Many people and businesses believe that the 457 is now abolished, since the Prime Minister (Malcolm Turnbull) made a surprise announcement of the 457 abolishment. This is the number one visa myth today.

Contrary to popular belief, the 457 still exists. It is still the primary visa mechanism to allow Australian businesses to sponsor and employ international skilled talent. The 457 program will remain in effect until March 2018, in which it will be replaced by the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa.

In the meantime, Australian businesses that need to hire international talent can still use the 457 program to fill vacant skilled positions within their business or organisation. To see what occupations are acceptable for sponsorship under the 457 visa program, visit the following links below:

• To sponsor someone on a 457 visa for 2 years: https://visaone.com.au/457-abolishment-news-short-term-skilled-occupation-list-stsol/
• To sponsor someone on a 457 visa for 4 years: https://visaone.com.au/457-abolishment-news-mltssl-sol-replacement/

The requirements for businesses to sponsor international skilled talent on a 457 visa have remained the same. To summarise, the main requirements are:

To apply to become an approved 457 Business Sponsor

• Demonstrate that the business is a lawful operating business / organisation
• Have no adverse information with regards to the business / organisation
• Show that you employ local labour, or commit to employing local labour
• Have an established training record if operating for more than 12 months
• Show an auditable training plan if operating for less than 12 months
• Note: Please contact us if you are an overseas business as requirements may vary

To nominate a person to fill a vacant position with a 457 Visa holder

• Identify the person you are intending to sponsor
• Demonstrate the genuineness of the position
• Show that you have tested the local labour market (some exemptions apply)
• Offer an employment contract equivalent to Australian standards
• Offer the market rate salary for the position (which must be above $53,900)
• Assess that the person you are intending to sponsor has the necessary skills

If you have an Australian business or organisation that wishes to sponsor someone to work for you, you can still do so under the 457 visa framework.

The only changes that have come into effect are the changes that were effective from the 19th of April 2017, which have primarily affected the occupations lists. You can read about these changes here: https://visaone.com.au/457-abolishment-real-changes-that-will-affect-you-now/.

 

If you require professional assistance figuring out whether you can still sponsor your workers under the 457, please email us at solutions@VisaOne.com.au.

If you have an urgent case matter which requires immediate assistance, please call us on 1300 61 99 77 (or +61 7 3181 5588).

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Below are some of the new restrictions introduced by the Department of Immigration in line with the Prime Minister’s announcement on the 18th of April.

The following restrictions are effective from the 19th of April onwards for all new and pending 457 nominations and visa applications.

 

Accountant (ANZSCO 221111)

Accountants cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• performing clerical, book keeper and accounting clerk duties
• positions in businesses with an annual turnover of less than AUD$1,000,000 (1 Million Dollars)
• positions in businesses with less than five employees

This restriction limits nominations for skill level 1 accountant positions only (which means a position where applicants will be involved in planning and providing accounting systems and services in relation to the financial dealings of organisations and individuals, including advising on related record-keeping and compliance criteria).

Note: Accountants can still perform other duties outside of the ANZSCO definition. However, in order to meet the requirements, the Department of Immigration expect applicants to be spending very little time performing other tasks outside the ones listed in ANZSCO.

This occupation is not intended to fill positions where the majority of duties refer to skill level 4 positions such as Accounts Clerk (ANZSCO 551111), Bookkeeper (ANZSCO 5512111), Cost Clerk (ANZSCO 551112) and Payroll Clerk (ANZSCO 551311).

 

Animal Attendants and Trainers (NEC) (ANZSCO 361199)

Animal Attendants and Trainers cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• For animal husbandry, including but not limited to work that involves caring for livestock on a farm setting

This restriction limits nominations for skill level 3 animal attendant and trainer positions only, which are responsible for teaching and training animals as opposed to simply feeding or caring for them.

This occupation cannot be used for positions wherein majority of the duties are similar to those performed by ANZSCO unit group 8415 Livestock Farm Workers and 8416 Mixed crop and livestock farm workers.

 

Baker (ANZSCO 351111)

Bakers cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• Performing mass / standardised production, such as positions in a franchise or factory, instead of specialist production
• Any production of food products that will be distributed to a different location
• Mainly include the use of food products prepared in advance from a different location

This occupation cannot be used for positions wherein majority of the duties are similar to those performed by Food Trades Assistants NEC (ANZSCO 851299) or Kitchenhand (ANZSCO 851311).

 

Cafe and Restaurant Manager (ANZSCO 141111)

Cafe and Restaurant Managers cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• fast food or takeaway food services;
• fast casual restaurants;
• drinking establishments that offer only a limited food service;
• limited service cafes including, but not limited to, coffee shops or mall cafes;
• limited service pizza restaurants.

A Café or Restaurant Manager must take on the role of a leader which involve tasks such as menu planning, organisation of special events, following a budget for purchases and item pricing, managing finances and monitoring stocks. Café and Restaurant Managers must also be able to measure customer satisfaction and be in charge of recruitment, training and supervision of the staff.

Note: Cafe or Restaurant Managers can still perform other duties outside of the ANZSCO definition. However, in order to meet the requirements, the Department of Immigration expect applicants to be spending very little time performing other tasks outside the ones listed in ANZSCO.

This occupation is not intended to fill positions where the majority of duties refer to skill level 4 positions such as Café Worker (ANZSCO 431211) and Waiter (ANZSCO 431511).

 

Chefs (ANZSCO 351311)

Chefs cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• fast food or takeaway food services
• fast casual restaurants
• drinking establishments that offer only a limited food service
• limited service cafes including, but not limited to, coffee shops or mall cafes
• limited service pizza restaurants

This position is only to be used for a chef with skill level 2. This means that the nominee must take on the role of a leader in the dining establishment which involve tasks menu planning, overseeing the quality of the dishes, preparing and cooking food, and advising on cooking procedures.

Note: Chefs have a diploma or higher qualifications and a certain number of years of work experience. Apprentice Chefs are excluded from this unit group in ANZSCO and are included in the Cook unit group.

 

Chief Executive or Managing Director (ANZSCO 111111)

Chief Executive or Managing Director cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• the company involved has an annual turnover of less than $1M (AUD)
• the company consists of less than five employees
• the base salary of the nominated position is lower than $90,000 (AUD)

This occupation cannot be used to nominate positions such as supervisory roles or managerial roles with lower responsibilities in the organisation.

 

Conference and Event Organiser (ANZSCO 149311)

Conference and Event Organiser cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• the company involved has an annual turnover of less than $1M (AUD)
• the base salary of the nominated position is lower than $65,000 (AUD)

This occupation cannot be used to nominate the position of Receptionist (General) (ANZSCO 542111), or positions that are only required for large conferences that only happen annually or for one-time events.

 

Cooks (ANZSCO 351411)

Cooks cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• fastfood or takeaway food services
• fast casual restaurants
• drinking establishments that offer only a limited food service
• limited service cafes
• limited service pizza restaurants

This occupation can only be used for positions under the skill level 3 which involves the task of preparation and cooking food in dining establishments.

This occupation is not intended to fill positions where the majority of duties refer to Fast Food Cooks (ANZSCO 851111), Food Trades Assistants NEC (ANZSCO 851299) and Kitchenhands (ANZSCO 851311).

 

Corporate General Manager (ANZSCO 111211)

Corporate General Manager cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• the company involved has an annual turnover of less than $1M (AUD)
• the company has less than five employees
• the base salary of the nominated occupation is lower than $90,000 (AUD)

This occupation is not intended to fill supervisory and managerial roles with lower responsibilities expected from a Corporate General Manager.

 

Corporate Services Manager (ANZSCO 132111)

Corporate Services Manager cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• the company involved has an annual turnover of less than $1M (AUD)
• the company has less than five employees
• the base salary of the nominated occupation is lower than $80,000 (AUD)

This occupation is not intended to fill supervisory and managerial roles which are not involved in the control and coordination of the overall administration of the organisation.

 

Customer Service Managers (ANZSCO 149212)

Customer Service Managers cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• involved in a front-line retail setting
• mainly involve a regular direct interaction with clients for transactions
• the company has an annual turnover of less than $1M (AUD)
• the base salary of the nominated occupation is lower than $65,000 (AUD)

This occupation must only be used customer service manager positions wherein the performs tasks such as: development and review of policies, programs and procedures with regards to customer relations and food/services provided, planning and implementation of after-sales services to check on customer satisfaction, ensuring quality of purchased goods and modification and improvement of services offered.

A Customer Service Manager would be expected to perform duties relevant within large business operation such as complex client interactions and would not be involved with the general administration and operations of the organisation.

This occupation is not intended to fill positions wherein the majority of duties refer to Retail Manager (ANZSCO 142111) or Retail Supervisor (ANZSCO 621511).

Note: The only possible exception to the restrictions above is when a company is setting up stores in Australia for the first time and hence may require an experienced manager (with their brand) to manage the store for launch operations. This will be considered on a one off basis.

 

Facilities Manager (ANZSCO 149913)

Facilities Managers cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• the facility is not located in a commercial building or shopping centre environment or
• duties mainly involve the management of provisions of one particular service to a facility or management of one particular relationship

Example: a position in charge of solely managing the cleaning contract for a facility, and other contracts involving the facility

This occupation is not intended to fill non-managerial roles that can be performed by Australian employees. This includes positions that provide a specific service to facilities such as a cleaning companies or companies based in a farm and not a commercial location.

 

Farmer (Various)

This occupation cannot be used for a positions mainly involved with low-skilled tasks such as fruit picking, fruit packing and feeding of animals.

This occupation is not intended to fill positions where the majority of the duties are to similar tasks performed by General Farm Hands (841611) or Crop Farm Workers nec (ANZSCO 841299).

 

Hair or Beauty Salon Manager (ANZSCO 142114)

Hair or Beauty Salon Managers cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• mainly involve non-managerial tasks such as hair dressing or beauty therapy
• the company has less than five full-time employees.

This occupation is not intended to fill positions wherein majority of the duties refer to Sales Assistant (General) (ANZSCO 621111), Beauty Therapist (ANZSCO 451111, or a Hair or Beauty Salon Assistant (ANZSCO 451812).

 

Hotel or Motel Manager (ANZSCO 141311)

This occupation cannot be used for positions which mainly involves the management of hotel or motel staff.

This occupation is also not intended to fill positions wherein majority of the duties are similar to those performed by a Hotel Services Manager (ANZSCO 431411) or a Hotel or Motel Receptionist (ANZSCO 542113).

Note: This restriction does not rule out positions that mainly involve being responsible for the organisation and control of hotel or motel operations, which may have minor duties related to staff management.

 

Management Consultant (ANZSCO 224711)

Management consultants cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• the company involved has an annual turnover of less than $1M (AUD) or
• the company has less than five full-time employees

This occupation must only be used for high skill level managerial positions that provide assistance to organisations to obtain greater efficiency and find solutions to issues within the organisation.

 

Marketing Specialist (ANZSCO 225113)

Marketing Specialists cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• involved in a front-line retail setting
• mainly involve regular direct interactions with a client to process transactions
• the company involved has an annual turnover of less than $1M (AUD)
• the base salary for the nominated occupation is lower than $65,000

This occupation must only be used for marketing positions with a high level of skill and specialisation to enable them to make contributions relevant to the organisation's strategies.

This occupation is not intended to fill positions wherein majority of the duties are similar to those performed by ANZSCO Unit Group 6113 – Sales Representatives.

 

Massage Therapist (ANZSCO 411611)

Massage Therapists cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• part-time positions, or
• not based in a therapeutic setting, or
• involves the provision of non-medical relaxation massage

This occupation is not intended to fill positions wherein majority of the duties are similar to those performed by a Sex Worker (ANZSCO 451813).

Under policy, a therapeutic setting is a facility that offers services related to the healing of
disease, as opposed to relaxation services. Positions that are:

• not based in a therapeutic setting are likely to include positions assigned to a spa, shopping malls or a
  prostitution setting or,
• based in a therapeutic setting are likely to include positions assigned to a clinic offering therapeutic
  massage, physiotherapy and/or chiropractic care

Under policy, a non-medical relaxation massage is provided for the purpose of client's relaxation. A therapeutic massage must be performed by a health care professional, with qualifications to assist with health needs and goals, in order to alleviate any injury or pain, or reduce the impacts of participation in sports competitions. Such professionals may schedule multiple appointments with a patient and provide exercise programs that can be continued at home.
Mechanical Engineering Technician (ANZSCO 312512)

This occupation is not intended to fill lower-skilled positions that involve repair of mobile phones. The nominee must perform skill level 2 duties such as providing assistance in mechanical engineering research, design, manufacture, construction, operation and maintenance of machines, manufacturing equipment, mechanical installations and facilities.

 

Pastry Cook (ANZSCO 351112)

Pastry Cooks cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• involves mass or standardised production, which includes positions based in a franchise or factory, instead of specialist production
• involve full or partial production of food product to be distributed to a different location
• mainly involve the use of food product prepared in advance from a different location

This occupation must only be used for skilled pastry cook positions where the nominee performs tasks such as
preparing and baking pastry products from scratch, instead of simply heating or cooking pre-prepared products or operating and/or cleaning baking equipment.

This occupation is not intended to fill positions wherein majority of the duties are similar to those performed by a Pastry Cook’s Assistant (ANZSCO 851211), Food Trades Assistants nec (ANZSCO 851299) or Kitchenhand (ANZSCO 851311).

 

Recruitment Consultant (ANZSCO 223112)

Recruitment Consultants cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• the company involved has an annual turnover of less than $1M (AUD)
• the company has less than five employees
• the base salary of the nominated position is less than $65,000 (AUD)

This occupation is not intended to fill positions wherein majority of the duties are similar to those performed by a Human Resources Clerk (ANZSCO 599411) such as maintenance and update of personnel records, processing employment applications and sending advice about application results.

 

Sales and Marketing Manager (ANZSCO 131112)

Sales and Marketing managers cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• based in a front-line retail setting
• mainly involve regular direct interactions with a client to process transactions
• the company involved has an annual turnover of less than $1M (AUD)
• the base salary for the nominated position is lower than $65,000 (AUD)

This occupation must only be used used for sales and marketing positions with a high level of skill and specialisation. These involves tasks such as planning, directing and controlling sales and marketing activities of an organisation, instead of just providing assistance with sales or marketing tasks.

This occupation is not intended to fill positions wherein majority of the duties are similar to those assigned to ANZSCO Unit Group 6113 – Sales Representatives.

Note: ANZSCO also specifically excludes ICT Business Development Managers from this occupation.

 

Supply and Distribution Manager (ANZSCO 133611)

Supply and Distribution Managers cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• the company involved has an annual turnover of less than $1M (AUD)
• the company has less than five employees;
• the base salary for the nominated occupation is lower than $65,000 (AUD)

This occupation must only be used for supply and distribution manager positions under skill level 1 which involves tasks such as the planning, organisation, direction, control and coordination of the supply, storage and distribution of goods.

This occupation is not intended to fill positions wherein majority of the duties are similar to those performed by ANZSCO unit group 5911 Purchasing and Supply Logistics Clerks under the skill level 4.

 

Technical Sales Representatives NEC (note: includes education sales rep) (ANZSCO 225499)

Technical Sales Representatives cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• based in a front-line retail setting
• based in call centres and are not required to have significant technical product knowledge
• mainly involve sales of educational courses to individual students
• the base salary of nominated occupation is lower than $65,000 (AUD)

This occupation must only be used for positions that require specialist knowledge of the complex products being sold such as industrial, medical or pharmaceutical goods.

This occupation is not intended to fill positions wherein majority of the duties are similar to those performed by ANZSCO Unit Group 6113 – Sales Representatives.

 

Transport Company Manager (ANZSCO 149413)

Transport Company Manager cannot be nominated under the following circumstances:

• truck driver positions;
• fleet manager positions;
• container controller positions;
• positions in businesses that have an annual turnover of less than $1M (AUD);
• positions in businesses that have fewer than five employees.

This occupation must only be used for transport company manager positions under skill level 2. This involves tasks such as organisation and control of a fleet of vehicles for transportation of goods and passengers.

This occupation is not intended to fill positions with duties related to small scale delivery operation with limited employees who are not requirement to have significant managerial experience.

Additional assessment may then be warranted if the officer has concerns that a significant amount of the
nominee’s time will be spent on administrative support tasks (e.g. maintaining records of incoming outgoing
goods, preparing goods for despatch, arranging for despatch and collection of goods) or driving vehicles,
rather than organising and controlling the operations of an enterprise that operates a fleet of vehicles to
transport goods and passengers.

 

---

 

To find out more about the 457 changes, please read our article release about the new changes:

457 Abolished | The Real Changes That Will Affect You Now

If you require professional assistance with your matter, please email us at solutions@VisaOne.com.au. Due to the sudden nature of the announcement made regarding the 457 visa program, you may experience 1-2 business days of delay in our response to your enquiry.

If you have an urgent case matter which requires immediate intervention and you wish to engage us to professionally assist with your case, please call us on 1300 61 99 77 (or +61 7 3181 5588) and clearly describe your situation (such as your occupation, the status of your application and any other problems you require immediate assistance with).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="It doesn't cost you to know your options" font_container="tag:h1|text_align:center|color:%23288bd0" google_fonts="font_family:Lato%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal" css=".vc_custom_1493284229331{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}"][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][ult_buttons btn_title=" 1300 619 977" btn_align="ubtn-center" btn_size="ubtn-large" btn_title_color="#333333" btn_bg_color="" btn_hover="ubtn-fade-bg" icon="Defaults-phone" icon_size="32" icon_color="#288bd0" btn_icon_pos="ubtn-sep-icon-at-left" btn_border_style="solid" btn_color_border="#ff8200" btn_border_size="0" btn_radius="3" el_class="ubtn123" css_adv_btn=".vc_custom_1493284369687{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}" btn_font_style="font-weight:bold;" btn_font_size="desktop:34px;" btn_line_height="desktop:34px;"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][ult_buttons btn_title="FREE VISA ASSESSMENT" btn_align="ubtn-center" btn_size="ubtn-large" btn_title_color="#ffffff" btn_bg_color="#ff8200" btn_hover="ubtn-fade-bg" btn_bg_color_hover="#ff9b30" btn_title_color_hover="#ffffff" icon_size="32" btn_icon_pos="ubtn-sep-icon-at-left" btn_border_style="solid" btn_color_border="#ff8200" btn_border_size="0" btn_radius="5" el_class="sg-popup-id-2" css_adv_btn=".vc_custom_1493284465384{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}" btn_font_style="font-weight:bold;" btn_font_size="desktop:20px;" btn_line_height="desktop:20px;"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The new Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) can be mainly used to nominate occupations for the following visa subclasses:

• Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
• Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) (if nominated by a relative; the STSOL applies if you are being nominated by a State or Territory Government)
• Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) – Graduate Work Stream.

Note:

• Some restrictions apply to specific occupations on the list below (which means you cannot nominate specific occupations, under certain circumstances, under the 457 program). Occupations with restrictions are marked with 3-asterisks (***).
• Specific occupations on the list below are only available for the following visa subclasses (meaning they cannot be used under the 457 visa program). These occupations are marked with 2-asterisks (**):
  • Skilled – Independent (subclass 189)
  • Temporary Graduate (subclass 485)
  • Skilled-Regional (Provisional) (subclass 489) (if the applicant is nominated by a relative; please refer to the STSOL if you are being nominated by a State or Territory Government)

 

 

To find out more about the 457 Abolishment changes, please read our article release about the new changes:

457 Abolished | The Real Changes That Will Affect You Now

If you require professional assistance with your matter, please email us at solutions@VisaOne.com.au. Due to the sudden nature of the announcement made regarding the 457 visa program, you may experience 1-2 business days of delay in our response to your enquiry.

If you have an urgent case matter which requires immediate intervention and you wish to engage us to professionally assist with your case, please call us on 1300 61 99 77 (or +61 7 3181 5588) and clearly describe your situation (such as your occupation, the status of your application and any other problems you require immediate assistance with).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="It doesn't cost you to know your options" font_container="tag:h1|text_align:center|color:%23288bd0" google_fonts="font_family:Lato%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal" css=".vc_custom_1493284229331{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}"][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][ult_buttons btn_title=" 1300 619 977" btn_align="ubtn-center" btn_size="ubtn-large" btn_title_color="#333333" btn_bg_color="" btn_hover="ubtn-fade-bg" icon="Defaults-phone" icon_size="32" icon_color="#288bd0" btn_icon_pos="ubtn-sep-icon-at-left" btn_border_style="solid" btn_color_border="#ff8200" btn_border_size="0" btn_radius="3" el_class="ubtn123" css_adv_btn=".vc_custom_1493284369687{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}" btn_font_style="font-weight:bold;" btn_font_size="desktop:34px;" btn_line_height="desktop:34px;"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][ult_buttons btn_title="FREE VISA ASSESSMENT" btn_align="ubtn-center" btn_size="ubtn-large" btn_title_color="#ffffff" btn_bg_color="#ff8200" btn_hover="ubtn-fade-bg" btn_bg_color_hover="#ff9b30" btn_title_color_hover="#ffffff" icon_size="32" btn_icon_pos="ubtn-sep-icon-at-left" btn_border_style="solid" btn_color_border="#ff8200" btn_border_size="0" btn_radius="5" el_class="sg-popup-id-2" css_adv_btn=".vc_custom_1493284465384{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}" btn_font_style="font-weight:bold;" btn_font_size="desktop:20px;" btn_line_height="desktop:20px;"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Occupations relating to regionally located employers (and place of work) only:

 

The following post codes in the table below have been defined as ‘Regional Australia’ for the purposes of the new 457 regional occupation specific restrictions (which basically excludes Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, Melbourne Metropolitan, the Greater Brisbane area, and most of the Gold Coast)

 

To find out more about the 457 Abolishment changes, please read our article release about the new changes:

457 Abolished | The Real Changes That Will Affect You Now

If you require professional assistance with your matter, please email us at solutions@VisaOne.com.au. Due to the sudden nature of the announcement made regarding the 457 visa program, you may experience 1-2 business days of delay in our response to your enquiry.

If you have an urgent case matter which requires immediate intervention and you wish to engage us to professionally assist with your case, please call us on 1300 61 99 77 (or +61 7 3181 5588) and clearly describe your situation (such as your occupation, the status of your application and any other problems you require immediate assistance with).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="It doesn't cost you to know your options" font_container="tag:h1|text_align:center|color:%23288bd0" google_fonts="font_family:Lato%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal" css=".vc_custom_1493284229331{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}"][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][ult_buttons btn_title=" 1300 619 977" btn_align="ubtn-center" btn_size="ubtn-large" btn_title_color="#333333" btn_bg_color="" btn_hover="ubtn-fade-bg" icon="Defaults-phone" icon_size="32" icon_color="#288bd0" btn_icon_pos="ubtn-sep-icon-at-left" btn_border_style="solid" btn_color_border="#ff8200" btn_border_size="0" btn_radius="3" el_class="ubtn123" css_adv_btn=".vc_custom_1493284369687{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}" btn_font_style="font-weight:bold;" btn_font_size="desktop:34px;" btn_line_height="desktop:34px;"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][ult_buttons btn_title="FREE VISA ASSESSMENT" btn_align="ubtn-center" btn_size="ubtn-large" btn_title_color="#ffffff" btn_bg_color="#ff8200" btn_hover="ubtn-fade-bg" btn_bg_color_hover="#ff9b30" btn_title_color_hover="#ffffff" icon_size="32" btn_icon_pos="ubtn-sep-icon-at-left" btn_border_style="solid" btn_color_border="#ff8200" btn_border_size="0" btn_radius="5" el_class="sg-popup-id-2" css_adv_btn=".vc_custom_1493284465384{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}" btn_font_style="font-weight:bold;" btn_font_size="desktop:20px;" btn_line_height="desktop:20px;"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

 

To find out more about the 457 Abolishment changes, please read our article release about the new changes:

457 Abolished | The Real Changes That Will Affect You Now

If you require professional assistance with your matter, please email us at solutions@VisaOne.com.au. Due to the sudden nature of the announcement made regarding the 457 visa program, you may experience 1-2 business days of delay in our response to your enquiry.

If you have an urgent case matter which requires immediate intervention and you wish to engage us to professionally assist with your case, please call us on 1300 61 99 77 (or +61 7 3181 5588) and clearly describe your situation (such as your occupation, the status of your application and any other problems you require immediate assistance with).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="It doesn't cost you to know your options" font_container="tag:h1|text_align:center|color:%23288bd0" google_fonts="font_family:Lato%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal" css=".vc_custom_1493284229331{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}"][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][ult_buttons btn_title=" 1300 619 977" btn_align="ubtn-center" btn_size="ubtn-large" btn_title_color="#333333" btn_bg_color="" btn_hover="ubtn-fade-bg" icon="Defaults-phone" icon_size="32" icon_color="#288bd0" btn_icon_pos="ubtn-sep-icon-at-left" btn_border_style="solid" btn_color_border="#ff8200" btn_border_size="0" btn_radius="3" el_class="ubtn123" css_adv_btn=".vc_custom_1493284369687{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}" btn_font_style="font-weight:bold;" btn_font_size="desktop:34px;" btn_line_height="desktop:34px;"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][ult_buttons btn_title="FREE VISA ASSESSMENT" btn_align="ubtn-center" btn_size="ubtn-large" btn_title_color="#ffffff" btn_bg_color="#ff8200" btn_hover="ubtn-fade-bg" btn_bg_color_hover="#ff9b30" btn_title_color_hover="#ffffff" icon_size="32" btn_icon_pos="ubtn-sep-icon-at-left" btn_border_style="solid" btn_color_border="#ff8200" btn_border_size="0" btn_radius="5" el_class="sg-popup-id-2" css_adv_btn=".vc_custom_1493284465384{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}" btn_font_style="font-weight:bold;" btn_font_size="desktop:20px;" btn_line_height="desktop:20px;"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Occupations removed on Wednesday the 19th of April 2017:

 

To find out more about the 457 Abolishment changes, please read our article release about the new changes:

457 Abolished | The Real Changes That Will Affect You Now

If you require professional assistance with your matter, please email us at solutions@VisaOne.com.au. Due to the sudden nature of the announcement made regarding the 457 visa program, you may experience 1-2 business days of delay in our response to your enquiry.

If you have an urgent case matter which requires immediate intervention and you wish to engage us to professionally assist with your case, please call us on 1300 61 99 77 (or +61 7 3181 5588) and clearly describe your situation (such as your occupation, the status of your application and any other problems you require immediate assistance with).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="It doesn't cost you to know your options" font_container="tag:h1|text_align:center|color:%23288bd0" google_fonts="font_family:Lato%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal" css=".vc_custom_1493284229331{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}"][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][ult_buttons btn_title=" 1300 619 977" btn_align="ubtn-center" btn_size="ubtn-large" btn_title_color="#333333" btn_bg_color="" btn_hover="ubtn-fade-bg" icon="Defaults-phone" icon_size="32" icon_color="#288bd0" btn_icon_pos="ubtn-sep-icon-at-left" btn_border_style="solid" btn_color_border="#ff8200" btn_border_size="0" btn_radius="3" el_class="ubtn123" css_adv_btn=".vc_custom_1493284369687{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}" btn_font_style="font-weight:bold;" btn_font_size="desktop:34px;" btn_line_height="desktop:34px;"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][ult_buttons btn_title="FREE VISA ASSESSMENT" btn_align="ubtn-center" btn_size="ubtn-large" btn_title_color="#ffffff" btn_bg_color="#ff8200" btn_hover="ubtn-fade-bg" btn_bg_color_hover="#ff9b30" btn_title_color_hover="#ffffff" icon_size="32" btn_icon_pos="ubtn-sep-icon-at-left" btn_border_style="solid" btn_color_border="#ff8200" btn_border_size="0" btn_radius="5" el_class="sg-popup-id-2" css_adv_btn=".vc_custom_1493284465384{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}" btn_font_style="font-weight:bold;" btn_font_size="desktop:20px;" btn_line_height="desktop:20px;"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A surprising announcement was made yesterday by the Prime Minister of Australia, Malcolm Turnbull, that the Australian government will be abolishing the 457 program and replacing it with the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa, which will officially come into effect in March of 2018 (next year).

This has created a ripple effect of fear, confusion and uncertainty for 457 visa applicants, and 457 sponsors, which include small businesses, medium-to-large organisations and even government bodies who all utilise the 457 program to fill a wide array of skilled vacancies with skilled workers from around the globe, including Europe, Asia and the Americas.

It is important to know that the transition of changes of the move from the current 457 program to the new TSS visa has already begun. Reforms have come into effect from today starting with the occupation lists, and more changes to follow this coming 1st of July 2017. Below are the immediate changes, effective from today, that may affect your 457 visa/nomination/sponsorship:

Changes commencing on the 19th April (today):

• Occupation list change: The Consolidated Sponsored Occupation List (CSOL), which was the list of occupations that employers could sponsor people to fill, has been renamed to the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) of which 216 occupations have been removed (from 651 to 435 occupations). Note: The STSOL will be updated every 6 months
• The new STSOL will have occupation specific restrictions applied to 59 of the occupations and 24 occupations have been limited for sponsorship to regionally located employers (such as occupations relating to farming and agriculture).
• The Skilled Occupation List (SOL), which refers to the Skilled Migration category will be renamed to the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). This list will consist of occupations that have been identified as high value occupations to the Australian economy.
• 457 Visa Validity Period: The maximum duration of 457 visas issued from this date for occupations that are on the STSOL will be 2 years. The maximum duration of 457 visas issued from this date for occupations that are on the MLTSSL will be 4 years.

So what does this mean for you as an applicant or employer?

This means that depending on your occupation or vacant position:

1. You will not be able to use the 457 program for occupations that have been removed from the occupations lists.
2. For the remaining occupations, on the new lists, you can still use the 457 program but some restrictions may apply to your occupation, or will only be allowed for regional work purposes.
3. The maximum period of the visa validity of 457 visas granted from the 19th of April 2017 onwards will vary depending on what list the occupation/vacancy falls under (STSOL vs MSTSSL).

Current 457 visa holders are not affected by the change and their visas will continue to remain in effect. The only time where the changes will affect current 457 visa holders is if they intend to switch employers, which requires a new 457 nomination (which will be subject to the new occupation lists and associated restrictions).

Current 457 nomination and visa applications that have been lodged on or before the 18th of April 2017 (where the application/s have not yet been finalised) will be affected by the new occupation lists. The Department of Immigration have advised that applications affected by the changes may be eligible for a refund of their nomination fee and visa application fee.

If you are about to embark on a 457 case (or if you are in the middle of the process), please make sure you understand the above changes and consult with an experienced registered migration agent who can navigate the changes and offer you advice and assistance to help you, moving forward.

If you require professional assistance with your matter, please email us at solutions@VisaOne.com.au. Due to the sudden nature of the announcement made regarding the 457 visa program, you may experience 1-2 business days of delay in our response to your enquiry.

If you have an urgent case matter which requires immediate intervention and you wish to engage us to professionally assist with your case, please call us on 1300 61 99 77 (or +61 7 3181 5588) and clearly describe your situation (such as your occupation, the status of your application and any other problems you require immediate assistance with).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="It doesn't cost you to know your options" font_container="tag:h1|text_align:center|color:%23288bd0" google_fonts="font_family:Lato%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal" css=".vc_custom_1493284229331{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}"][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][ult_buttons btn_title=" 1300 619 977" btn_align="ubtn-center" btn_size="ubtn-large" btn_title_color="#333333" btn_bg_color="" btn_hover="ubtn-fade-bg" icon="Defaults-phone" icon_size="32" icon_color="#288bd0" btn_icon_pos="ubtn-sep-icon-at-left" btn_border_style="solid" btn_color_border="#ff8200" btn_border_size="0" btn_radius="3" el_class="ubtn123" css_adv_btn=".vc_custom_1493284369687{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}" btn_font_style="font-weight:bold;" btn_font_size="desktop:34px;" btn_line_height="desktop:34px;"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][ult_buttons btn_title="FREE VISA ASSESSMENT" btn_align="ubtn-center" btn_size="ubtn-large" btn_title_color="#ffffff" btn_bg_color="#ff8200" btn_hover="ubtn-fade-bg" btn_bg_color_hover="#ff9b30" btn_title_color_hover="#ffffff" icon_size="32" btn_icon_pos="ubtn-sep-icon-at-left" btn_border_style="solid" btn_color_border="#ff8200" btn_border_size="0" btn_radius="5" el_class="sg-popup-id-2" css_adv_btn=".vc_custom_1493284465384{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;}" btn_font_style="font-weight:bold;" btn_font_size="desktop:20px;" btn_line_height="desktop:20px;"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

In a document rolled out by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, it declared the top ten most nominated occupations for primary applications granted as of June last year. We then compared how much Australia is paying for these occupations on an annual basis against the other top employers of the world, namely the United States, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab of Emirates Emirates according to the data provided by PayScale. All the values are in US dollars for easier comparison.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Question: Is turnover a requirement for a 457 business sponsorship? If so, how much do I need?

Technically, turnover is not a requirement that is legislated under the 457 program. Therefore, there is not any financial threshold in relation to the turnover required in order to sponsor someone under the 457 visa program. However, one thing to note is that even though turnover is not a legislative criteria, Immigration will still assess the overall genuineness and the ability of the business to afford a new employee.

If you are looking to apply for a business sponsorship approval under the 457 program, here are two things to take into consideration for your business or organisation:

1. Can the business afford a new employee? (Meaning does the business have sufficient cash-flow for a new hire)
2. Can the business offer a salary that is equivalent or higher than the market rate offered for the job / occupation?

If the answer to the above two questions are “yes” then the business is looking good to potentially be approved as a 457 business sponsor.

It is critical to consult with professionals who can discuss your business financials and advise you appropriately on the prospects of success and instruct you on what steps need to be taken (or planned) to achieve a successful outcome.

Last year, Australia has been named again as one of the happiest countries on the planet by the World Happiness Report, a notable survey by the United Nations to assess the state of global happiness. Ever since the survey was first published in 2012, the country has been a constant inclusion in the top 10. Consequently, Australia also has one of the highest migration rates in the world, one of the highest migrants per net population, and one of the top destinations for skilled migration and sponsorships.

And there is a clear connection. Happiness is an essential ingredient to success, whether it is with your career, financial endeavors, relationships with people, or self-fulfillment. And if a country ranks very high in the happiness level, people will gravitate to it, whatever their goals and missions in life are may be.

However, Australians’ happiness level is not some unexplainable phenomenon with unknown sources. It is the sum total of various social, economic, and environmental factors that the country worked so hard over decades to achieve.

We dissected the many elements as to why Australia is such a happy and attractive place to live in with the help of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s report.

 

 

 

There Will Always Be A Job For You

 

Being employed is very important for your well-being. Not only so that you can pay the bills, but it gives you the opportunity to contribute to society and the economy, hone your skills, and create professional and social relationships. Here, virtually everybody is being given that opportunity. As high as 72% of the working-age population here (aged 15 to 64) is employed and being paid. This is six points higher than the OECD’s 66% employment average.

The unemployed population (those without a job for a year or longer), on the other hand, is down at 1.3%, twice as low as the OECD average of 2.6%. Australians earn an average of US$51, 148 annually, higher compared to the OECD standard of US$40, 974.

 

 

 

There Is Always Someone To Rely On

 

We can never overstate the importance of strong social connection. In the age of smart phones, apps, and social media sites, our relationships have mostly died down to random “friends” we don’t even now and anonymous followers.

In Australia, however, connections are as strong as ever. 95% of the people here are secured that they know someone they could run to and rely on when the need arises, way higher compared to the OECD average of 88%. Strong social relationships provide people with strong emotional support, leading to a healthy physical and psychological dispositions in life. It also gives access to more job, career, and business opportunities to members of the community. Possibly another reason why nobody doesn’t go long unemployed here.

 

 

 

Schooling Is A Prized Aspect Of Life

 

An educated country is a country ready to take on challenges and take care of its citizens better. Australia never misses that point. Aussies, on average, spend 19.2 years of their life studying between ages 5 and 39. Of the adults, 77% of them from ages 25-64 have attained upper secondary education. This is important because the skills required in the labour market are mostly knowledge-based, and such impressive educational statistics means that the country is prepared to meet minimum requirements of the job market.

 

 

 

Clean Air and Water for Everybody

 

Air and water is supposed to keep us alive. But with pollution both in the atmosphere and hydrosphere continuing to rise, they have become part of the death warrant. Dirty air and water have significantly contributed to increase in many illnesses from infections to cancer to developmental effects in children to shortened lifespan.

As far as air pollutants are concerned, Australia has the lowest rate within the OECD average at 5.9 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter. PM2.5 refers to the particulate matter that we inhale from air. OECD’s average is at 14.05 micrograms per cubic meter. Take note also that the World Health Organization’s  annual guideline limit is 10 micrograms per cubic meter. Oz is still way lower.

On the other hand, 94% of people say they are satisfied with the quality of water. Way higher than the OECD average of 81%.

And because of this…

 

 

 

Health Is Their Biggest Wealth

 

At 82 years of age, Australia has one of the highest life expectancies among the western nations. This is the result of many factors coming in together such as good living standards, lifestyles, quality education, healthy, and clean air and water, among others. Not to mention, the country’s health care is also efficient, making the people feel that they are properly being taken care of.  As a result, 85% of people in Australia said they were in good health,

 

 

 

Everyone Is Involved In Nation-Building

 

Democracy is a government by the people. And it is only important that the citizens are involved when it comes to nation-building activities such as elections and referendums. The most recent elections produced an overall 93% among registered voters. Civic engagement is proof that the people are well-educated, well-informed about current events, trust their government, and care enough to be involved in the decision-making process for its improvement.

 

 

 

You Feel Safe Walking At Night

 

Peace of mind is an important element of happiness. The people should feel safe enough in order to achieve this. Australia’s homicide rate is at 0.8, compared to OECD’s average of 4.1. As far as the trend in the previous years are concerned, crime rate keeps going down, a result of better policing, stronger criminal laws, and crime-preventive education among the people. In fact, the most prevalent offences here aren’t even threatening, as they are mostly public disorder offences, e.g. disorderly conduct or public drunkenness.

 

 

 

Satisfaction Guaranteed

 

When enquired to rate their overall satisfaction with life on a scale of 0 to 10, Aussies gave it a grade of 7.3. This is higher than the OECD average of 6.5. Though this may be subjective, this enquiry produces measurements that provide useful data on the quality of life Australians are having. That only means that all the conglomeration of factors involved resulted on a positive experience they are having. That is the most important thing after all.