Australia is in the race to attract global talent. Skilled workers with technical expertise, medical backgrounds, engineering skills, or financial knowledge have choices about employers and countries. Remuneration alone doesn’t lock in the best talent for your organisation. More and more individuals deciding to relocate are weighing their options based on long-term security for their partner and family. This makes migration a retention issue for employers.
Planning for your employee’s family to obtain the right to live and work in Australia shouldn’t be an afterthought. Employee retention, company culture, and business outcomes are impacted by migration strategies.
Securing the visa for your employee’s family supports relocation decisions
Imagine you’re an employee on the other side of the world. You have just accepted an offer in Australia. Congratulations! But your decision isn’t truly finalised until your family can settle here too. How confident are they feeling about moving to Australia?
Can your partner work in Australia? When? How long does the study take? Will they have access to healthcare? What happens if you lose your job? These are common questions amongst employees and their partners considering a move to Australia.
The less certain these answers seem, the less likely the employee is to accept your offer. Skilled migrants may even revoke an acceptance if their partner isn’t given clear visibility into the future. How often do employers think these offers simply disappear?
When employees know their family has access to work rights, healthcare, education, and permanent residency, they are more likely to accept. Stress levels decrease, and employee engagement increases when migration planning is sorted. Providing a clear pathway for your employees’ partners is good for business and talent retention.
How to gain an edge with visa planning for your employee’s family members
If two businesses both offer similar salaries and relocation perks for a skilled position, who do you think the candidate will pick? Usually, the one who can provide the most certain and secure future for their family.
Many employers operating in the migration space are stuck on the mentality that they ‘need to get a partner visa sorted.’ But when is enough, enough? Employees don’t want vague responses. They want to know how long it will take. When will their partner get the right to work?
Businesses that plan strategically are increasingly contacting leading migration services in Australia at the start of their recruitment drive to map out possible visa scenarios. This means they do not have to deal with last-minute visa obstacles that could cause heartache.
Can they get permanent residency?
The benefit of offering guidance on a partner visa is that it reduces the employee’s guesswork. Your employees see you as a business that plans ahead, follows the rules, and has their employees’ best interests at heart.
Having an employer sponsor who supports the migration of the employee’s family also allows families to transition to Australian life faster. Work rights mean spouses can start working and supporting the household as soon as possible. When partners don’t have to worry about visa constraints, families can put down roots.
A competitive advantage is gained when employers think strategically about partner visa planning.
Reduce risk of losing sponsored employees
When an employee resigns, and you’re still in their 2-year sponsorship bond, it stings. Not only do you have to incur the costs of replacing that employee, but your projects probably take a hit while someone new is onboarded. Worse yet, if your employee leaves due to unforeseen circumstances related to their migration status, you’re in a vulnerable position trying to find a replacement while running behind.
If your employee has only you as their pathway to residency (either through sponsorship or a graduate visa), they may feel trapped. But what if they aren’t sure their family will have the same rights? This can often lead talented employees to seek other employers who may have a clearer migration path for their partner.
When structuring a migration plan for your employees, you can require them to stay for a specified period. But you should also help your employees and their partners succeed in Australia. This not only provides a safety net for your employees but also gives them more confidence that their families will be looked after. Supporting a partner visa application demonstrates to the employee that you care about their whole family, not just the worker.
Integrating migration strategy into talent retention
Does migration planning play a role in how you retain top talent? Many organisations operate their migration strategy as a standalone function. It’s managed by a specific team to ensure conditions are met. What’s missed in this approach is that migration is a powerful tool that can impact your recruitment brand, diversity initiatives, leadership succession plans, and global competitiveness.
Like many aspects of the employment relationship, migration should be considered as onboarding. Understanding the options available to partner visa applicants enables employers to discuss their families with potential employees. Rather than waiting until a visa is required, mapping out possible scenarios after the offer stage can build trust and confidence.
Your employees’ performance will be impacted if their partner can’t work or is anxious about their migration journey. And if your employees leave, take that knowledge with them. By having migration conversations early and aligning them with your talent strategy, you put your business in a position to retain critical skills and knowledge.
There was a time when if you offered a candidate a job in Australia, they would accept regardless of the migration process. Those days are over. Candidates have high expectations and if you want to attract and retain top talent, salary alone just isn’t going to cut it.
Visas for dependent family members can be complex and the migration regulations constantly evolve. Migration agents need to stay up-to-date on amended rules and policies, so your employees (and their families) don’t fall victim to circumstances beyond their control. Choosing an agent that works with employers to align migration strategy with talent planning can future-proof your business and protect you from these changes.
Heenan & Browne Visa Migration Services specialises in providing customised migration solutions for organisations. Our migration agents in Australia recognise the power of employer-driven initiatives and can guide you through the range of partner pathways available to your employees. Reach out today to see how we can help you develop a migration plan aligned with your talent goals.
