As you may know, the current 457 Visa program will soon be replaced by the new Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) Visa in March 2018. Under the TSS Visa, applicants will need to meet more rigorous English language requirements and mandatory police clearances. It will also be more likely for applicants to undertake a skills assessment.
But what if you are already on a 457 Visa? While changes are taking place to abolish and replace the 457 Visa program in Australia, you may be wondering how the changes may impact you. Here’s what you need to know.
If I already hold a 457 Visa, do I need to do anything to transition to the TSS Visa in March 2018?
No – if you already hold a 457 Visa, then you can continue to hold your visa until its expiry. You will not be impacted by the new TSS Visa requirements, unless you wish to apply for a new visa or change your position of work or employer.
If I want to change my position of work, how will the TSS Visa requirements impact me?
Under these circumstances, a new nomination will need to be lodged through your employer and the nomination must be for an occupation listed on the skilled occupation lists for the new TSS visa. The skilled occupation lists are reviewed and updated by the Government every 6 months to ensure skill needs across Australia continue to be met. We recommend seeking professional advice from a migration agent to understand the impacts on your particular case.
Will I still be able to transition to a Permanent Residence Visa?
Generally speaking, if your 457 Visa application was lodged up to or on 18 April 2017 or you held a 457 Visa on that date, you will still be able to transition to permanent residence under the existing Temporary Residence Transition Stream arrangements if you:
- Are under 50 years of age
- Have worked at least 2 out of the 3 years prior to your nominated position with your employer
If you had applied for a 457 Visa after 18 April 2017, your eligibility for permanent residence will depend on the criteria set by the new legislation, which is still being confirmed by the Immigration Department.
To stay updated on further changes as they arise, sign up to Interstaff’s monthly newsletter list below or connect with us on Facebook. To understand more about the 457 Visa Changes, read our article here.
To access a printable PDF of these Q&A’s, click here.
About the Author:
Sheila Woods is an established registered migration agent with over ten years experience in Australian migration. She was recently nominated for the 40 under 40 Business awards and is the Managing Director of Interstaff and Immigracious. Listen to Sheila’s interview on Perth’s 6PR radio station about the recent 457 visa changes.
