Innovation and diversity are the keys to growth in Australia, especially as we move through this trying pandemic era. But does your business have the skills it needs? Right now, Australia is seen as one of the world’s most attractive countries in which to live. Clean air, a fabulous lifestyle and relatively free of the pandemic… it’s easy to see why. That makes now the perfect time to consider attracting the international talent you need to take your business to the next level. However, while there are plenty of talented individuals that will jump at the chance to move here, the Australian Government remains vigilant about the workers it will allow into the country – temporarily or otherwise. If you’ve decided you want to look beyond our shores for talent, you’ll need to check that the skills you’re after cannot already be found in Australia. You can do this by looking at the list of eligible skilled occupations – these are the skills officially recognised as not being currently available in Australia. The next step is to identify and approach the international talent you want to join your team. If they’re keen to join you, then you’ll need to apply to become a sponsor. Your application will require you to demonstrate that you have previously, unsuccessfully, sought out the talent you need locally. This is known as labour market testing. You’ll also need to include a copy of the employment contract you are offering your proposed international talent. The skilled worker you sponsor may be: A person living overseas who wishes to travel and work in Australia, or A person already living in Australia on another type of visa which does not currently allow them to work, or A person who currently lives and works on a Temporary Work skilled visa (subclass 457) or Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482) who wants to gain a permanent visa. The Ayers Group Can Help Sponsoring international talent is complex and time-consuming – and unfortunately, there are no guarantees of success. However, the good news is that at the Ayers Group, we have experts on hand to assist you in your application. As one of few companies that is approved by the Australian Department of Immigration to hire and on hire international workers, we can advise you on the eligibility of the workers you’re considering and arrange the temporary or permanent visas required. To speed things up we can provide pre-approval of your applicant. Importantly, should you wish, we can employ the international workers you need then allow you to contract their services, freeing you of the risks associated with visa sponsorship. Talk to an expert from the Ayers Group today.