On 19 April 2017 the Australian Government announced the abolition of the 457 visa programme which will take place in March 2018. A new Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) visa programme will replace the existing 457 visa programme.
Since the announcement was made, we at Work Visa Lawyers have received many questions from:
- 457 visa applicants about any new requirements
- 457 visa holders asking about visa validity and changing employers
- 457 visa holders intending to apply for a permanent visa through the subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) or subclass 187 Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) visa
- Employers who are or intend to be Standard Business Sponsors (SBS) for 457 visas, about how the new TSS visa will impact their operations relying on overseas workers
To assist as many as possible about understanding the coming changes, please read the information below. Please note that the information provided is generic and may not be relevant to your specific situation. Please seek a detailed consultation with a Registered Migration Agent to understand your migration options and determine the best way forward for you and your family.