Step 1 - Establish a Professional Development Agreement

A professional development agreement is a binding agreement between the Australian sponsoring organisation and the overseas employer that employs or has invited the overseas participants. The agreement must:

• be established before seeking approval as a professional development sponsor and in force at the time sponsorship application is considered
• specify the participating parties to the agreement which must include the Australian sponsoring organisation and the overseas employers of the people intending to participate in the program
• specify which parties to the agreement are responsible for paying the participant costs, including:
  • the overseas participant's travel and entry to Australia
  • the tuition for the professional development program
  • the overseas participant's accommodation
  • the overseas participant's living expenses in Australia
  • the overseas participant's health insurance in Australia
  • the overseas participant's return travel from Australia
• not require the overseas participant to pay the costs of the tuition of the program but may require them to pay other costs
• state which, if any, costs are to be met by overseas participants and include a declaration that only participants that are able to meet these costs will be selected for the program
• detail the duration of the agreement and the program
• describe the professional development program and any other matter to be provided by the sponsor
• detail roles and responsibilities of each party to the agreement
• describe the conflict resolution arrangement, including arrangements for the mediation of disputes
• detail any arrangements for the subcontracting of the delivery of any part of the program
• outline the arrangements for insurance relating to the sponsor and the recovery of costs if the sponsor, or any other provider of the program, ceases operations
• describe the characteristics of the people to be selected for the program and how they will be selected
• be signed and dated by an authorised representative of each party to the agreement.

For further information on the agreement
See: Information form 1228i Professional Development ( 80KB PDF file)

The professional development agreement must be submitted with Form 1226.
See: Information form 1226 Application for approval as a Professional Development Sponsor (185KB PDF file)