Sponsor Eligibility

An organisation needs to be approved as a Special Program Sponsor in order to sponsor people from overseas to participate in an approved Special Program in Australia. The following requirements must be met for an organisation to become a sponsor.

Lawfully and actively operating organisation

The organisation or government agency must be lawfully operating in Australia and actually and actively engaged in business activities.

An organisation can include:

• a community-based non-profit organisation that has an ongoing program of activity, outside its normal administrative operations, that brings cultural enrichment or community benefits to the broader Australian community
  or
• an organisation wishing to establish a youth exchange program, that is reciprocal, to provide opportunities for young persons to participate in a structured program (that may involve work) that fosters long-term social and cultural relations through interacting with and experiencing the diverse way of life in Australia and the overseas country.

Where there is a work placement, the program:

• must not impact adversely on employment and training opportunities for Australians
• must accord with Australian standards and conditions of employment.

Special Program agreement

To be approved as a Special Program sponsor you must have an approved Special Program in place, except if you intend sponsoring people under the School to School Interchange Program (SSIP) or School Language Assistants Program (SLAP).

Good business record and abide by Australian laws

To meet this requirement:

• there must be nothing adverse known about the organisation
• if the organisation has previously sponsored overseas workers to Australia, they must have a satisfactory record of complying with Australian laws
• the activities of the organisation must not be illegal in Australia.

Comply with their sponsorship obligations

The sponsor must have the capacity to comply with sponsorship obligations.
See: Sponsor Obligations

 

Before lodging an application, please read all related eligibility requirements.
See: Other eligibility