International recruitment can help solve Australia’s growing skills shortage but how you hire matters just as much as who you hire.
In 2025, ethical recruitment isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a legal requirement, a reputational safeguard, and a critical factor in worker retention. This guide walks you through how to hire overseas workers ethically, from role scoping to long-term success.
Why ethical hiring matters
Australia has strengthened its employer-sponsored visa programs and ramped up scrutiny.
Getting it wrong can lead to:
- Fines and penalties
- Loss of sponsorship rights
- Recruitment delays
- Brand damage
Done right, ethical recruitment leads to:
- Higher retention
- Stronger employee loyalty
- Improved workplace culture
- Better long-term business outcomes
What is ethical recruitment?
Ethical recruitment ensures migrant workers are hired through transparent, fair, and legal processes. It means:
- No misleading information
- No illegal recruitment fees
- Clear communication about pay, role, and rights
- Full compliance with sponsorship obligations
It’s not just compliance. It’s about building trust from day one.
Step 1: Define the role and skills gap
Start by identifying:
- The exact role you need
- Why local recruitment hasn’t worked
- Required qualifications or experience
💡 Tip: Check if the role is on Australia’s skilled occupation list. This affects eligibility for sponsorship.
Step 2: Use only accredited recruitment partners
In Australia, all immigration advice must come from an OMARA Registered Migration Agent. In the Philippines, agencies must be licensed by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
Avoid freelance brokers or unregistered “agents.” They’re often non-compliant and risky for you and the worker.
Working In only partners with fully accredited recruiters and provides in-house visa services via MARA agents.
Step 3: Be transparent from the start
Workers should know exactly:
- What the job involves
- Where it’s located and what hours apply
- What pay they’ll receive (and that it meets legal thresholds)
- What relocation support is (and isn’t) included
- What costs they’re responsible for (ideally none)
Passing on visa costs to the worker is illegal under Australian law. We provide plain-English contracts and bilingual role briefs to ensure full clarity.
Step 4: Become a standard business sponsor
To sponsor a worker, your business must be approved as a Standard Business Sponsor (SBS).
- Cost: Approx. $420
- Valid for 5 years
- Proves your business is compliant and financially viable
We handle this process for you to avoid delays later on.
Step 5: Complete labour market testing (LMT)
Before sponsoring someone, you’ll usually need to:
- Advertise the role on at least two national platforms
- Run the ads for a minimum of 28 days
- Retain documentation of responses
This proves you made a genuine attempt to hire locally a key requirement for most visas.
Step 6: Nominate the position and the candidate
This includes:
- Verifying the role is eligible
- Confirming the candidate’s qualifications
- Meeting salary requirements (AUD $73,150 minimum in most cases)
- Paying the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy
SAF levy (per year):
- Small business: $1,200
- Large business: $1,800 (Paid upfront for the full visa term)
Step 7: Lodge the visa application
The worker provides:
- Passport and ID
- Qualifications and references
- Health and police checks
- Proof of English level
We handle the lodgement, so everything is accurate and complete.
Step 8: Support relocation and onboarding
Ethical recruitment includes:
- Airport pick-up or guidance
- Temporary accommodation
- Banking, phone, and tax file number setup
- Community and cultural orientation
- Family support, if applicable
Workers who feel supported settle faster and stay longer.
Step 9: Stay compliant
As a sponsor, you must:
- Pay the correct salary
- Keep detailed records
- Notify Home Affairs of any changes
- Never pass on recruitment or visa costs
- Cover return travel if the visa ends early
We provide compliance reminders, templates and reporting tools.
Step 10: Plan for permanency
Workers are more likely to stay when they see a future with you.
We help you map a clear path from temporary to permanent residency, including:
- Eligibility timelines
- Transition support from TSS to ENS 186
- Communication to the employee
When workers see a future here, they invest in your business.
Sources
- Department of Home Affairs (Australia)
- Fair Work Ombudsman
- Department of Migrant Workers (Philippines)
- Jobs and Skills Australia
