5 Visa Options if You Are 36 Years Old or Over and Can’t Qualify for a 485 Graduate Visa

Australian Visas 1

In December 2023, the Australian government announced a new Migration Strategy, introducing significant changes to various visa programs, including the Graduate Visa.

The main change will be the reduction of the maximum eligible age from under 50 to 35 years or under, proposed to be implemented on July 1, 2024.

These reforms are set to impact many people currently studying in Australia, prospective students, and the education sector, as the substantial reduction in age eligibility could make Australia less attractive for those seeking study opportunities and a pathway to permanent residency.

So, if you are 36 years old or over and can’t qualify for a 485 Graduate Visa, here are 5 visa options you may be eligible to apply for:

1. Skilled Nominated Visas (190 or 491)

Use your existing experience and qualifications to get a positive skills assessment and apply for the Skilled Nominated Visas 190 or 491.

Minimum requirements for the Skilled Nominated 190 Visa:

  • Have an occupation on the relevant skilled list
  • Have a positive skills assessment
  • Be invited to apply for this visa
  • Satisfy the points test (65 points or more)
  • Be under 45 years old
  • Have at least competent English

Minimum requirements for the 491 Skilled Work Regional Visa:

  • Be nominated to apply by a state or territory
  • Have an occupation on a relevant skilled occupation list
  • Have a positive skills assessment
  • Be invited to apply
  • Be under 45 years old
  • Satisfy the points test (65 points or more)
  • Have at least competent English

2. Employer-Sponsored Work Visa (Subclass 482)

If you have two years of full-time experience (down to one year from November 2024), find an employer and apply for a 482 Employer-Sponsored Work Visa.

Minimum requirements for the Temporary Skill Shortage 482 Visa:

  • Be nominated for a skilled position by an approved sponsor
  • Have the right skills to do the job
  • Have at least 2 years of relevant work experience as above in your nominated occupation or a related field
  • No age requirement for this visa
  • English requirements: Short-term stream - Overall band score of at least 5.0 with a score of at least 4.5 in each component. Medium-term stream - Overall band score of at least 5.0 with a score of at least 5 in each component

3. Training Visa (Subclass 407)

If you do not have post-qualification experience, then apply for a 407 Training Visa for two years to gain professional development.

Minimum requirements for the 407 Training Visa:

  • Must be sponsored by an eligible employer in Australia
  • Must be nominated to enter a specific training program
  • Must have functional English
  • No age requirement for this visa

4. Partner Visa

If you have an Australian partner.

Minimum requirements for the Partner Visa:

  • Be in a genuine relationship with your spouse or de facto partner who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
  • Must be 18 or older

5. Another Australian Student Visa (Subclass 500) 

If you can find a suitable course to undertake.

Minimum requirements for a Student Visa:

  • Be a genuine student
  • Be enrolled in a course of study in Australia
  • Hold Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

If you want to know if you are eligible to apply for one of these visas, please book an appointment here. We will be happy to assist you.

Do you need help with an Australian visa application?

Our team of experienced Immigration Lawyers and Migration Agents look forward to assisting you with your visa application.

Based in Adelaide, South Australia, we provide Australian Immigration advice to people and businesses from all over the world.

You can book an appointment online or call us at (+61) 8 8351 9956.

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Will your occupation be on the new Core Skills Occupation List?

Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) has opened a consultation on the new Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL). The Core Skills is one of the pathways in the Skills in Demand Visa introduced in the Migration Strategy, released in December 2023.

The Core Skills Visa seems set to replace the current 482 employer-sponsored visa and will have similar requirements to the 482 visa. Click here to check the 482 Occupation List.

The Draft Core Skills Occupations List is an important component of Australia's evolving migration strategy. This draft list categorizes occupations into different streams based on their importance to the economy and the current labor demand, providing a structured approach to manage employer-sponsored migration more effectively.

Chef Australia 1

Core Skills Occupation List

The Core Skills Occupation List is being designed to identify occupations that are essential for Australia’s economic health, particularly those that are in shortage and can benefit from employer-sponsored migration. The list is split into three categories:

  1. Confident On List – Occupations that Jobs and Skills Australia is certain should remain on the list.

Occupations such as Registered Nurse, Social Worker, Diesel Motor Mechanic, and IT Network Administrator are on the Confident On List.

  1. Confident Off List – Occupations recommended for removal based on current labor market insights.

Occupations such as Cafe or Restaurant Manager, Cattle Farmer, ICT Project Manager, and Real Estate Representative are on the Confident Off List.

  1. Targeted for Consultation – Occupations that require further input from stakeholders to determine their necessity and priority.

Occupations such as Chef, Cook, Finance Manager, Web Designer, Hairdresser, and Marketing Specialist are on the Targeted for Consultation List.

Public Consultation Open for the Draft Core Skills Occupations List

The draft Core Skills Occupations List is currently open for public consultation, providing a unique opportunity for stakeholders to influence Australia’s migration landscape. Participants can provide feedback through surveys, submissions, and other forms of engagement as outlined by Jobs and Skills Australia.

The consultation process is a critical step in ensuring that the Core Skills Occupations List is well-rounded and effective in meeting the strategic objectives of Australia's migration and labor policies. Engaging in this process is a way for stakeholders to contribute to the policy-making process, ensuring that their voices are heard and their concerns are addressed.

The JSA notes that this is a draft list and further surveys, submissions, bilateral meetings, and qualitative analysis will be undertaken on the list with the closing date for submissions of 10 May 2024.

Guidelines on the timeline for the release of the final list and for lodging submissions are available on the JSA webpage

As soon as the Core Skills Occupation List is available, we will update it on our website.

Skills in Demand Visa

The Migration Strategy, released in December 2023, introduced the Skills in Demand Visa. There are three new types of temporary work visas focusing on clear pathways to Australian permanent residency and aiming to alleviate labor shortages. 

The three new pathways are called Specialist SkillsCore Skills, and Essential Skills.

You can find more information about the Skills in Demand Visa here.

Do you need help with an Australian visa application?

Our team of experienced Immigration Lawyers and Migration Agents look forward to assisting you with your visa application.

Based in Adelaide, South Australia, we provide Australian Immigration advice to people and businesses from all over the world.

You can book an appointment online or call us at (+61) 8 8351 9956.

Sources:

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/programs-subsite/migration-strategy/Documents/migration-strategy.pdf

https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/topics/migration-strategy/draft-core-skills-occupations-list-csol-consultation

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Australian Immigration News August 2023: Cash Incentives, IELTS and TOEFL Changes and Aged Care

Welcome to our August Australian Immigration News, where we bring you crucial updates on changes in Australian immigration. In this edition, we cover a range of topics, including alterations to the 189 and 190 visas, state nominations, 408 pandemic visa, cash incentives offered by states for specific occupations, VETASSESS Skill Assessment, Parent visa program, English testing modifications, Aged Care Agreement and more. For detailed information on all visas, visit Work Visa Lawyers

 

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Latest Australian Immigration Updates December 2022 - Direction 100 Skilled Visa Processing, State Nomination updates, Global Talent and Business Visa updates

Latest Australian Immigration Updates December 2022 - Direction 100 Skilled Visa Processing, State Nomination updates, Global Talent and Business Visa updates

Australia's 2022-23 Migration Program will be vastly different to the 2021-22 program, not just in size but also in composition.

This program has a significantly greater skill visa stream at 142,500 places.

This is the biggest in Australian migration history.

The top news in December is the effects of the new Ministerial Direction 100: Skilled Visa Processing priority

It indicates the order of processing priorities for General skilled migration and the Business Innovation & Investment Program (BIIP).

Generally speaking, it appears priority is being given to trades and Technical skills to assist with the shortages.

The visa backlog has now dropped to 755,000 from almost 1 million thanks to an additional 300 staff.

It is expected to be at a manageable level before Christmas, said by Minister Andrew Giles.

More news will also be discussed in this article.

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Seven migration policy reforms to address skills shortage for Australia's Future

Seven migration policy reforms to address skills shortage for Australia's Future

Why may Jobs and Skills Summit 2022 outcomes worsen Australia’s immigration systems and increase skills shortages?

*This article is written based on Immigration Lawyers’ view and suggestion on the current Migration plannings by the new Federal Government”

One of the major outcomes from the Jobs and Skills Summit 2022 is that the number of Australian Permanent Residency visas will be increased to 195,000 (an increase of 30,000), with additional funding provided to get through a backlog of visa applications.

As further discussed in this article, whilst not unwelcome these changes nevertheless fall acutely short in terms of actually addressing core problems.

The current Australian immigration system is not fit for purpose – the Australian Government needs to reform and modernise immigration policy.

This article will consider:

  • What are the skills shortages?
  • Why the Skills Summit outcomes will not actually fix skills shortages?
  • How can skills shortages be addressed through immigration policy reform?

If you want to know the likely outcome of the Skills Summit migration policy, then skip to the end of this article.


Table of Contents — Skills Shortages in Australia

Seven Policy reforms needed to address skills shortages

1. Need to add more lower skilled occupations to the skilled lists
2. Skills assessment requirements are out of touch with industry
3. Professional registration processes are too slow and cannot keep up with demand
4. Simplify and reduce costs with employer-sponsored migration
5. Integrity measures and protections against exploitation, including a new visa for vulnerable persons
6. Prohibitive effect of ‘Genuine Temporary Entrant’ requirement for Student visas
7. Regional Migration incentives for all skilled, business and employer visas
The Grattan Institute using migration to generate tax income will make skills shortages worse for businesses

 

Skills shortages in Australia - What does it really mean?


In considering how Australia’s migration program can be shaped to address skills shortages, the starting point is to consider whether the right question is asked about ‘skills’ shortages. Is this phrase used in honest and realistic terms?

The term ‘skills shortages’ can often be bandied about in the context of higher-skilled positions, for instance, engineers and doctors. Likewise, Australia’s current migration program is heavily skewed towards occupations classified at a higher skill level. The rationale is presumably that those highly skilled migrants fill complex/professional roles, and are more desirable and in demand.

Yet many of the skills shortages in Australia are actually for lower-skilled and lower-paid jobs. The shortages are especially critical for those occupations in regional locations – areas that are outside of the bigger metropolitan cities in Australia. 

Is the existing migration program equipped to resolve skills shortages?

Unfortunately, no, not according to the data. 

Based on the Skills Priority List, job vacancies data and projected employment growth, the Sydney Morning Herald recently published a forecast of the top in-demand occupations[1]

  1. Registered Nurses
  2. Software and Applications Programmers
  3. Aged and Disabled Carers
  4. Construction Managers
  5. Child Carers
  6. Motor Mechanics
  7. Retail Managers
  8. Chefs
  9. ICT Business and Systems Analysts
  10. Metal Fitters and Machinists

Indeed, this list demonstrates that Australia’s skills needs are nuanced. We urgently need a mix of skilled workers to fill higher-skilled and lower-skilled occupations.

Take for example the aged care sector, which has multi-layered workforce needs. Registered nurses must be supported by aged and disability carers as well as personal care assistants. Together they play a vital role in the day-to-day care of some of the most vulnerable members in our community.

 

Seven Policy reforms needed to address skills shortages

1. Need more lower-skilled occupations to the Australia Skilled Occupation Lists

One of the central problems with the current Australian migration system is the restrictive skilled occupation list, which is too focused on highly educated, tertiary-qualified occupations. There is a propensity to overlook the ‘lower level’ occupations when in fact, these are often the jobs that most need to be filled. Skilled lists for visas need to be amended to add occupations that have the biggest skills shortages, including Horticultural Workers, Aged and Disability Carers, and Child Care Workers.

The irony is that government ministers have sounded the alarm about dire aged care shortages, calling for quicker visa processing and more skilled or work visas for aged and childcare workers.

For those with firsthand knowledge of the system, this rhetoric only highlights the shocking and ongoing failures of the Australian migration program. Skills shortages in the aged care and agricultural industries are not new – these are problems that Australia has grappled with for decades and have significantly worsened during Covid-19.

Despite impassioned pleas from these desperately understaffed industries, aged carers and childcare workers are still nowhere to be found on Australia’s skilled occupation list. What good will faster visa processing do when aged carers cannot apply for at least an Australian working visa in the first place? 

These highly desirable workers are excluded from the mainstream skilled migration program. Since standard visas are not open to them, the only alternative for employer sponsorship visas would be sought through a Labour Agreement. This is a complicated, often costly and overly bureaucratic process – it can serve as more of a deterrent than a viable alternative. In the absence of other tangible options, Australia is likely losing many aged and childcare workers to forward-thinking countries that have readily accessible migration pathways.

There needs to be a broad sweeping shift within the Australian migration program to recognise the value of ‘lower-skilled’ occupations.

“Now more than ever they should be brought to the forefront instead of dismissed as outliers.”

Reform to incorporate crucial occupations such as child and aged carers into the mainstream program, creating clear pathways for them to keep working in Australia, would bring immense relief Australia wide.

Aged Carer to PR in Australia

The Australian Government must commit to policy reforms, rather than placing these issues in the ‘too hard’ basket and walking away. Shortages in the aged care and agricultural sectors are not new problems in Australia. This is a systemic conundrum that requires actual policies to address. Regrettably, the Australian Skills Summit 2022 largely avoided the difficult area of lower skilled and low-paid jobs that cannot be filled. This includes carer jobs, agricultural labor and a range of regional low-skilled jobs. These are important jobs that need to be filled - land must be cultivated and crops must be harvested. Farm workers and aged carers work tirelessly to feed and care for the nation.

On the critical need to prioritise visa pathways for lower skilled workers, Fiona Simson, President of the National Farmers’ Federation had this to say:

“While much of the discussion at the Jobs Summit centred on migration for highly skilled workers – which is undoubtedly a challenge for agriculture – we are still left wondering how we will plug the yawning gap in lower skilled workers.

“We know the PALM isn’t the answer in isolation. We know domestic workers aren’t here in the numbers we need. 

“We need appropriate visa pathways to bring in workers from around the world, and to ensure they’re having a positive experience in regional Australia.

“It’s as though people think if they just ignore this problem for long enough, it will just go away. History tells us it is only getting worse.”

“We know that we’re short at least 172,000 workers across our food supply chain. We’re seeing this manifest in higher prices and supply disruptions on supermarket shelves.

“This isn’t just a farmer problem anymore. It’s a burning cost of living and food security issue that needs urgent attention”.[2]

Ms Simson astutely draws attention to the fact that agriculture is the lifeblood of Australia. At the most fundamental level, we are reliant on the agricultural industry to meet our basic needs for food and produce. For this reason, skills shortages in this industry cannot be a problem left for future governments to address. Labor shortages lead to diminished production and wasted yields, with the end result being higher prices for goods. Taking action now to address the agricultural skills shortages will help stem the tide of inflation and afford much-needed relief in the cost of living for Australians.

In the end, we have two options:

  1. Either change the Australian Skilled Occupation List (SOL) to reflect the needs of the agricultural, aged care and childcare sectors, thereby bringing in skilled workers who are suitably qualified, experienced and willing to fill these occupations; or
  2. Apply pressure on the thousands of accountants and engineers on skilled visas (491 or 190 Visa) to complete government-funded courses to become carers and agricultural workers, and then persuade disgruntled migrants to fill these labor-intensive jobs.

2. Skills assessment requirements are out of touch with industry

General Skilled Migration visas (189/491/190) rely on skills assessment as a key starting point. Applicants must firstly obtain a positive skills assessment by the relevant skills assessing authority for their particular occupation.  The purpose of the skills assessment is to assess qualifications/experience and verify that an applicant has the skills that are standard to work in a relevant occupation. 

Skills assessments for certain occupations have been criticised for imposing unreasonably stringent requirements. For instance, the VETASSESS skills assessment requirements for a Crop Farmer are:

  • A Bachelor degree level qualification
  • One year of work experience. 

It seems absurd that an overseas farmer with 10 years of experience but no degree could not obtain a positive skills assessment.  Anyone in the agriculture industry would say that 10 years’ worth of experience is infinitely preferable to a degree and a year’s experience.

Whilst skills assessments make sense in the context of migrants whose qualifications were obtained overseas, it should not be required in some occupations for those who have obtained a recognised Australian qualification. This would enable the skills assessing bodies to allocate resources more efficiently.

Furthermore, the skills assessment process needs to be better funded and processed faster across the full range of occupations. Impediments should be removed to allow for an easier and accommodating skills assessment process. In comparison to the health and medical occupations, skills assessments for other skilled occupations such as Accountants are obtained much quicker.

As it stands, there are a select few assessing authorities with the power to assess applications and issue skills assessments. As one of the largest skills assessing authority, VETASSESS has a monopoly over this market.

=> If the Australian Government authorised more skills assessment providers, healthy competition could not only provide relief in the backlog of applications but also promote better service and efficiency overall.

3. Professional registration processes are too slow and cannot keep up with demand

A vital component of skills assessments for certain occupations (e.g. medical practitioners, pharmacists) is professional registration, a process that can take years for those in health and medical-related occupations. This is not only frustrating but incredibly ineffective and prevents doctors from being on the ground, working on the frontlines providing medical care.

Oftentimes registration is open a few times a year and missing a cut-off date means waiting months. Registration for General Practitioners can be stalled for years in some cases, all the while rural and regional areas continue to suffer from lack of access to basic healthcare services.

Dr Michael Clements, Rural Chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, echoes the pressing need to cut the red tape and remove unreasonable barriers to entry:

“Ask many GPs and practice managers, particularly outside of major cities, and they will tell you how difficult it can be to bring in a GP from overseas and get them set up to actually start helping patients. It can take up to two years and this time consuming process leaves many practices desperately short of GPs with nowhere else to turn.

“Let’s relieve the bureaucratic headache and provide more support for international Medical graduates so that more communities can bring in GPs from overseas without delay. No patients should be left behind, everyone deserves access to high-quality general practice care”.[3]

According to the Australian Medical Council, there are just 6 exam days scheduled each month from February to November 2023. Another prime example of the restrictive registration process in the health profession relates to pharmacists, with exams in 2023 scheduled for just 2 days in February and June, and 8 days in October.

Global Talent Visa program Australia high income high skilled talented worker 1

Medical boards need to be brought into the modern era and dispense with archaic processes. With the remarkably adaptive technology in this day and age, access and frequency should pose no barrier. Online exams surely can be conducted anywhere and delivered all year round.

The structures that we have in place are not conducive to enabling skilled workers to fill critical roles. Bureaucracy should not stand in the way, because Australians will only suffer for it. The devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, causing Australia’s healthcare system to buckle under heavy strain, clearly demonstrates that Australia does not have years to wait.

4. Simplify and reduce costs with employer sponsored migration

Employer-sponsored visas are currently too complicated and require too much work experience from the applicant; there needs to be reform to allow for greater flexibility. 

Another measure that was introduced with good intentions is the Skilling Australians Funds (SAF) levy. The levy, which ranges between $1200 to $7200 for temporary visas and $3000 to $5000 for permanent visas, is charged upfront and can only be refunded in select circumstances.

This can lead to many employers being charged the full fee but getting no skilled worker if unforeseen changes occur.

In practice the SAF is an expensive aspect of employer sponsorship visas and acts as a barrier to entry for many Australian businesses. The effect has been not to raise more funds for training, but results in less applications and thus not as much funds generated. 

The SAF has serious issues similar to the fees for no service rendered that banks charged. One way to lessen the strain for employers is to lower the cost or charge the SAF on a pro-rata basis for each year of sponsorship, instead of requiring the entire amount to be paid upfront. Additionally, employers in critical sectors or regional areas would benefit from a reduced SAF levy.

Australian migration law states that those who have previously had a visa refused while they were in Australia can only further apply for very limited kinds of visas. This is known as a ‘Section 48 bar’ and primarily requires applicants who have a prior visa refusal to leave Australia and apply for another visa offshore.

Recognising the overseas travel difficulties arising from the pandemic, a legislative change was enacted in November 2021 which enabled those affected by the Section 48 bar to apply onshore for certain Skilled visas. Facilitating easier access to genuine pathways is in the best interests of both applicants and their employers. The simple solution to allow even more people in Australia to meaningfully participate in the workforce is to expand the list of exempt visa categories (such as the employer-sponsored TSS 482 visa). Permitting skilled migrants impacted by the section 48 bar to apply for demand-driven visas onshore will enable them to meet business needs and fill positions in many essential sectors.

5. Integrity measures and protections against exploitation, including a new visa for vulnerable persons

There is an inherent power imbalance when it comes to employer sponsorship. Since employers must shoulder the costs of sponsorship and nomination, this can create a burden on the employer and lead to undue expectations. Employer-sponsored visas should strike an appropriate balance between ensuring the sponsored worker does perform the role, whilst also ensuring visa holders are aware they can avail of workplace rights irrespective of their visa conditions and immigration status. Visa holders and migrant workers have the same workplace protections as any other employees in Australia, but greater education is needed.

Employer-sponsored migration carries sponsorship obligations and there is a sponsorship monitoring program in place to protect sponsored 457/482 visa holders. What must be underscored is that exploitation can arise with any form of visa, at any job and in any workplace. Within the realm of non-sponsored visas, exploitation can go unreported. Some of the worst areas of worker exploitation is within the largely unmonitored temporary visas. These include visitor and student visa holders, backpackers and the new 408 Pandemic Event visas.

In terms of existing protections for working visa holders, there is an initiative known as the Assurance Protocol. This aims to support visa holders in seeking help from Fair Work without fear of visa cancellation. However, the scheme still does not resolve the issue of what other visas an exploited person may apply for. 

If an employer is found to have engaged in wrongdoing, they may be fined or barred from further sponsorship. There are far more serious consequences for visa holders, who often fear having their visa cancelled and losing their path to permanent residency. The reality is that these visa holders who have breached their visa condition nevertheless remain vulnerable to visa cancellation if there are no other visas they can apply for.

Safeguarding the integrity of the migration system and visa holders’ rights is of paramount importance. The Australian Government ought to consider introducing a temporary visa for vulnerable persons to help those who have been, or are being, subjected to exploitation get back on track. There is an immediate need for an exploited person or vulnerable person temporary visa. The vulnerable person visa could also extend to victims of family violence (outside of partner visas) who are not covered under current legislation. Though this kind of visa would be difficult to design and implement, without it many victims of exploitation have no way to escape from an awful situation.

When someone in Australia is being exploited by their employer or sex trafficked, how can they bring this to the attention of the Immigration Department without exposing themselves to the risk of having their visa cancelled and being put in detention? The lack of visa options for people being exploited basically compels them to stay in the exploited situation and fortifies the unlawful practices of exploitative employers or sex traffickers. Having a concrete visa system would go a long way towards protecting vulnerable migrants, instilling trust so that they feel confident taking on jobs across all industries and coming forward when there is exploitation. 

Updates July 2024:

A reform has been put in place on July 2024 to cover some forms or exploitation, specifically workplace exploitation. See this link to the Workplace Justice Visa

6. Prohibitive effect of ‘Genuine Temporary Entrant’ requirement for Student visas

The international education sector is one of Australia’ largest export industries, contributing billions to the economy and supporting many thousands of education jobs throughout Australia. Australia benefits significantly from international education. International students also help alleviate hospitality job shortages through part-time work. Many successful Australian migrants of today originally came to Australia as international students.

Yet promising students are too often refused Student visas subclass 500 due to the dreaded Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement. Essentially the GTE criteria requires applicants to demonstrate they genuinely intend to stay temporarily for their studies and will return to their home country. This entirely subjective requirement can deter international students who are weighing up their options. Considering countries such as the UK and Canada do not impose an equivalent GTE requirement, this renders Australia less attractive on a global scale.

GTE Requirement for International students

The inherent illogicality in the GTE requirement is that no one can foretell the future. An applicant may have a faint hope of settling in Australia one day, or later find that they love their job and seek a pathway to permanent residency in Australia. Even so, international students are expected to unequivocally declare they only intend to stay in Australia temporarily and prove they have incentives to return home.

The purpose of Student Visa 500 is to allow international students to pursue studies in Australia. It should be enough for students to demonstrate they have been offered enrolment in a course of study and have the financial capacity to pay their tuition fees and living costs.

Student visas commonly refused due to the confusing and highly arbitrary GTE requirement, are clogging up our already overloaded merits review bodies and courts. Recent statistics reveal that student visa refusals account for a staggering 34% of lodgements to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT).[4]

Removing the GTE requirement would revive Australia’s once thriving international education industry, boosting the numbers of international students and saving millions from students not having to pursue costly and time-consuming AAT and judicial review matters. 

7. Regional Migration incentives for all skilled, business and employer visas

Regional areas are undoubtedly hardest hit by skills shortages. To attract migrants to these regions, appropriate concessions should be built into all skilled or employer visas for facilitating access to Australian Permanent Residency while living and working in regional areas - for instance requiring work experience but no skills assessment.

A regional skills visa that is easier to access by a wider pool of applicants would serve as incentive for migrants to work and settle in regional areas.  Increasing the number of Australian permanent visas (Visa 189 and Visa 190) but failing to offer appealing incentives for regional-specific visas, means migrants are likely continue to seek employment opportunities in the more populated capital cities.

The Regional Occupation list (ROL) for the TSS 482 visa currently has no path to permanent residency. This means after four years in a regional area, visa holders are expected to return overseas, a loss to the regional area and a terrible policy setting.

Every new visa or visa reform should include a stream/variation, which makes it easier for applicants and sponsoring employers in regional areas. Incentives are needed to attract migration to these remote and regional areas, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach that includes Melbourne and Sydney.

 

The Grattan Institute using migration to generate tax income will make skills shortages worse for businesses

 

Recommendations recently put forward by the Grattan Institute are too narrowly focused on the economic value of migrants: through tax payment. Their model is to attract younger, higher-skilled migrants who earn high incomes and pay substantial taxes, in order to generate fiscal dividends in the long-term. Though these concepts could be fruitfully applied to certain Skilled visa categories, serious danger lies in adopting this model for our migration program as a whole.

The Grattan Institute have proposed abolishing the occupation list and moving towards a wage threshold set at $85,000 per year for the permanent skilled program. Rather than focusing on current labour-driven demands, the Grattan Institute is advocating for granting permanent residency to migrants in higher-earning jobs who are expected to pay more tax over their lifetime. Based on economic modelling, the Grattan Institute contends this reform would consequently boost the federal and state budgets by billions over the next decade.

Migrants of varying skill levels have a great deal to contribute to the workforce, economic and social fabric of Australia. Their intrinsic value does not boil down to income and generated tax revenue. If the Grattan Institute’s short-sighted policies are widely implemented, the harsh reality is hard-hit industries namely aged and disability care, childcare and agriculture will continue to suffer amidst rising shortages. We will end up with an influx of skilled migrants whose skills do not match our needs.

The Grattan Institute argues that by letting enough highly skilled migrants into Australia, all areas with skills shortages will benefit. Quite the opposite. More highly skilled migrants such as finance and engineering professionals, will not lessen the skills shortages but will instead add pressure on a range of sectors. Those highly skilled migrants will consume locally grown produce, enter their children into schools, and then eventually grow old and require care. What they WILL NOT DO is work as a carer or fruit picker.

Alongside this, the Grattan Institute is in favour of abolishing the Business Innovation and Investment program (BIIP) on the basis that applicants for these visas tend to be older, earn lower incomes and cost more in public services. This brings to mind an old idiom about not seeing the forest for the trees. The Grattan Institute’s model does not measure all the far-reaching benefits that flow from migrants who bring with them vast networks, business acumen and enterprising investments, all of which stimulate the economy, present exciting trade opportunities, and lead to the creation of hundreds and thousands of jobs in Australia.

Policy surely cannot be based on the barren premise that migration is all about revenue. Applying a narrow metric of income-earning potential and revenue misses the larger picture. At the heart of migration lies the core aims of driving economic activity particularly in our regional areas, job creation and of course, filling lower-skilled, difficult, and demanding jobs.

Conclusion: Act today or pay the price in future

Although the Australian Government has promised 35,000 more permanent visas and quicker processing, this “solution” could compound the problem and in fact exacerbate the skills shortages. Unless difficult areas in need of workers are directly targeted, especially aged care and agriculture, we are no closer to solving the skills shortages problem in Australia.

Having worked in the migration profession for a long time, I regret to say there are longstanding problems with the system that successive ministers have failed to address. Trickle down migration policy, while impressive in theory, does not work in practice. History has shown us that drastically raising the number of highly skilled migrants and shrinking other programs, including employer-sponsored migration, does not deliver people to where jobs are actually needed.

Simply granting more permanent visas, and faster, does not solve the problems Australia is faced with. Sensible reform either by adapting the existing system or creating clear new visa pathways, combined with timely processing, is needed to alleviate serious skills shortages. These are the major reforms needed:  

  • Add lower-skilled, in-demand occupations to the Skilled List
  • Re-examine the skills assessment requirement and improve professional registration processes, particularly for the health professions
  • Simplify employer-sponsored migration and remove entry barriers
  • Stronger protections against exploitation, such as a visa for vulnerable persons
  • Provide Regional Migration incentives for skilled, business and employer-sponsored visas

This is a real test of leadership. We call upon the Australian Government to heed the pleas of employers across Australia and seize this opportunity to modernise long neglected migration policies. If action is not taken, ultimately Australia will be stuck in a perpetual cycle of permanent visas for higher skilled migrants congregated in capital cities, all the while skills shortages in critical sectors (agriculture, healthcare, child and aged care) and regional areas continue to worsen.

Sources

Author Profiles

chris johnston Chris Johnston, Principal Lawyer

Chris became an immigration lawyer in 2006 and founded Work Visa Lawyers in 2011.

Chris has served as SA State President for the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) and a Director on the National Board of the MIA. The MIA is the peak professional body for migration professionals. As an active member of the MIA, Chris presently serves on its Regional Migration Subcommittee.

Chris stays abreast of policy changes and other issues relevant to the migration industry. Chris is a passionate advocate for regional employers and businesses. His prolific experience in the industry has given Chris unique insight into the issues that confront Australia’s migration program.

Learn more about Chris

trang vu Trang Vu, Lawyer

Trang became an immigration lawyer in 2015. Trang is a member of the Migration Institute of Australia and Law Society of South Australia.

Trang has a strong interest in migration reform, particularly in relation to combatting the exploitation of migrants.

Learn more about Trang

 

[1] David Crowe, The Sydney Morning Herald ‘The most in-demand occupations revealed as skills shortage strikes more industries’ 5 October 2022 <https://amp.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-most-in-demand-occupations-revealed-as-skills-shortage-strikes-more-industries-20221005-p5bng2.html>.

[2] National Farmers’ Federation ‘Jobs Summit yields incremental gains, but a plan to fill 172,000 ag vacancies remains elusive’ 2 September 2022 <https://nff.org.au/media-release/jobs-summit-yields-incremental-gains-but-a-plan-to-fill-172000-ag-vacancies-remains-elusive/>.

[3] The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners ‘RACGP backs cutting red tape for foreign doctors’ 10 October 2022 <https://www.racgp.org.au/gp-news/media-releases/2022-media-releases-1/october-2022/racgp-backs-cutting-red-tape-for-foreign-doctors>.

[4] Administrative Appeals Tribunal ‘MRD detailed caseload statistics 2021-22’ <https://www.aat.gov.au/AAT/media/AAT/Files/Statistics/MRD-detailed-caseload-statistics-2021-22.pdf>.

Skills Shortages in Australia
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Employer’s Guide to Sponsoring Foreign Workers (Visa 482, 186, DAMA and 494)

There are always work needed from both sides for any employer sponsored visa in Australia.

- Employer Sponsored Visa nomination for employer

- Visa application for employee (main applicant)

As an employer trying to fill a skills shortage in your organisation, the requirements for sponsoring an overseas worker can feel overwhelming sometime. If you do not have a good team who is able to handle it, Work Visa Lawyers is here to help.

As skills shortages continue to get worse rather than better, I hope to set out some of the key steps in any employer sponsorship process to make the system easier to understand. Of course, this short blog could not include every possible requirement and is a starting point only.

We can summarise the “skeleton” of an employer sponsorship program as:

  • Standard Business Sponsorship (if required)
  • DAR endorsement (if required)
  • Labour Agreement negotiation (exclusively for Labour Agreement Stream including DAMA)
  • Nomination application (may require Labour Market Testing)
  • Visa application stage

Before Diving In

The very first step before jumping in is determining which of the employer sponsorship streams is most appropriate for you and your business.

The most common visa options for employer sponsored visas include:

The main factors for business to decide are:

  • The nature of the role you are trying to fill
  • How long you need to fill it

If you have already conducted recruitment efforts at this point and located the worker you are looking to sponsor, their age, English language ability, qualifications or years of work experience can influence which programs you are limited to.

The DAMA program is specifically designed to allow sponsorship of workers in areas of key need where the worker may be older or have a lower level of English language ability than is permitted under the other programs.

Labour Market Testing (job ads)

Labour Market Testing is an important part of the Government's systems for “putting Australian workers first”. The requirements have grown more rigid of the last 4 years and have moved further away from modern business practices.

Often the Standard Business Sponsorship is described as the first step of “sponsoring a foreign worker”. However, as Labour Market Testing takes a minimum of 4 weeks to run properly, this is often the first thing you want to do to get your new staff member onboard as soon as possible.

Generally, 3 online ads are the best way to go, one of which being on JobActive. There are requirements to include the salary if the worker will be paid under a certain threshold.

Most DAMA programs currently allow for 2 job ads that have been run in the last 12 months before submitting the linked nomination application.

Labour Market Testing is not required where International Trade Obligations override the Government’s interest in putting Australian workers first.

It is important to note that the 186 visa program does not formally require Labour Market Testing, however, conducting job ads can be a good way to demonstrate that the position being nominated is genuine in the Direct Entry stream.

Standard Business Sponsorship

If you are using the medium-term stream or short-term stream of the 482 visa program, or the employer-sponsored stream of the 494 visa program, your first application to the Department of Home Affairs will be a Standard Business Sponsorship.

This is centred entirely on your business and requires demonstrating that you are lawfully operating a business (two requirements: lawful and operating). The Department will also consider any adverse information and determine whether your business’ track record is suitable for the employer sponsorship program (this can include records of breaches of laws, especially employment laws, insolvency, or untruthfulness).

Designated Area Representative (DAR) endorsement

For the DAMA program, you need the endorsement of the Designated Area Representative (who would have negotiated the DAMA for the area) before you can “negotiate” a Labour Agreement with the federal government.

Requirements for DAR endorsement are thoroughly unique to the local area and the occupation(s) being nominated.

Generally they will require you to demonstrate that you have a business in the local area, a need to use the program, and will also want to check almost all requirements for the business and visa applicant before endorsing.

Labour Agreement negotiation (DAMA and other labour agreements)

Once endorsed by the DAR if required, the business then applies to the federal government to enter into the desired labour agreement.

If successful, the Department of Home Affairs will send you a labour agreement to sign, which might include a range of different terms depending on the particular labour agreement program being used.

Nomination application

For the sponsoring business, the nomination application is the one constant through all programs. Whether you are using the 482, DAMA, 186, 494 or any other employer-sponsored program: no-one escapes the nomination.

While the Standard Business Sponsorship is not related to any particular roles in the business, and the DAR endorsement and labour agreements can set out multiple roles the business is seeking to fill with overseas labour, the nomination identifies one single position and one single person who will be filling that role.

If you have 5 nurses to fill workforce shortages, that means you will be doing 5 nomination applications – one for each of them.

Visa application

Once all above steps have been successful or at least sent to the Department, the worker can submit their visa application.

This is the main stage where the worker’s qualifications, work experience and English language ability, as well as heath and character, are assessed by the Department. If partner and/or children are included in the application, the Department will be checking that they also meet their own requirements.

Applicant skills and English requirements are set, among other reasons, to ensure that foreign workers are able to enter Australia and fill the required skills shortage quickly and effectively.

Once it’s all over (or is it?)

Once you have the visa, the endpoint of all this, it is time for the worker to travel to Australia to join your business.

Once on-staff, it is important that you comply with all the sponsorship obligations. You can read more about sponsorship obligations here. Obligations will vary to some extent between 482, 186, DAMA and 494, but are largely overlapping for the 482 and 494, as well as the DAMA route of accessing those.

Put simply, it’s important to follow through on the range of commitments made to the Government throughout the sponsorship processes discussed above, most obviously paying the worker at least the guaranteed amounts you had set out. The Department can undertake monitoring activities to ensure this is being done.

Sources/further reading:

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Top Occupations For Australian Immigration 2022 - Employer Sponsored 482 Visa Australia

Overview of Australian Skilled Migration and the Employer Sponsored 482 Visa Australia

Australia’s migration program is divided into four streams:

  • Family
  • Special eligibility
  • Child
  • Skilled migration program – for migrants with skills to boost productivity and fill gaps in Australia’s labour market

In 2020-21, a total of 160,052 visas were granted and the Skill stream comprised 50.7% of those grants. There are different visa types in the Skill stream such as Skilled regional Visa 491 or Skilled Nominated by State Visa 190, but Employer Sponsored Visa program makes up the largest majority (nearly a third) with 23,503 employer sponsored visas granted.

There are a few major streams for Employer Sponsorship program in Australia: 494 Regional Skilled Employer sponsored, Global Talent Visa which might ask a nominator is a company or an Australian organization, or DAMA, just to name a few

However, within the scope of this article, we will be talking about the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) 482 visa program 

The Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) 482 Visa program was designed to address identified skills shortages, allowing businesses to enhance their workforce by sponsoring workers from overseas to live and work in Australia on a temporary 482 visa. 

The 482 Visa Australia is getting more popular and being focused by Australian Government in this financial year ending June 2023 to solve the skills crisis in Australia post-pandemic Covid-19.

According to the migration planning levels announced in April, there are 30,000 places added to Skilled Migration program which has 8,000 more allocations for Employer Sponsored Visas in 2022-2023 Financial year.

The government has also announced the new stream for TSS 482 Short Term Visa holders to be eligible to apply for Australian Permanent Residency 186 Visa.

Even though there are just over 200 occupations each on the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) and Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) for the TSS 482 Visa program, certain occupations are clearly in greater demand than others.

Get access to 482 Visa Occupation lists here >>

Which Occupations are in high demand for Employer Sponsored Visa Australia?  

According to data collected in 2021, the most popular occupations in the Employer Sponsored Category can be grouped into 4 key sectors:

  • Health (Registered Nurse or General Practitioner)
  • Finance and Accounting (Accountants )
  • IT (Software Engineer) or ICT Business and Systems Analysts
  • Trades (Chef and Automotive like Motor Mechanic)

Top industries for Employer Sponsored Visa Australia

Most of these occupations are classified in the ANZSCO classification guide as Skill Level 1 (the highest level).

Only 2 of the top 10 occupations are Skill Level 2 (Chefs) or Skill Level 3 (Cooks and Motor Mechanics).

Nominations in the Employer Sponsored space appear to be skewed in favour of a level of skills commensurate with a Bachelor degree or higher qualification (or otherwise 5 years+ of relevant experience).

The majority of these occupations most in demand (except for Cooks) all come under the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) meaning visa holders can be sponsored for up to 4 years with a pathway to permanent residency from the 482 Visa.

It is necessary to make sure your occupation for 482 Visa is listed in MLTSSL so that you may be eligible for Australian PR

Australia’s growing needs in the Information Technology field is reflected in the published statistics. By far the most common occupation group in the Employer Sponsored category is Software and Applications Programmers.

IT Occupations are the most popular occupation for Employer Sponsored Visa 482

This is followed by Registered Nurses and Accountants, with ICT Business and Systems Analysts and University Lecturers coming close behind.

Employers across Australia have been calling out about their desperate struggles with skills shortages in critical, high-demand sectors. The demand for skilled workers in these key industries is clearly strong, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Half of these occupations can also be found on the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL), including:

  • Accountant (General) (221111)
  • Management Accountant (221112)
  • Taxation Accountant (221113)
  • Civil Engineer (233211)
  • Geotechnical Engineer (233212)
  • Structural Engineer (233214)
  • Transport Engineer (233215)
  • General Practitioner (253111)
  • Resident Medical Officer (253112)
  • Medical Practitioners nec (253999)
  • Registered Nurse (Aged Care) (254412)
  • Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency) (254415)
  • Registered Nurse (Medical) (254418)
  • Registered Nurse (Mental Health) (254422)
  • Registered Nurse (Perioperative) (254423)
  • Registered Nurses nec (254499)
  • Analyst Programmer (261311)
  • Developer Programmer (261312)
  • Software Engineer (261313)
  • Software and Applications Programmers nec (261399)
  • ICT Security Specialist (262112)
  • Chef (351311)

One of the added advantages is the Department of Home Affairs gives priority processing to employer sponsored nomination and visa applications for an occupation on the PMSOL.

These occupations were calculated in the migration report of financial ending 2021 and these are not all the occupations that you can get permanent residency from a TSS 482 Visa.

Moreover, Covid-19 has made a lot of impacts on how the employer sponsored streams go. 

Please be minded that the more popular an occupation is for any migration program, the higher competitiveness you may face against until you meet the eligibility criteria.

Australia: the land of opportunity

A recent look at one of Australia’s popular job recruitment websites revealed more than 10,000 Civil Engineer positions advertised for Civil Engineers, 5000 for Software Engineers, more than 6000 for General Practitioners and an astounding 20,000 advertisements posted for Registered Nurses.

If you have sought-after skills, qualifications and employment background in the IT and health industries, there’s a good chance an Australian employer wants to hire you!

However, choosing the right occupation and work in a great location could be difficult to decide. There are actually many factors to come up with a decision of where to stay and work and what to do.

That is why Work Visa Lawyers are here to help.

If you are skilled workers, Please book an appointment to talk to one of our professional Immigration Lawyers or Registered Migration Agents about the Employer Sponsorship program in Australia.

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The difference between TSS 482 (Medium and Short term) vs DAMA program

The difference between TSS 482 (Medium and Short term) vs DAMA program

DAMA program can access either the Labour Agreement stream of the 482 visa, or the Labour Agreement stream of the 494.

For the purposes of this article, I will focus on the DAMA 482 programs and comparing it with TSS 482 Medium Term stream and TSS 482 Short Term Stream.

For anyone who has been on TSS 482 Short term in Australia during the pandemic, you might be eligible for a PR Pathway to 186 Visa. Read TSS 482 Short to PR here !

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Global Talent Visa vs Employer Sponsored Visa?

Global Talent Visa vs Employer Sponsored Visa?

An employer-sponsored visa to Australia is one great option for businesses to fill the skills or labour shortage in Australia. For the skilled visa holder, it is a great opportunity to come to Australia either temporarily or permanently. With someone who were in Australia during the pandemic, an employer-sponsored visa 482 can give you pathway to PR 186 visa 

However if you meet the eligibility criteria for it, the Global Talent Visa can be an even more attractive option than an employer-sponsored visa.

This is because of several factors including career flexibility, skills assessments, and age and language requirements.

Nevertheless, each visa stream has its own advantages and disadvantages for both employers and applicants. 

This article will discuss about the positive points of both the global talent visa and the employer sponsorship program.

Read more about the new visa 482 Employer Sponsored short-term to PR in 2022>


Career flexibility - No specific Occupation List for Global Talent Visa 858

Global Talent Visa is not an employer-sponsored visa. As a Global Talent Visa holder, you have the freedom to change jobs or roles, set up your own company or be self-employed. Even if you have to leave your job and be unemployed for some reason (like starting a family) you won't lose your visa.

For some employer-sponsored visas such as the Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (subclass 482) you have to work for the employer who sponsored you unless your occupation is one of the exempt occupations (such as a high-level, specialist medical professionals).

There are also employer-sponsored visas like the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) (subclass 187) visa which require you to work in regional areas. There is no such requirement for the Global Talent Visa.

You can also work in a variety of occupations within your specialisation in designated Target sectors. For employer-sponsored visas, your occupation must be listed in the relevant skilled occupation lists.

 

 PHD_Students_aim_for_Global_Talent_Visa_as_a_PR_Pathway.jpg

No skills assessment for Global Talent Visa 

To be eligible for the Global Talent Visa, you have to :

  • Be internationally recognised with evidence of outstanding achievements;
  • Be currently prominent in your field of expertise and must provide evidence that you would be an asset to Australia.  You can provide evidence such as industry awards, media articles, research, publications and the like. 

A lot of PHD students have found that Global Talent Visa is their main Permanent Residency pathway without complicating process like General Skilled Migration. Because they can satisfy the part of internationally recognised evidence.

Moreover, you do not have to provide a skills assessment issued by the relevant skills assessing authority for your occupation.

 

Low English language's requirement for Global Talent Visa

The English language skill required for the Global Talent visa is only “functional English”, that is if you are taking the IELTS test for example, you only need an average band score of at least 4.5 based on the 4 test components. If you or any secondary applicant can not meet the required English language skill, you need to pay the second visa application charge before the visa can be granted.

For the employer-sponsored visa, RSMS (subclass 187) the English language skill required is “competent English” which is, for an IELTS test, getting a score of at least 6 for each of the 4 components.

 

NO age limit for Global Talent Visa applicants 

Unless an exemption applies, the age limit for the RSMS and the Employer Nominated (subclass 186) visas is 45 years old.

For the Global Talent Visa, there is no age limit but if you are over 55 years old you have to prove that you can bring exceptional economic benefit to Australia.

 

Faster processing times for Global Talent Visa 

The Global Talent Visa is a fast-tracked pathway to permanent residency, with visas being granted anywhere from 2 months to 4 months. Note though that it may take weeks or even months to get the invitation to apply for the visa.

Generally, however, the processing times for the Global Talent visa are still shorter than the RSMS and the ENS visas.

The current processing time for permanent residence employer-sponsored visas such the RSMS (Direct Entry Stream) is between 35-45 months, and for the ENS (Direct Entry Stream) it is between 6-11 months.

 

No Cost for Global Talent Visa in terms of sponsorship

While the Global Talent Visa applicant may get a job offer from an Australian organisation, the prospective Australian employer will not incur costs to become an approved sponsor, apply and pay for the nomination and pay the Skilling Australians Fund levy.

In short, if you are an exceptional talent, the Global Talent might be for you.

To check your eligibility, you can take our quick and free Global Talent assessment here.

Employer Sponsorship program and its benefits to employers and applicants

Even though Employer sponsorship program has a specific skilled occupation lists, the list has wide veriety of occupations which Global Talent Visa program does not have such as: Trades occupations (Motor mechanic, Chef, Cook, welder, electrician...), Professional occupations ( marketing specialist, financial broker...) or General practitioner, Hospitality (cafe or restaurant manager)

The big difference that distinguish applicants for global talent visa program from employer sponsorship program applicants is the High Income Threshold currently set at 158,500 AUD. This is a very high salary requirement which most applicants do not meet.

There are also a lot of applicants who have put it the expression of interest in the Global Talent Visa and they are not being considered in a timely manner. 

The processing time of Global Talent Visa program could meet some delay because of its popularity in 2022, it sometimes takes 6 to 12 months to process.

On the other side, Employer Sponsored Visa could be quicker to get someone into Australia and start working for the company. 

 For someone who were in Australia during the pandemic, a new visa 482 short-term pathway to PR 186 visa could be a good option for skilled workers who are finding a way to get 491 nomination.

Read more about new visa 482 changes in 2022 here>

Author:

rosa

Rosa Torrefranca, Immigration Lawyer at Work Visa Lawyers

 

 

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Our team of experienced Immigration Lawyers and Migration Agents look forward to assisting you with your Australian visa or appeal.

Based in Adelaide South Australia, we provide Australian Immigration advice to people and businesses from all over the world.

If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:

(08) 8351 9956 or +61 8 8351 9956 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Disclaimer

This information is correct at the time of publication but is subject to change without notice.  All information provided on this page is provided for purely educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.  For advice on your situation, please speak with an Immigration Lawyer or a Registered Migration Agent.

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COVID-19 and Employer-Sponsored Visas (subclass 482 & 457) - Frequently Asked Questions

482-457-visa-coronavirus

 

Many employer-sponsored visa holders experienced changes to their employment as a result of the COVID-19. These unprecedented times have presented many challenges for these visa holders, including questions as to how their visas will be affected by these changes.

We have compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions to answer some of these questions. 

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Temporary Visa Workers 457 & 482, JobKeeper and JobSeeker - The Impact of Coronavirus COVID-19.

Temporary Visa Workers 457 & 482, JobKeeper and JobSeeker - The Impact of Coronavirus COVID-19.

A lot of businesses are currently being negatively impacted by the coronavirus and many others are staring down the wave about to crash over them.

In the sea of information currently spreading on coronavirus matters, it can be difficult to understand where you and your 457/482 visa holding employees stand.

A lot of businesses are finding it necessary to:

  • Reduce staff salaries
  • Reduce staff hours
  • Stand staff down where there is no work for them to do
  • Make arrangements for staff to work from home

There are strict regulations which apply to Standard Business Sponsors and their relationship with sponsored staff.

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Can I Get JobKeeper or Jobseeker Payments During the Coronavirus Pandemic?

Can I Get JobKeeper or Jobseeker Payments During the Coronavirus Pandemic?

 

This post was last updated on April 14, 2020

We write this post with a very heavy heart for all the employers who have to make the most difficult decision of all, whether to continue to employ people or let them go and place them in unemployment.

As we are now in the second month of what is unprecedented dual health and economic impacts sweeping across the globe the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic has immediately affected the very way businesses and people interact with each other.

The recent Australian Government emergency announcements touch on every part of society. From an Australian Migration perspective, across the board, there are difficulties faced by employer sponsors and employees that are sponsored; there are difficulties faced by families that are separated by distance or face uncertainty regarding their visa status as borders lockdown and flight schedules continue to be cancelled; and there are a whole host of temporary visa holders who do not have the protections from the Australian Government that ordinary Australian Citizens and Permanent Residents have access to.

In an announcement from the office of The Hon Alan Tudge MP Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs on April 4, 2020 The Federal Goverment answered our question:

"While citizens, permanent residents and many New Zealanders have access to unconditional work rights and government payments

(including the new JobKeeper and JobSeeker payments), temporary visa holders do not. " Source: https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/davidcoleman/Pages/Coronavirus-and-Temporary-Visa-holders.aspx  

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Coronavirus: How will COVID-19 affect Australian Immigration Practice and Policy? Students, skilled workers, Business, Families?

Coronavirus: How will COVID-19 affect Australian Immigration Practice and Policy? Students, skilled workers, Business, Families?

We have put together two videos discussing this topic and will continue to bring you updates as we all move the Coronvirus situation.

 

VIDEO 1 -Coronavirus - Australian Travel Bans, Student & Visitor Visa Holders Options and The Rush Back

 

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Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) Levy - Your Questions Answered

Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) Levy - Your Questions Answered

We are here to answer your questions about the Skilling Australians Fund levy

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Tips for Employer Sponsored 186 and RSMS 187 visa applications! Meeting genuine position requirements and high risk occupations.

Tips for Employer Sponsored 186 and RSMS 187 visa applications! Meeting genuine position requirements and high risk occupations.

There are several important factors employers need to consider when sponsoring an employee for a permanent residency visa or when appealing a decision.


The Employer Nominated Scheme (ENS) subclass 186 visa and the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) subclass 187 visa have two main streams:

  • Direct Entry stream
  • Temporary Residence Transition stream

The ENS 186 visa also has a third, less commonly used stream, the labour agreement stream. This stream is very important for Designated Area Migration Agreement applications and other forms of labour agreement, but is not as commonly used as the other two.

There are three possible stages for an ENS 186 visa or RSMS 187 visa:

  1. Regional Certifying Body Advice application (RSMS 187 Direct Entry Stream ONLY) to the relevant Regional Certifying Body
  2. Employer nomination application to the Department of Home Affairs
  3. Visa application to the Department of Home Affairs

 

Genuine position refusals

One of the most common reasons for refusal of ENS 186 visas and RSMS 187 visas is that the position is not genuine.

“Genuineness” is a complex assessment which does not have a concrete definition.

Case officers examine the entirety of the application, including the business circumstances, and develop an opinion as to whether the position being nominated is a genuine position required by the business which fits within the employer-sponsored migration program, or whether the whole or part of the position has been created solely to achieve a migration outcome.

There are certain occupations which are at a high risk of additional scrutiny for genuineness. These are high-volume occupations which may have attracted low-quality applications in the past. The two main examples are:

  • 149212 Customer Service Manager
  • 511112 Program or Project Administrator

It is important to ensure you are nominating the occupation that best matches the position in the business.

For the above occupations, it is important that the nominated position fits clearly within the relevant occupation. The case officer will be looking to the position description, organisational chart, employment contract and any other explanatory information and documents you are providing.

If the position does not appear to align with the occupation you have nominated, the case officer may find that the position is not genuine.

 

Temporary Residence Transition Stream – ENS 186 and RSMS 187 Visas

If using the Temporary Residence Transition, the application must be consistent with everything in the subclass 457 or subclass 482 visa.

One of the key matters which will be checked by the Department of Home Affairs is whether the visa applicant has been paid the nominated earnings for the whole duration of their subclass 457 or subclass 482 visa. A common issue here is where superannuation has been included in the nominated Guaranteed Annual Earnings. Because superannuation is not included in Guaranteed Annual Earnings (it is considered to be a separate employer obligation), this may inflate the earnings which were required to be paid to the visa holder.

Special attention must be given to this when applying for an ENS 186 visa or RSMS 187 visa under the Temporary Transition Stream.

 

Limited Availability of RSMS TRT Going Forward

With the RSMS subclass 187 visa closure on 16 November 2019, the Temporary Residence Transition stream of this visa will remain only available to a small group of people.
This group comprises two subgroups:

  • Transitional 457 workers – those who held or had applied for (which was subsequently granted) a subclass 457 visa on 18 April 2017
  • Transitional 482 workers – those who held or had applied for (which was subsequently granted) a TSS 482 visa on 20 March 2019

Currently, this appears to leave a group of people in the middle unaccounted for. These applicants may not be able to access the RSMS temporary transition after 16 November 2019.
For these workers, it may be worth considering whether Direct Entry can be completed prior to the shut-off.

 

Appeal Tips

If a negative decision is received from the Department of Home Affairs at either the nomination or visa application stage, a merits review at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) may be available. The ordinary timeframe for applying for this is 21 days, so it is important that you act quickly.

If such a decision occurs at the nomination stage, it is important that both stages are appealed to the AAT. If the nomination is not appealed, the visa applicant will not be able to be successful on appeal.

It is very important if appealing that all efforts are made to strengthen the circumstances of the application while waiting for a hearing date to be set. It can currently take quite some time for a new employer-sponsored matter to be constituted at the AAT and a hearing date set.

This time presents both a difficulty and an opportunity for the business and the worker. During this time, the employer and employee need to strengthen their relationship to have the best prospects of success. The employee should continue working in the business and the business should maintain detailed records to clearly demonstrate this.

An appeal to the AAT is a merits review process, so the Tribunal Member will stand in the shoes of the decision maker and look at the situation anew. You are able to provide new evidence to seek an improved outcome.

 

Do you need help with an Australian visa application?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experienced in assisting applicants in all matters relating to Australian visa applications. Our areas of expertise include Partner Visas, Skilled Migration visas, Business Skills Migration visas, Employer Sponsored Work Visas and other Family Migration visas as well as the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) Review, Judicial Review and Ministerial Intervention.

If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:

(08) 8351 9956 or +61 8 8351 9956 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Australian Immigration News Video July 2019 - New 491 visa, skilled points test, DAMA, and more

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Navigating Australia's Employer Sponsored visa program - TSS 482, DAMA, ENS 186 & new regional 494

Navigating Australia's Employer Sponsored visa program - TSS 482, DAMA, ENS 186 & new regional 494

Employer sponsored visas (including DAMA) can be an attractive option for many migrants, but it is important to remember that you must first find an employer that is willing to sponsor you.

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Opportunities in South Australia's growing film industry

Opportunities in South Australia's growing film industry

It was recently announced by the Premier of South Australia, Steven Marshall, that the state would be home to the latest Mortal Kombat film production. Using the facilities at Adelaide Studios, the production is expected to generate 780 jobs and inject $70 million into the local economy.

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Visa processing times update

Visa processing times update

The latest global visa processing times published by the Department of Home Affairs show some interesting trends amongst commonly used visa products. 

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What does the federal election result mean for Australia's immigration program?

What does the federal election result mean for Australia's immigration program?

After months of campaigning the Australian Federal Election was run and won on Saturday, with the Liberal and National Party Coalition led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison being returned to government. What does this mean form Australia's immigration program going forward?

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