Nominating a position Skilled refugee labour agreement pilot

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Skilled refugee labour agreement pilot

​​About the program

We have designed the Skilled Refugee Labour Agreement Pilot Program (the Pilot) in collaboration with Talent Beyond Boundaries (TBB). The program provides skilled refugees and displaced people with a pathway, in addition to humanitarian resettlement, to live and work in Australia.

The Pilot has an allocation of 500 primary places and is available until 30 June 2025.

We have designed concessions to standard visa eligibility requirements under the Pilot to reduce barriers faced by skilled refugees and displaced people when trying to access skilled visas.

We have listed the concessions for both businesses and candidates who access the Pilot below.​

Visas included in the program

The Pilot enables Australian businesses endorsed by TBB to use a Labour Agreement to sponsor an approved skilled refugee/displaced person. This may be on a permanent or temporary basis through the labour agreement streams of the following employer sponsored visa programs:​

• Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) (subclass 186) visa
  
• Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) (subclass 482) visa
  
• Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (SESR) (subclass 494) visa 
  After 3 years on a subclass 494 visa, the visa holder may be eligible to apply for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) (subclass 191) visa.
  

Program concessions

We have designed the visa concessions available under the Pilot to reduce barriers faced by skilled refugees and displaced people trying to access skilled visas.

Concessions include:

• No labour market testing. TBB’s endorsement of the business replaces the requirement to undertake labour market testing.
  
• No skills assessment or minimum work experience required. The sponsoring business is responsible for determining whether the skilled refugee/displaced person has the skills and qualifications to work in the nominated occupation.
  
• Ability to nominate any occupation on the Department’s ​Skilled occupation list and/or National Skills Commission’s 2022 Skills Priority List as well as the additional occupations listed below.
• 10% concession to the Temporary Skilled Migrant Income Threshold (TSMIT), if the business nominates a skilled refugee or displaced person for an ANZSCO Skill Level 3-5 occupation where it is demonstrated the annual earnings of an equivalent Australian worker are less than TSMIT.
  
• Aged care providers nominating a skilled refugee or displaced person as a Nursing Support Worker (ANZSCO 423312), Personal Care Assistant (ANZSCO 423313) or Aged or Disabled Carer (ANZSCO 423111) can access a further concession to the TSMIT to align it with that available under the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement. 
  
• Reduced minimum English language requirements to 'Functional English' (equivalent IELTS 4.5 averaged across all bands), demonstrated via approved testing.
• Increased age limit. Business can sponsor people up to 55 years (for ENS and SESR visas). The TSS visa has no age limit.
  

Employer criteria

Talent Beyond Boundaries endorsement

To lodge an application for the Pilot, you must be endorsed by TBB. You can register your interest in sponsoring a skilled refugee or displaced person under the Pilot and find out more about the endorsement process at Talent Beyond Boundaries.

Actively and lawfully operating a business

To access the Pilot, you must show the department that you are ‘actively and lawfully operating a business’. To do so, you must:

• be an Australian registered business with good standing
• show that your business has been lawfully and actively operating in Australia for at least 12 months
• show evidence of financial viability provided by a chartered or certified practicing accountant
• show you can support the proposed number of workers from overseas that you are wanting to sponsor
• show there is no adverse information about your business, that you have not broken a law in any jurisdiction of Australia, nor be under investigation for breaking the law by any appropriate authority
  
• not be insolvent
• not have provided false or misleading information, in any form, to any appropriate authority at any time.

Business obligations

Sponsoring businesses must comply with the Sponsorship obligations for Standard business. They are also subject to sponsor monitoring. Businesses have an obligation to ensure skilled refugees/displaced people sponsored under the Pilot are employed with terms and conditions no less favourable to equivalent Australian workers.

Occupations

You can nominate a skilled refugee/displaced person for any occupation specified on the Skilled occupation list and/or the ​​National Skills Commission’s Skills Priority List 2022​. You can also nominate a skilled refugee/displaced person for any of the occupations specified below.

We have a consolidated List of occupations available for nomination​ under the Pilot based on the Skilled occupation list, National Skills Commission’s Skills Priority List 2022 and the additional ANZSCO and non-ANZSCO occupations identified below.

Additional non-ANZSCO occupations available under the Pilot

​For duties of the above non-ANZSCO occupations, refer to the relevant industry specific labour agreement.

Salary

The business must:

• employ the skilled refugee/displaced person on a full-time basis, and
  
• pay the skilled refugee/displaced person at least the A​nnual market salary rate (AMSR) for the nominated occupation, which can be no less than:
  • the Temporary Skilled Migrant Income Threshold (TSMIT) for ANZSCO Skill Level 1-2 occupations;
    
  • 90% of TSMIT for ANZSCO Skill Level 3-5 occupations where it is demonstrated that annual earnings of an equivalent Australian worker are less than TSMIT; or
    
  • the minimum salary specified in the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement, if they are an Aged Care Provider nominating a skilled refugee/displaced person as a Nursing Support Worker (ANZSCO 423312), Personal Care Assistant (ANZSCO 423313) or Aged or Disabled Carer (ANZSCO 423111).​
    

Applicant criteria

Talent Beyond Boundaries endorsement

TBB must endorse skilled refugees and displaced people sponsored for a visa under the Pilot.

If you are a skilled refugee or displaced person and want to access the Pilot, register your interest with TBB through its Talent Catalog. To find out more about the endorsement process, refer to Talent Beyond Boundaries - Australia​.

Skills, qualifications, and experience

Applicants are not required to provide a skills assessment or show work experience.

The sponsoring business is responsible for:

• assessing whether the skilled refugee/displaced person has the skills and qualifications to work in the nominated occupation
• ensuring the skilled refugee/displaced person has any mandatory registration and/or licensing before undertaking work in the nominated occupation that requires registration and/or licensing.

English language

Applicants under the Pilot must have at least Functional English.

Age​

Applicants for an Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)​ or Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494)​ under the Pilot must be under 55 years of age at the time of application.​

The TSS visa has no age requirement but requires the applicant to meet the other eligibility criteria and maintain adequate health insurance.

Other criteria

Applicants must meet health and​ character and security requirements.

Depending on the country of application, we may also require applicants to provide biometrics. For more information, see Biometrics.

Post-arrival

Skilled refugees, displaced people, and their families, who enter Australia on a visa granted under the Pilot, are not eligible for the same settlement support services offered for Australia’s refugee and humanitarian program. Sponsoring employers provide settlement support, with input and coordination from affiliated organisations and TBB. 

Further information

TBB answers frequently asked questions about TBB and the recruitment process, including the Talent Catalog on their website. See TBB’s Candidate FAQ page.

If you have specific questions about the Pilot before registering your interest, email ​info@talentbeyondboundaries.org.