19/4/17
The government has announced changes to the 457 Visa category which will be renamed the Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) visa from March 2018. Below is a summary of the changes and when they will occur:
APRIL 2017
- The list of eligible occupations has been reduced and divided into the Short Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL), which will be eligible for a 2 year 457 visa, and the Medium-Long Term Skills Shortage List (MLTSSL) which is eligible for a 4 year 457 visa.
- Caveats have been placed on the following: (i) Group A – Work Experience: these occupations now require 2 years work experience: Advertising Specialist, Contract Administrator, Finance Manager, Graphic Designer, Hairdresser, ICT Project Manager, ICT Support Engineer, ICT Systems Test Engineer, Information and Organisation Professionals nec, Software Tester, University Lecturer (ii) Group B – Regional Location only: 24 farming occupations (iii) Group C – Occupation Specific rules for the following occupations: Accountant, Animal Attendants and Trainers, Baker, Cafe and Restaurant Manager, Chef, Chief Executive or Managing Director, Conference and Event Organiser, Cooks, Corporate General Manager, Corporate Services Manager, Customer Service Managers, Facilities Manager, Farmer (Unit Group 121), Hair or Beauty Salon Manager, Hotel or Motel Manager, Management Consultant, Marketing Specialist, Massage Therapist, Mechanical Engineering Technician, Pastry Cook, Recruitment Consultant, Sales and Marketing Manager, Supply and Distribution Manager, Technical Sales Representative nec, Transport Company Manager
JULY 2017
- The English exemption for high salaries > $96,400 will be removed
- It will be mandatory to obtain police certificates
- There will be an increase in the number of occupations requiring skills assessments
MARCH 2018
- Short Term TSS – 2 year visa, renewal onshore once only, English overall IELTS 5.0 (minimum 4.5 in each subtest), applicants need to satisfy the Genuine Temporary Entrant requirement, Visa application charge $1150
- Medium-Long Term TSS – 4 year visa, Permanent residency pathway after 3 years, English IELTS 5.0 (minimum 5.0 in each subtest), Visa application charge $2400
- Both – Require 2 years work experience, Compulsory labour market testing, Mandatory police certificates, Increased training requirement for employers
Please contact us if you require more information about any particular occupation that has been affected by these changes.