Warrnambool City Council is working together with Talent Beyond Boundaries (TBB) to address skills shortages, meet employer demand and advance displaced talent mobility in the Warrnambool Local Government Area and more broadly in the region covered by the GSC DAMA which includes Colac Otway Shire, Corangamite Shire, Glenelg Shire, Moyne Shire and Southern Grampians Shire.
Both parties recognise that there are skills shortages in the Warrnambool Local Government Area and wider region and envision a future where refugees and displaced people may be able to use their skills to access jobs and skilled visa opportunities. Our objectives as part of the partnership are to:
- Address skills shortages in the Warrnambool Local Government Area and more broadly in the region covered by the GSC DAMA
- Meet employer needs by facilitating access to a new pool of talent
- Assist employers to hire and relocate refugees
- Support positive relocation and settlement of candidates
Employers endorsed by Warrnambool City Council can enter into a company-specific labour agreement with the Department of Home Affairs. The labour agreement allows the employer to sponsor TBB-endorsed job seekers and provides access to a number of concessions, including:
- Waiver of skills assessment and minimum work experience requirements;
- Reduction of minimum English language requirements to 'Functional English' (equivalent IELTS 4.5 averaged across all bands), demonstrated via approved testing;
- No labour market testing requirements;
- Increase in age requirements allowing sponsorship of people up to 55 years old (for ENS and SESR visas); and
- Flexible arrangements for police checks and passports.
The Department of Home Affairs has approved over 900 occupations that can be sponsored under the labour agreement.
Contact for further information or clarification on aspects of the Skilled Refugee program:
Angie Doldan, Great South Coast DAMA Coordinator, Warrnambool City Council
Email: adoldan@warrnambool.vic.gov.au
Phone: 5559 4800