The TSS visa allows the bearer to live in Australia for a short time while working full-time in the chosen position for the sponsoring business. TSS visa applicants may add dependent relatives in their application. There are two types of TSS visas: short-term and medium-term. Applicants with professions on the Short-term Skilled Occupations List (STSOL) are qualified for visas of up to two years (renewable once for another two years). Those with jobs on the Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List are eligible for visas of four years, with qualifications for permanent resident status after three years. The application procedure consists of three phases.
Conventional business sponsorship
A company must first be authorised as a Standard Business Sponsor to hire a TSS visa holder. To secure a Standard Business Endorsement deal, the company must establish that it’s legally and actively operating in Australia. This includes determining the right ABN to apply under, registering the business’s name, submitting Business Activity Statements (BAS) and income statements, and demonstrating a dedication to training Australian permanent residents and citizens, as well as adherence with workforce and other Australian laws.
Nomination
Following the submission of the SBS application, a business must designate a job inside their company as one that an offshore citizen must occupy. Several conditions must be satisfied as a component of this step:
- Labour market testing
To propose an individual for a TSS visa, a company must show that it has evaluated the labour market. Labour market testing entails proving that the company unsuccessfully searched for the specified post. Proof should be provided as part of the application, and the evidentiary standards are rather stringent. In most situations, three advertisements published during the past four months for a minimum of 28 days will suffice; nevertheless, there are times when this will not suffice, and more proof will be necessary. Furthermore, there are several exceptions to this criterion. Therefore, employers are urged to obtain expert assistance to guarantee compliance with the labour market testing rules.
- Salary range
The wage for the proposed position must meet two conditions. To begin, the compensation must be more than the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT). DIBP determines this level each year, which is, at present, $53,900 plus superannuation. Second, the suggested compensation must be competitive for the position. This guarantees that the applicant’s salary will be equivalent to that of Australian employees in similar jobs. Bear in mind that some careers will be subjected to disclaimers that establish a minimum compensation level that is higher than TSMIT.
- Levy on training
With the introduction of the TSS visa comes a new Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) tax, which must be paid at the nomination stage. The SAF fee will significantly increase the cost of nominating workers for a firm. The following are the sums due per applicant:
The fee will be computed depending on the years necessary for the visa, as specified in the application, and will be remitted in total at this time.
A small firm (with less than $10 million in revenue) will spend $1,200 per nominee annually for a TSS visa. A major corporation will spend $1,800 per candidate each year.
If the employee applies for a four-year visa, the four-yearly instalments must be submitted at the time of the application. (For example, if a major corporation appoints an individual for a four-year TSS visa, the corporation must spend $7,200 when the sponsorship is submitted.)
Apply for a visa
The third step in this procedure is the visa application. The candidate must prove that they have the necessary skill level for their employment and fulfil health and character standards.
The individual must also fulfil character and health requirements. Police clearance documents are necessary for every nation where the applicant has resided for a year or more since 16 years of age, during the past ten years.
