Sponsorship
The new arrangements do not change the existing requirement to meet the definition of a ‘religious organisation’:
Sponsorship Requirements
- Be a body instituted for the promotion of a religious object
- The beliefs and practices of members constitute a religion and do not offend against the ordinary laws
- Meet the requirements of section 50-50 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997
- Be exempt from income tax under section 50-1 of that Act
- Provide evidence of Australian business registration and charitable status
Sponsorship Concessions
- Labour Market Testing (LMT) is not required
- The Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy is not applicable
Occupation Requirements
A nominee for Minister of Religion occupation is no longer required to work in the most senior position in a specified location, but instead is required to work in any senior position.
Minister of Religion Criteria
- Have been ‘ordained’ or have ‘professed to a religious life’ as a minister of religion¹
- Minimum qualifications equivalent to an Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) bachelor degree²
- Have undertaken at least five years of relevant structured training or instructions
Religious Assistant Criteria
- Minimum qualifications equivalent to an Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) Certificate II or III
- Have at least two years of relevant training or experience
Other Criteria
Age
- No age requirements are in place for the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa
- Not older than 60 years of age at time of Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa application
English
- For TSS visa must meet English language requirements in place for the Short-term stream of the TSS visa unless a concession is awarded on the basis of working in a cloistered or monastic environment
- For ENS must demonstrate an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) overall test score of at least 5.0 with a score of at least 4.5 in each of the four test components, or equivalent
PR Pathway
According to the announcement, currently there are more than 23,000 Ministers of Religion in Australia and this number is expected to grow in the next three years. Even stronger growth is anticipated for the number of religious assistants positions. Under MoRLA TSS visas can be granted for up to 4 year and permanent residence is available via Labour Agreement stream of the ENS visa after three year transitional period. However, the decision on which visa pathway is more appropriate is made by the religious organisations themselves and is based on their circumstances.