457 Visa Changes Summary

Recent changes to the 457 visa have been confusing and alarming to say the least. It not only caught the general public by surprise but even professional in this industry were not aware of these changes.

Therefore, we have released a guide to help simplify and provide an overview of the most recent changes. Here is a chronology of the changes already in place and those yet to come:

Since 19 April 2017

  • Occupations on the MLTSSL can be granted a maximum 4 year visa
  • Occupations on the STSOL can be granted an initial 2 year visa with a maximum 2 year extension

From 1 July 2017

  • Expected further adjustments to occupation lists
  • Expansion of occupations where skills assessment will be mandatory
  • Police checks required to be provided from countries a via applicant has lived
  • English language exemption based on high salaries (AUD 96,400) will be removed

From December 2017

  • Immigration Department will begin collecting Tax File Numbers of employees

From March 2018

  • Temporary Skill Shortage visa will be rolled out to replace current 457 visa

 

Certain occupations will now carry caveats, or conditions, if they fall into one of the three following groups. These conditions must be met, otherwise, the applicant may not be eligible for sponsorship.

Group A: relating to work experience only

  • Minimum 2 years full time work experience in the same or similar occupation is required

Group B: related to regional location

  • Positions must be located in ‘Regional Australia’

Group C: occupation specific conditions

  • Additional restrictions apply to certain occupations. These restrictions include minimum turnover of the company, minimum salary and minimum number of existing employees.

What does this mean for me? 

Here are some examples or case studies of the effects of the new changes:

  1. Occupations such as cook and restaurant manager are on the STSOL list. While you can still be sponsored for 2 years by a restaurant on the 457 visa and gain another 2 year extension, you can no longer apply for a permanent visa unless it is added to the MLTSSL list for you being in a designated regional area.
  2. Retail manager is still available in regional areas for the 187 visa at the moment. But from March 2018 this will not be the case, as this occupation is not on the MLTSSL list.
  3. Most student graduates will not be eligible for temporary or permanent company sponsorship after March 2018 as you require at least 2 years FULL-TIME WORK EXPERIENCE first.

If you have further questions regarding your specific situation, please do not hesitate to contact us on +61 2 8880 0210 or info@affinitymigration.com.au. We can help assess your situation in detail and provide a plan on a potential pathway to permanent residency.