Invest
Australia Supported Skills Agreements
 The
Invest Australia Supported Skills program was
introduced on 1 July 2003. It replaced the Regional
Headquarters (RHQ) program from that date *.
*
* * *
The Invest Australia
Supported Skills (IASS) program is designed to
encourage international firms to choose Australia as a
location for foreign direct investment.
It allows companies
that make a significant investment in Australia to
bring out key expatriate managerial and specialist
employees from within the company group who are
essential to establish operations in Australia.
Agreements are for
three years, although individual visas, once granted,
may extend beyond the period of the agreement.
IASS agreements are
for permanent and/or temporary entry of key managerial
and specialist employees.
Companies wishing to
obtain visas for very small numbers of personnel, or
which are seeking staff for existing investments,
should access other business immigration programs.
Applicants must meet
at least one of the following four criteria for
investments of strategic significance to be eligible
for the IASS program:
-
the project will
boost Australian industry innovation through
increasing research, development and
commercialisation capability, the new application
of skills and knowledge Technology transfer, and
Cluster development; OR
-
the project will
have significant economic benefit to regional
Australia taking account a region's investment
needs; OR
-
the project's
estimated investment exceeds $50 million and thus
inherently makes a significant contribution to
economic growth, employment and/or infrastructure;
OR
-
the company is
establishing a regional headquarters or regional
operating centre in Australia.
An application form
and further information can be obtained from Invest
Australia –
This information is a
general guide only, but it may help
you decide if this category applies to you.
If you decide to use
this program, you should also read the detailed
information in Booklet
5, Employer Sponsored Migration.
Summary
of migration requirements
The purpose for the
establishment of IASS agreements is different from
standard labour agreements in that:
-
visas granted
under IASS agreements are to enable the transfer
to Australia of key managerial and specialist
employees of the company group; and
-
visa applications
to which an IASS agreement applies receive
priority over applications made under standard
Labour Agreements.
IASS Agreements
provide for either permanent or temporary entry to
Australia.
The company submits
its proposal to Invest
Australia in the Department of Industry, Tourism
and Resources (DITR).
Invest Australia will
liase with DIMIA (and other government departments, if
necessary) if it decides to proceed with the
company’s application.
An IASS agreement
becomes effective once it has been signed by all
parties to the agreement - the manager of Invest
Australia, a company representative, and finally, a
delegate of the Minister for Immigration and
Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs.
After an agreement
has been negotiated, the process consists of two
stages:
- lodgement of the
nomination form; and
- nominee's
application for a visa.
1. Lodgement of the
nomination form
The company submits form
1068, Nomination by a business sponsor,
for all personnel.
A department Business
Centre will notify relevant overseas or regional
department offices to expect visa applications, and
what action needs to be taken.
(Please note:
from 1 November 2003, all nominations for permanent
entry must be lodged on form 1192, mployer
nomination for a permanent appointment (labour
agreement, regional headquarters agreement and Invest
Australia Supported Skills agreement).
2. Nominee's
application for a visa
The nominee must
complete and lodge application form
47ES, Application for employer sponsored
migration to Australia, and pay an application
charge. The visa application will be assessed against
the following criteria:
-
that the
nominee's visa application is preceeded or
accompanied by nomination form 1068 which has been
signed by an representative of the company; and
-
that the nominee
and all family unit members meet mandatory health
and character requirements.
* RHQ
agreements will remain in effect until they
expire, so procedures for nominations and visa
applications for these agreements will continue as
before, and will mirror nomination and visa procedures
for IASS agreements.
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