Standard Business Sponsor – Training obligations (457 Visa)

Standard Business Sponsor – Training obligations (457 Visa)

The Procedures Advice Manual Says:

100 Requirements

Sponsors are required to meet the training benchmarks as specified by legislative instrument if, during all or part of the twelve month period commencing on the day the person is approved as a standard business sponsor, or their approval as a standard business sponsor is varied, they have at least one primary sponsored person.

This obligation is assessable on an annual basis, in the twelve month period commencing on the day on which the sponsor is approved, provided the sponsor has engaged a Subclass 457 visa holder at any stage during that twelve month period.

If a sponsor, prior to the cessation of their approval as a standard business sponsor, has the term of their approval varied to increase the length of the sponsorship, the period of monitoring re-starts from the day of that approval.

Example 1:

A business is approved as a standard business sponsor on 25 March 2014. The business employs one 457 visa holder who commences employment on 1 April 2014 and ceases on 12 February 2015. The sponsor does not employ another 457 visa holder until 6 September 2016.

In this example, the sponsor is required to meet the training requirements in year one and three of their approval. This is because they did not employ any 457 visa holders in the assessment period between 25 March 2015 and 24 March 2016.

Compliance with training benchmarks is not assessed on a pro-rata basis. This acknowledges that training may be provided in specific periods of time over the course of a year due to the operational requirements of the business.