a ‘VEVO’ account to check employee visa conditions and seek advice as required.
Interstaff assists employers to understand the practical application of visa conditions and limitations related to working hours, industry, or location of work.
Work Rights: What to Consider Before Employing Migrant Workers
Employing Work and Holiday Makers Beyond Six Months | Staying Compliant
Speak to our Migration Agents to Understand Your Candidate’s Work Rights
Transitioning temporary workers to employer-sponsored visas
We provide eligibility assessments to support the transition of temporary workers onto sponsored visas that offer a pathway to Permanent Residence.
This enables valued employees to continue contributing to your business over the long term. For example, sponsoring Working Holiday Makers for the 482 Skills in Demand Visa or 494 Regional Visa allows employers to retain skilled talent in hard-to-fill roles or regional areas.
To proceed with a 482 or 494 Visa, employers must first gain sponsorship approval before Nomination and Visa applications can be lodged.
Alternatively, sponsorship can be facilitated through a Labour Agreement or a Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA).
These pathways provide concessions for occupations, English, and age limits, targeting regional and niche workforce needs.
Hiring existing subclass 482 Visa holders
Mobility provisions have streamlined the process for businesses to engage Subclass 482 Visa holders who are transitioning between employers.
Companies can employ these workers for up to 180 days before deciding whether to sponsor. While this flexibility should be approached cautiously, it offers several key advantages:
Employers can onboard workers without waiting for Nomination approval, allowing the employee to begin work while the application is underway.
Both parties benefit from a trial phase to assess the fit before committing to sponsorship.
Employers can confidently recruit Subclass 482 Visa holders already residing in Australia, many of whom possess skills that are scarce in the local labour market.
Businesses without an existing Standard Business Sponsorship arrangement can still employ Subclass 482 Visa holders during the 180-day period.
Visa holders can change employers and occupations to support themselves without jeopardising their visa status.
Many existing 482 Visa holders have already accrued work experience in Australia, enabling employers to support their transition to Permanent Residence sooner.
482 Visa sponsorship guidance
When a Subclass 482 Visa holder leaves their previous employer, they are typically seeking a new visa sponsor. Employers are encouraged to be transparent about sponsorship opportunities within their business to attract and retain this talent.
Before sponsoring a worker, it is important to understand how Nomination requirements apply—such as Labour Market Testing, which involves demonstrating genuine efforts to recruit local candidates.
Interstaff provides guidance on engaging existing 482 Visa holders, including support throughout the Nomination Transfer process required for sponsorship.
Experience and Insights:
Hiring Visa Holders
Speak to our Registered Migration Agents to understand your eligibility for visa sponsorship.
Skills in Demand Visa
Subclass 482
Industries
Employing Visa Holders FAQs
No – many businesses support transitions to Permanent Residence for a Subclass 186 Visa on a case-by-case basis. The business must have a genuine ongoing need for the position. The benefit of making Permanent Residence policies available to employees is that it ensures the possibilities are clear and upfront.
In recent years to 2025/26, permanent placements for employer-sponsored and regional visas have remained steady, meaning employers can rely on these pathways for their employees. Read more here.