What Are the Requirements for the TSS Visa (Temporary Skill Shortage Visa)?

Looking for a better life abroad? Willing to relocate for a nice paying job and an increased standard of living? Well, look no further than the great down under. Australia has one of the most rapidly developing economies in the world, with a consistent economic growth over the past 25 years. In 2015, the economy grew by 3.3% and the country now has a GDP (Gross Domestic Product) per capita (adjusted for Purchasing Power Parity) higher than that of the UK, France, and Germany. With such impressive numbers, it is no surprise that the country was even able to avoid a recession during the 2008 international financial crisis.

Aside from its flourishing economy, Australia is perfect for migrants from all over the world due to its multicultural and multi-ethnic social setup. The introduction of a spate of policies to encourage immigration to Australia was introduced after the Second World War. The policies continue to be implemented to this day and have enabled Australia to become an extremely diverse country. Melbourne, for example, now has the largest Greek population after Athens. In 2015, it was estimated that around 26% of the country’s population were first-generation immigrants.

Increased opportunities due to its stable and growing economy combined with its acceptability and openness to migrants made it perfect for people from all over the world. Policies against discrimination meant that people of all origins are welcomed into society Anyone willing to work hard can excel and make it. It is the Australian equivalent of the American dream. Like Canada, Australia is a melting pot of civilizations.

Moving to Australia

So how to get your dream job in Australia? The process might seem tricky and complicated at first; however, with the right information and guidance, getting the right visa should be straight forward. The process becomes even easier if you possess the skill sets that are in demand currently.

The temporary skill visa, 457, used to be the one that was granted to most immigrants seeking employment in Australia. This, however, was replaced by the Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) Visa (Subclass 482) as of 18th March 2018. Introduced by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), the TSS visa is a streamlined version of the older 457 visa. It is also further divided into two occupation lists: there’s the Short-Term Skilled Occupations List (STSOL) and a Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). It is important to note that an applicant’s occupation should be on either of the lists and he or she should be eligible for that said occupation.

Requirements for the TSS Visa

Skilled migrant workers must meet the minimum requirements to be eligible for a TSS visa application. Listed below are the basic requirements for applicants:

• Applicants will have to prove they have the skills and qualification required for their nominated occupation. In addition, they will have to prove a minimum of two years full-time experience in the occupation.
• Have a sufficient level of English language. The required level will vary depending on the occupation
• Meet the character requirements by providing police certificates

o English proficiency

Since English is the main form of communication and the most widely spoken language in Australia, the ability to speak and understand English is really important. Therefore, meeting the level of English proficiency is one of the main requirements for the TSS visa application. If you do not meet the exemptions criteria, there are five companies you can use for the tests. One example is IELTS or the International English Language Testing System, which assesses English writing, reading, listening and speaking abilities.

o Work Experience

The TSS visa requirement makes a minimum of two years of work experience mandatory (something which was not present for the previous 457 visa), though some occupations may require more.

Who can hire a TSS visa holder?

It is important to understand that not every business in Australia can or will want to sponsor overseas workers. This may be because of costs, timeframes involved with sponsoring or simply they can easily find staff within the local market.

If an Australian business does want to sponsor, they must have an approved Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) from the government.

Before nominating to sponsor an overseas worker, the business will have to prove to the government that they have advertised the position for 28 days within Australia and not been able to fill it locally. They will also have to prove they will pay the overseas employer over the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) which is currently $53,900 a year. Finally, at the time of nomination they must pay the government a training levy. This training levy is called the Skilling Australia Fund (SAF) and has to be paid for every year the candidate is sponsored for.

As you can see for an employer sponsorship can be a costly and time-consuming process. When looking for sponsorship always make sure the businesses you speak to have an SBS and understand what is involved.

Why Australia?

If you are skilled and educated and have the necessary work experience, then there is no better place to work than Australia. It is a fast-growing economy that has a lot of opportunity for development and success. The amount of jobs being produced each year exceed the amount of local workforce available to fulfill these jobs. This makes it suitable for migrants from all over the world to apply and get into Australia.

Australia also happens to be on top of the most welcoming countries. Discrimination and racism are quite low since a huge proportion of the population is already made up of migrants.

So what are you waiting for? Start your TSS application process now to get a well-paid job with a promise of future growth.