The employer-sponsored visa allows Australian employers to sponsor skilled workers in one of the eligible occupations, to serve their business needs.
It also allows skilled workers of a foreign country to explore their employment options with Australian employers, in case they may need their skills.

Friends cannot sponsor you directly, however, if you have a friend who owns a business in Australia and they can offer you a position that aligns with your qualifications, skills and employment experience, they may be able to offer you a position and sponsor you to work on a work visa.

Your eligibility to be sponsored to work in Australia will depend on your background namely qualifications and prior work experience. Generally speaking, if you have an employment offer and a company willing to sponsor you, and you have sufficient work experience to apply for the role, and meet other visa application criteria, you may be sponsored to work in Australia.
As immigration rules and regulations are always changing, we recommend seeking professional legal advice on your visa options specific to your circumstances.

You can find an employer by applying for jobs in Australia and seeking sponsorship opportunities.

Any company that has an available position and is interested in offering you employment may sponsor you.
From a sponsorship perspective, the company needs to be lawfully operating, be financially stable and have a genuine position available to be filled in Australia.

You may be eligible to apply for permanent residence through your employer provided you meet the eligibility requirements for permanent visa sponsorship. You may also be eligible to apply for permanent residence through independent migration or state sponsored migration programs. Alternatively, if you have family members who are Australian, e.g. Australian partner, they may also sponsor you for permanent residence through family stream.
Processing fees for permanent residency migration vary depending on type of application.

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