AUSTRALIA: Subclass 457 and 462 Update

June 10, 2016


Changes to Subclass 457 Accredited Sponsorship Criteria

457 sponsors with a long history of good dealings with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) are eligible to apply to become Accredited Sponsors. The benefits to acquiring accredited status include; longer periods of sponsorship approval (6 years) and all nomination and visa applications receiving priority processing.
 
From 1st July 2016 DIBP will implement changes to the subclass 457 Accredited Sponsorship criteria.
 
The changes include:

  • Substantially lowering the number of 457 primary visa holders sponsored to 10 in a 24 month period (previously 30 in a 12 month period)
  • Requiring all 457 visa holders to be employed under a direct written contract of employment (as opposed to on-hire arrangements)
  • Requiring all Australian employees to be paid in accordance with an Enterprise Agreement or an internal salary banding structure that reflects current market salary rates.

Nomination applications lodged by sponsors that were approved for accredited status after 1st July 2016 will be prioritised and further streamlined processing given to applications where the base salary of the nominee is equal to higher than:

  • Fair Work High Income Threshold ($136,700 at 1st July 2015) and the occupation ANZSCO Skill Level 1 or 2;

or

  • $75,000 and the occupation is classified as Skill Level 1 or 2 in the ANZSCO, with the exception of followings occupations:
  • Recruitment Consultant
  • Sales Representative (Industrial Products)
  • Customer Service Manager
  • Corporate General Manager
  • Procurement Manager
  • Quality Assurance Manager
  • Sales and Marketing Manager
  • Specialist Manager NEC
  • Hotel/Motel Manager
  • Contract Administrator
  • Information and Organisation Professionals NEC.

Companies with current sponsorship approval that meet the new requirements will be eligible to lodge a sponsorship variation application seeking to be considered for sponsorship accreditation from 1st July 2016.

Companies that have already obtained accreditation will be eligible to apply for an upgrade to their sponsorship accreditation from 1st July 2016.
 
If your business appears to be eligible for accredited status your Newland Chase consultant will be in touch with you next week to discuss this with you.
 
DIBP”s information sheet on these changes is available here.
 

Subclass 462 Work and Holiday Visas

Citizens of the State of Israel are now eligible to apply for the Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa.
 
Israeli nationals will need to demonstrate that they have completed secondary school and their military service (or demonstrate that they are legally exempt from military service).
 
The Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Peter Dutton, has announced that Singaporean nationals will also be added to the list of eligible Work and Holiday visa applicants and soon be able to apply for long validity, multiple-entry visitor visas.
 
To see all current Work and Holiday eligible passport holders and the specific educational qualifications requirements for each please refer to the current Instrument. 
 

Should you require further information on these subclass visas, or for Australian immigration in general, please email us at [email protected].