ItchyFeet76

My husband's company has just started the process for three of their 457ers (186 direct entry) today!

Another thing hat confuses me... It says new 457 applications will be stopped from March 2018...so does that mean these two new visas are only going to be available until that time? I thought th old 457 had been scrapped immediately, so it can't refer to that! Just wondering if it might mean less applications so less backlog so shorter processing time for the 186 ?

If someone has already applied for the (old) 457 and their job is still on this new STSOL, do they get the short-term (2-yr) visa or the medium-term (4-yr) one? Also, do they have to update their application with criminal record check? One of my husband's colleagues is in this situation... Cheers ?

Thank Samson, yes that makes sense... their occupation is still on the list (and unlikely to be removed, given the prominence of cyber attacks nowadays!), so it sounds reassuring for them ?

Does anyone know if / how this will affect people who are onshore on a bridging visa and have applied for a 457 but not yet received it? My husband's employer has a couple guys in this situation...

I wonder how this change will affect the current processing times for the 186 visa....maybe it will speed things up, as there will be no more applications accepted...? One can only dream! ;-)

Gosh, what a stressful 12 hours that must have been! We got our application in last December after umming and ahhing for a while, and I'm soooo glad we did, as I don't think the changes will affect people who have already submitted an application, will it...? Well done to you and your agent for the swift submision, and good luck! PS - congrats on the baby! I'm expecting in October and now they've increased the processing times it's looking like she'll be here before PR is, so there goes another $900 to add her to the application once she arrives! :-/

We moved over on a 457 last June and thankfully applied for PR last December (delayed processing times mean we're looking at 9-12 months for a decision though :-/), after 13 years of trying to get over here. My husband was sponsored by an IT security (penetration testing / hacking) company as there are very few qualified / experienced computer hackers in Australia, and half the workforce is on 457s (the majority from Brazil, for some reason!?!).So he isn't taking anyone's job and neither am I - I spend my husband's wages in the local shops and have probably helped a few local dentists with their retirement fund too, lol ;-) I think it's good that they're clamping down on the low-skilled visas but good that they're keeping the door open for workers in genuinely-needed roles :-)

Thanks Cerberus, was just about to share that link! Sounds like it's just the lower-paid jobs then ?

PS I forgot to mention, Vic doesn't have any school fees on a 457 either :-)

Really? Gosh, I wish they'd make up their minds! It was 30 days when we initially began our Aus dream, then 90 days when we came over here last June....now they've clearly compromised on both!

Just had this breaking news on my phone from ABC:- http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-18/government-abolishing-457-visas/8450310 Hopefully it won't be implemented straight away, which will allow some prospective 457ers time to get in before the gates close?! :-/ Or, presumably, they'll replace it with something else...maybe something targeting more specialised, skilled occupations (as opposed to some of the less-skilled occupations currently on the list)? Either way, it will be interesting to see how this latest move by Turnbull plays out...

It's good that people are pointing out the potential pitfalls of a 457, and I agree that PR is the best way if you are able to get it; however, not everyone CAN get it and sometimes a 457 is the only way to get in. Don't be put off by any of the negative comments but do bear them in mind when making a final decision. Just a few points to note, having come over on a 457 ourselves:- * You actually have 90 days (not 60) to find a new job if you lose your current one; * You CAN get a mortgage on a 457 but it's tricky as you require FIRB approval, are restricted to a smaller pool of lenders, will have to pay a hefty foreign buyer tax (I think it's 7% here in Vic? Don't get quote me on that!) and won't benefit from the $10k FHB's grant...although that's a moot point unless you were considering buying new, anyway. * We'd never rented before and our lack of credit rating had no negative effect on our ability to prove ourselves as suitable tenants....I printed off annual statements from our mortgage, showing we'd paid it in full and on time every month, so that may have helped? We also got a reference from the serviced corporate apartment where we stayed for the first month. * Edithvale is a nice seaside town within commuting distance to the CBD, but it's not cheap (nowhere in the SE is!)....I'd work out how much your husband would come out with (net) a day, and if it's less than the cost of childcare then get him to consider being a house-husband and budget to live just on your wage. * You'll need 457-compatible health insurance until / unless you get PR (and then I'd still recommend getting basic cover (inc. ambo) to avoid the MLS surcharge...that's our plan), but you do get access to quite a lot of medicare with your reciprocal yellow card, as you're from the UK. * Dental isn't covered by Medicare and is atrociously expensive! Our biggest mistake (well, one of them... ;-) ) was NOT putting aside the equivalent of National Insurance (i.e. 12% of your Aus salary, if you can afford it) into a separate pot to go towards dental, and instead it goes on our rent (so we're now looking to downsize)... you don't notice it in the UK as it comes out of your wages but we used to pay around 500 GBP a month on NI out of my husband's UK wage! (so much for the NHS being 'free' ;-) ). * You can't buy a one-way ticket until you have your 457 visa to show the travel agent...we bought ours <12 hours before flying out, as our visa only came through the day before! (we had hoped to buy in advance and get a flexi-fare). * If you're not fussed about being by the sea, consider somewhere inland and countrified, like Sunbury (in the North-West). We're by the sea but, if I didn't care about coastal living, we'd definitely have moved there :-) * $500 / week should get you a 3-bed within walking distance of the beach in Edithvale. Also consider further down, e.g. Chelsea, Seaford... Bayside is notoriously expensive though so avoid Brighton, Cheltenham, etc.! Er..... hate to be the bearer of bad news but, just as I was typing all of the above, my ABC news app flashed up this alert:- http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-18/government-abolishing-457-visas/8450310 Maybe it'll take a while to come to fruition...? Fingers crossed for you, anyway :-)

Congratulations! Were you Direct Entry or Transitional? Enjoy your life as a resident!

Thanks May2016! So we're looking at between 9-11 months for ours, then :-/

Ah ok, thanks. I was sure it was the 13th! I'll check again today :-)

I thought the DIBP were meant to be updating their website with monthly processing times for each visa, starting from today? The site looks the same to me - still says 6 months for 186 ENS, 2nd priority after RSMS. Anyone know where to find the new processing times or is it maybe just taking a while to update...? Cheers, I-F

Hiya, Yes, sounds good! We met up with Kiwi Kaye a few weeks back and it was really good to talk to another expat :-) When and where? (PM me when you get a chance). Anita :-)

Can you registe for the Medicare family safety net if you're on a 457??

Hi KiwiKaye, Yes that sounds lovely! We're often in Frankston - amazing beach.... :-) PM me and we'll sort something out :-)

Just come across this thread and am thrilled to know I'm not the only PomsInOzzer in Mounty! If anyone fancies meeting up sometime, we are in our 40s with 3 kids aged 6, 7 and 10. They attend MEPS and I'm often found in Ritchies at the samples counter ;-)

Hi guys, I'd like to add ourselves to the spreadsheet but can't find it? My husband is the primary applicant as 262112 ICT SECURITY SPECIALIST and we're going down the Direct Entry route (we've been here since end June and he started his job beg July). His employer's nomination was submitted 02/12/2016 and I submitted our application on 15/12/16. I've already had my medical (last week, before we applied) but husband and 3 kids got to wait to be sent as we've applied now. cheers, ItchyFeet

Is it risky applying at the same as your employer? I know if you wait for them to be approved it can double the wait time, but I'm a bit concerned about them getting refused (not that I cant think of a reason why they would, just being cautious!) and us losing our $8k application fee... :-/

Hi, my husband's probation ends next week and the employer is happy to start the 186 Direct Entry process. Can we apply now whilst we're waiting for the employer's nomination to be approved, to save time? (He became an approved SBS to bring us over on the 457, so is there any reason he might be refused approval?). When can we do the medicals and for how long are they valid? We have police checks from the UK (valid until Feb 2017) but do we also need ones from Oz? thanks in advance!

Ok so we've been here less than two weeks but we're already thinking about applying for PR when my husband's settled in his job (his employer said (during the interview) that he'd be fine to support us in this) so we're just wondering how much of a hassle exactly is it for the employer to go down the 186 Direct Entry route, and what would it cost him (I think I got a figure of $540 off the website, not sure if that's accurate?)? I guess there's no benefit to him in us having PR, other than that he would benefit from my husband's skills for more than four years...? We used a migration agent for the 457 (that he was using and we ended up paying her for our bit, too) and she was pretty useless and I ended up correcting her mistakes myself in the end, to get us over here, so not inclined to pay an agent again, and it does look relatively straight-forward... Cheers, ItchyFeet :-)