The Government has advised on the eligibility requirements for 457 Visa holders to transition to permanent residence from March 2018, however the arrangements are still pending final Government approval.
Transitioning to Permanent Residence as a 457 Visa Holder after March 2018
In line with the introduction of the TSS Temporary Skills Shortage Visa scheme in March 2018, applicants for a subclass 186 or subclass 187 permanent residence (PR) visa under the employer sponsored program will need to complete 3 years of work, instead of 2 years with their sponsor before applying for PR. Applicants will also need to be under 45 years of age at the time of application.
Exceptions – 457 Visa Holders up to 18 April 2017
In order to not disadvantage employers and employees that held a 457 Visa before or on 18 April 2017, or who applied for a 457 Visa before that date and was subsequently granted, the Government indicated that these applicants can apply to transition to permanent residence as long as the following conditions are met:
- You apply under the Temporary Residence Transition Stream
- You are under 50 years of age (instead of the new 45 year age limit)
- You have worked for a period of 2 years in your nominated occupation (instead of the new 3-year requirement)
You also won’t be affected by changes to skilled occupation lists. These transitional requirements are not expected to be available for any other applicants.
Further updates
It’s expected that the changes to employer sponsored permanent visa streams that will come into effect in March 2018 will not impact applications that have already been submitted and are still being finalised with the Department.
Interstaff will keep you updated on further developments as they arise. If you are on a 457 visa and interested in applying for permanent residence, get a free visa assessment to find out if you are eligible or contact our migration agents on +61 8 9221 3388 (or National Free Call 1800 449 858) or [email protected]
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