Visa Options part 2: sponsored VISA

So, you want to stay in Melbourne longer than that first, glorious year? Or you are still at home and contemplating getting work on the other side of the world. Well, if you can get an employer sponsored visa (457 visa) then its the best way to go.

Its much easier to get a 457 visa as the Aussie government are quite happy to take in someone when a)they have a guaranteed job and b) a company willing to vouch for them.

Lets look at two aspects of this process:
1. Getting an employer to sponsor you
This is the hard part!
-It's important to stress how easy the process is
- Let them know that it will only cost a few hundred dollors (nothing in business terms)
-Explain that, as an Irish citizen, you already have reciprocal health benefits (i.e. the Aussie government will pay for hospital cover if you are sick)

2. Dealing with the sponsorship application
- This is the easy part!
- Your employer goes to the immigration website and downloads some forms.
- If your employer has not sponsored before, they will need to fill out a an application to become a sponsor
-Either way, they will also need to fill out an application to nominate you
-When they submit these forms (they can be submitted together) they will get back a transaction reference number, you supply this with your application
-Collect documentation such as:
passport
University degree
Proof of any futher education or training
CV
references from previous employers
and attach them online to the application

-Get x rays taken at a specified centre
-If you have a defacto spouse (i.e. someone you've been living with for more than 6 months)
they can also get sponsored on your visa by supplying additional documents such as:
Lease from your shared accomodation
letters from local groups such as the library
letters from services such as electricity or gas
photos of you together
documentation of previous plane journeys booked together

The time taken to approve sponsorship varies from a few days to 2 months. Generally, when they get all the documentation they need, it will be approved in a few days!

Good luck!

Laura