Overseas Business Sponsorship (OBS)

Definition

Overseas Business Sponsorship (OBS) is a program that allows Australian businesses to sponsor and employ skilled workers from overseas to fill positions that cannot be filled by local workers. 

What is an Overseas Business Sponsorship?

OBS is primarily designed to address skill shortages in certain professions or industries where there is a genuine need for overseas talent. Employers must demonstrate that the positions they wish to fill with overseas workers cannot be filled by Australian workers due to a lack of suitable candidates.

Before sponsoring overseas workers under OBS, employers must nominate the specific positions they wish to fill. This involves providing detailed information about the position, including the role, tasks and responsibilities, and the qualifications and experience required. 

Once the nomination is approved, overseas workers can apply for a Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa to work in Australia. The visa allows them to work for the sponsoring employer in the nominated role for the duration specified in the visa.

The duration of an OBS and the TSS visa depends on the role and the terms specified in the nomination and visa application. An OBS can be valid for up to five years, with the possibility of renewal, subject to meeting certain criteria.

Example of an Overseas Business Sponsorship

XYZ Tech Pty Ltd is experiencing a shortage of skilled software developers to work on a new project and decides to apply for Overseas Business Sponsorship. They become an approved sponsor and nominate several software developer positions that need to be filled urgently.

They successfully sponsor and recruit skilled software developers from overseas under the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa program, allowing them to join the company and contribute to the project.

As a result of OBS, XYZ Tech is able to access the talent it needs to complete the project on time and maintain its competitive edge in the technology industry.