Leeds123 Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 Hi I am currently in the UK and the Melbourne branch of my company have agreed to sponsor me and we have just started the free consolation with a migration agent from ‘immigration 2 Oz’ my company have agreed to pay 50% of the fees applicable to me so my partner isn’t covered, but only when I arrive in Australia and start work will they refund me. The price breakdown is a screenshot attached but seems very expensive (may be correct) I’m just new to this. Adding it all up it seems to come to over £10,000 with me and my partner. Any advice would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 I feel there's some confusion here. The employer is sponsoring you. It's up to the employer to organise the sponsorship and it's up to them to pay the agent's fees associated with getting the sponsorship organised. Legally they can't ask you to pay any of their costs, even if they're planning to refund them later. You just have to make your visa application for yourself (with your partner as a dependent). It's up to you whether you want to hire an agent to do your visa application. It is expensive to make the move, and I'm sure you know that a 482 visa is only a temporary visa for 2 to 4 years. You're not migrating, you're just coming for an adventure. With that in mind, it's important to ensure your company is paying relocation costs etc so you don't end up out of pocket over the term of the contract. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeds123 Posted October 12, 2023 Author Share Posted October 12, 2023 Hi thanks for the reply. basically I have worked for the company for 7 years and they are based all over the world (engineering) I contacted the MD of Australia and he agreed to employ/sponsor me but they are also new to this. I believe it was the 482 visa medium to long term with the hope of applying for permanent residency in 2/3 years. What would you recommend we do ? If I were to pay for it all you’re saying that’s not allowed ? As far as relocation costs I believe that’s also down to me flights etc. I have paid for the next step with the migration agent this morning for Wednesday. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 (edited) 36 minutes ago, Leeds123 said: Hi thanks for the reply. basically I have worked for the company for 7 years and they are based all over the world (engineering) I contacted the MD of Australia and he agreed to employ/sponsor me but they are also new to this. I believe it was the 482 visa medium to long term with the hope of applying for permanent residency in 2/3 years. Yes, but it is a hope, not a certainty. One of the problems is that the rules change every year, so you might find you're not eligible when the time comes. Or maybe your company's policy will change and they won't be prepared to sponsor you for permanency. Basically there's quite a lot that can go wrong. Despite that, we have many members who've done it successfully. All the same, it's best to plan/budget on the assumption it will be temporary, then if you manage to get permanent residency, it's a bonus. If the company is new to the process, then they will definitely need an agent. The employer's side of the application is complex and if they've never done it before, they couldn't possibly do it themselves. I'm guessing you are the one who's initiated the idea so you're keen to take the lead, but actually they're the ones who have to start the process rolling. You can't do anything until they've done their sponsorship and nomination applications, which they have to arrange and pay for. Below is an article from another migration agent. I'm not recommending them as I dont know them, but note this quote from the FAQ: Quote Who pays for the costs? All costs relating to the business sponsorship and business nomination are legally required to be paid by the employer, including any consultancy fees for migration agents; it is against the law to pass these costs onto the applicant. Fees for the visa application itself can be paid by either employer or visa applicant; it’s up to what is negotiated between the employer and applicant. It sounds like the employer is saying they'll refund you when you get to Australia, which sounds like they're making it conditional on you getting the visa. They can't legally do that. https://migrationdownunder.com/australian-visas/corporate-visas/482visa-tss Edited October 12, 2023 by Marisawright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JZT Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 My husband was sponsored and as Marisawright says the employer has to pay for all nomination/ sponsorship costs. Ours also paid for my husbands visa application which was at their discretion. We had already been using an agent however the employer instructed their own and we completed the process through them. Your employer will need to get the ball rolling to start the process as there will be a lot to do their end. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon the Hat Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 1 hour ago, Leeds123 said: Hi thanks for the reply. basically I have worked for the company for 7 years and they are based all over the world (engineering) I contacted the MD of Australia and he agreed to employ/sponsor me but they are also new to this. I believe it was the 482 visa medium to long term with the hope of applying for permanent residency in 2/3 years. What would you recommend we do ? If I were to pay for it all you’re saying that’s not allowed ? As far as relocation costs I believe that’s also down to me flights etc. I have paid for the next step with the migration agent this morning for Wednesday. Thanks If they have never done this before be prepared for the fact that once they find out what it entails the might not go through with it. Suggest a chat with the head of HR in Australia. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeds123 Posted October 12, 2023 Author Share Posted October 12, 2023 Thankyou for the replies, the company is huge and in over 150 countries so they aren’t short of resources I have forwarded the messages above to my MD. After my next consultation on Wednesday I will know more and I’m sure it will get sorted out and we will come to some kind of an agreement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raul Senise Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 11 hours ago, Leeds123 said: Hi I am currently in the UK and the Melbourne branch of my company have agreed to sponsor me and we have just started the free consolation with a migration agent from ‘immigration 2 Oz’ my company have agreed to pay 50% of the fees applicable to me so my partner isn’t covered, but only when I arrive in Australia and start work will they refund me. The price breakdown is a screenshot attached but seems very expensive (may be correct) I’m just new to this. Adding it all up it seems to come to over £10,000 with me and my partner. Any advice would be appreciated. Employers/Sponsors are not allowed to make the candidate pay for any of the costs associated with the sponsorship, nomination or recruitment. This would be considered a serious breach. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 (edited) 7 hours ago, Leeds123 said: Thankyou for the replies, the company is huge and in over 150 countries so they aren’t short of resources I have forwarded the messages above to my MD. After my next consultation on Wednesday I will know more and I’m sure it will get sorted out and we will come to some kind of an agreement. I suggest not having the meeting on Wednesday. If you are already sure that you meet all the requirements for the visa, there is no point in spending any more money, until you know whether the employer is ready to proceed. During my working life, I worked for several large corporations. Almost all of them have a policy on sponsoring foreign employees. Often, senior management (like your MD) doesn't even know what the policy is. The Human Resources department are the ones to consult. Unfortunately, many large companies have a policy of not sponsoring below a certain pay grade because it's too time-consuming and costly for them, and I've had a few situations where a director has been eager to hire someone and been told no by HR. Fingers crossed for you. Edited October 12, 2023 by Marisawright 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Elliott Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 I would be going back via your MD in the UK to connect you with the HR/recruitment team in Australia. Based on your description, I would be gobsmacked if they do not have a dedicated person who is a specialist in global mobility within the global business. I would be gobsmacked if they don't have policies in place to manage the whole process and will more than likely have a dedicated migration agent they use. They should also be acutely aware of the rules as to who has to pay for what visa costs and the consequences of falling foul of the regulations. I am surprised the agent you are working with has not already mentioned this. From experience, many line managers are blissfully unaware of all the rules and regulations which often results in promises made which are more complex and time consuming than first appears. Good luck with your adventure. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrussell Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 You can be asked to pay: visa application charge, health insurance, skills assessment fee (if called for) English test and medical examination fees, police clearances, travel to Australia (not return). I do not assist employers who are not willing to meet all of these costs. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon the Hat Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 4 hours ago, Marisawright said: I suggest not having the meeting on Wednesday. If you are already sure that you meet all the requirements for the visa, there is no point in spending any more money, until you know whether the employer is ready to proceed. During my working life, I worked for several large corporations. Almost all of them have a policy on sponsoring foreign employees. Often, senior management (like your MD) doesn't even know what the policy is. The Human Resources department are the ones to consult. Unfortunately, many large companies have a policy of not sponsoring below a certain pay grade because it's too time-consuming and costly for them, and I've had a few situations where a director has been eager to hire someone and been told no by HR. Fingers crossed for you. Absolutely this. Search your internal directory or intranet for key words like global mobility / relocation policy etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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