19/4/16
The following changes have been made to the 457 program and are in effect from 19 April 2016:
- Non-Discriminatory Recruitment Practices – employers must make a declaration that they will not engage in non-discriminatory recruitment practices. ‘Discriminatory recruitment practice’ will be defined under a new regulation to mean a recruitment practice that directly, or indirectly, discriminates against a person based on the immigration status or citizenship of the person, other than a practice engaged in to comply with a Commonwealth, State or Territory law.
- Simplification of English Language Exemptions – changes are being made in order to exempt 457 visa applicants from the Department’s English language testing requirements if they have already met the same, or better, English language requirements to gain an occupational registration or license.