The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has included the United Kingdom as one of the countries exempt from Labour Market Testing (LMT) under International Trade Obligations.

The exemption is one benefit resulting from the free trade agreement between Australia and the UK (the A-UKFTA) that was recently entered into.

What is LMT?

For certain work visas, LMT is required if an employer nominates an overseas worker. It generally involves the nominating employer advertising the position in Australia to show that a suitable Australian worker can’t be found.

How will Australian employers and UK citizens benefit?

The updated DHA website states:

“LMT is not required where Australia has waived this requirement under its ITOs, including in any of the following circumstances:

• the worker you nominate is a citizen/national of China, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Thailand, Vietnam or is a citizen/national/permanent resident of Canada, Chile, South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore or the United Kingdom.”

The exemption means that Australian employers will be able to sponsor UK employees without undergoing the usual mandatory LMT requirements. This is great news, as it saves employers from a significant administrative hurdle when hiring an overseas worker.