Getting a sponsorship offer is exciting. But actually getting that sponsorship may not be an easy road to the promised land. Here are five tips that will help you through this next stage of life in Australia.
1. Don’t get too excited about your sponsorship offer.
The first thing to remember is not to get too excited. Or, as Aussies say, “don’t count your chickens before they hatch”. Getting a sponsorship offer is always exciting, but there are a number of things that have to come together to allow the sponsorship to occur. Any number of them may not go your way. The best place to start is with a clear, level head.
2. Understand that your employer might assume you know everything about sponsorship.
If your employer has approached you and said that he or she wants to sponsor you, ask whether they know what the process is. If they don’t, we can help them: Give them our number and ask them to give us a call. Our number is 07 3166 9100.
Employers often assume that because you’re an immigrant, you will likely know better than they do about what needs to happen. For your sake, ask them to get expert advice. It’s better to get things right the first time
3. Think about whether you would be able to be sponsored.
I can hear you thinking, but I’m doing the job, isn’t that enough? Unfortunately, no. You may have to go through skills testing as part of your eligibility for the role. If you are doing the role because you are good at what you do, but you are self-taught, you may run into problems. You will have to provide evidence for the skills that you have, and an absence of formal qualifications can be a problem.
Remember, visas – including sponsorships – are evidence-based. If you don’t have formal qualifications, then there may be a registered training organisation that can help you with practical assessments of skill.
4. There must be a demand for people like you.
If there is a demand for people like you, then you are more likely to have an approved sponsorship. If your employer likes you, but could easily employ an Australian instead, then it will likely be told to employ an Australian. This is why we said in point one, don’t raise your hopes too early.
5. Your employer needs to get things started – not you.
Even if your employer approaches you for help, know that they are the ones who have to get the process started. Your employer must be approved by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection as an eligible employer. Only after they are approved can they start sponsoring employees.
6. Seek professional advice
As with all immigration matters, it’s better to get professional advice than to rely on forums, friends, or Dr Google. An expert immigration lawyer will help you through the sponsorship maze more quickly and easily, and can work with both you and your employer to achieve the best outcome. Get started now »
