We all know that to sponsor a foreign worker is a costly and complex process. The employer must not only pay this employee a relatively high salary and contribute to the broader skills development of Australians by transferring significant amount money to the Skilling Australians Fund, but prove that there is a genuine vacancy in the business and that efforts to employ an Australian citizen or permanent resident to fill that vacancy failed.

In addition, as a sponsor, the employer has the whole raft of obligations including keeping records, cooperating with inspectors and providing various information to the Department of Home affairs.

If the obligations are not met the employer could face a range of sanctions.

However, there is an easier way!

If the foreign worker is already in Australia and holds a temporary visa with working rights (for example, Work and Holiday visa) and employed in nomination position for 3-6 months full time (35 hours per week),  all the employer needs to do is to provide the foreign employee with the job offer for another 12 months.  That is all!

In this case the nominated employee could approach the Queensland government through the Skilled visa program and obtain the State Nomination. The QLD Skilled visa program includes 357 occupations from Barrister and Surgeon to Dancer and Bricklayer.

Of cause there are some requirements for the employee:

• Competent level of English
• Skills Assessment in Nominated occupation
• be under 45 years of age

But there are no other requirements for the employer apart, of course, having an actively operating business of QLD.

The only downside of this option is that the foreign employee will have no obligation to continue the employment with the employer who provided him with the job offer. However, this is just the usual order of things.