Hello, boss.

Many employers may not know how a Registered Migration Agent (RMA) work for them and assist them find a skilled staff to fill out the position gap.

Why might you need someone from overseas to work for you?

Employers often turn to overseas talent when local candidates are unavailable, to fill skill gaps, meet business demand, and bring global expertise to their teams, for the following reasons:

1. Skills shortage
Some roles require specific skills or qualifications that are hard to find locally. For example:

• Engineers

• Healthcare professionals

• IT specialists

• Trades workers (e.g. welders, electricians)

2. Industry demand exceeds local supply
In high-growth industries like construction, aged care, agriculture, and hospitality, local workers may not be enough to meet demand.

3. Language or cultural expertise
Some roles need people who speak a certain language or understand specific cultures, such as:
• Translators
• International sales reps
• Multilingual customer service agents

4. Global experience and innovation
Overseas employees may bring fresh perspectives, international knowledge, and innovation, which can benefit the business in a global market.

5. Willingness to work in regional or less popular areas
It can be hard to find local workers willing to relocate to remote or regional areas, but overseas workers may be more open to it, especially under regional migration visas.

6. Long-term workforce planning
Hiring from overseas can help build a reliable, long-term team, especially for roles with high turnover or low local interest.

How can a RMA help?

However, many employers are unaware that they cannot sponsor a qualified employee to apply for a visa unless the Department of Home Affairs approves them as a Temporary Activity Sponsor (TAS) or a Standard Business Sponsor (SBS).

As an RMA, we can provide you, according to the knowledge based on Migration Act 1958(Cth), Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth), Legislative Instruments, Ministerial Directions, Policies and cases, on the following matters:

what type of sponsor you need to be;
the procedure of applying for a sponsorship;
your cost to apply for the sponsorship;
the documentation requirement to apply for the sponsorship;
what information is required by the Department to assess your application;
your obligations being a sponsor;
how to renew a sponsorship;
guidance of nominating an appropriate position;
the chance whether the proposed employees meet the visa criteria, after taking the following situation into consideration, such as
- Language proficiency
- Possible occupation assessment outcome
- Work experience
- Character or health concerns
- Past visa history
the costs and levies of applying for a sponsorship

Benefits to be an approved sponsor?

When an employer becomes an approved sponsor under Australia’s skilled migration program (such as for the Temporary Skill Shortage visa – subclass 482), there are several key advantages and benefits:

1. Access to a Global Talent Pool

Becoming an approved sponsor allows the employer to legally sponsor skilled overseas workers for temporary or permanent roles when suitable local candidates cannot be found.

2. Fill Critical Skill Gaps Quickly

Approved sponsors can respond faster to labour shortages, especially in industries like:

• Health and aged care
• Engineering and construction
• IT and cybersecurity
• Hospitality and tourism
• Agriculture and trades

3. Improve Business Capability and Growth

Hiring skilled migrants can bring:

• New expertise

• Innovative ideas

• Multilingual and multicultural skills

which can help grow the business and improve competitiveness, especially in international markets.

4. Retain Valuable Workers

Compared to finding competent employees, how to keep them is another concern by employers. Being an approved sponsor will help retain those skilled staff and make your business more stable and less uncertainties.

5. Employer Branding and Professionalism

Being a registered sponsor shows that the business:

• Complies with government standards
• Values skilled workers
• Is committed to fair and ethical hiring practices

This improves the business’s reputation in the eyes of both local and international candidates.

6. Priority in Visa Processing (in some cases)

In case the skilled staff's current visa is about to expire and they are unable to make an application for the new visa without the sponsorship application being lodged, they have to face a dilemma to leave Australia and await their visa from outside of Australia. This would damage the business in terms of the stability or sustainability. If the employer has had their sponsorship application lodged (better if approved), the employee can potentially make the visa application before expiry of the current visa and keep working for employer while holding a Bridging A visa.

7.Expand to Regional Markets

For employers in regional areas, sponsorship may be the only realistic option to fill positions, and regional visas come with added benefits (e.g. longer stay, faster PR pathways).