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Hi, Does anyone know of any Scaffolding or construction companies that would be willing to sponsor a part 2 scaffolder on a 457 visa? Would love to be in the Perth area but beggers can't be choosers lol! Really hope someon can help out on this one. thanks in advance!:v_SPIN:

Our ultimate plan for next yr is to move to Ireland around July 2021 if the pandemic is under control by then. We just need to be able to ensure that both I and our eldest daughter can stay in Australia (and our eldest can attend school here) until July 2021. As such, we are planning on getting myself and our eldest daughter added to my partner’s PR visa, which we think would be an 820/801 application. This will cost circa $10k - a substantial amount of money when we only want to stay for another 3-6 months. The questions I need a steer on are: 1) Is there anyway I and my eldest could get rights to stay and our eldest attend school in Australia for a few extra months via another route (e.g. bridging visa while I sort out our departure) or via our youngest daughter’s AUS citizenship? 2) Would I still be able to work if I was added to my partner’s PR visa? (our understanding is that I would be able to as I have working rights under my 457 visa); 3) What happens if our current 457 visa expires and the application for the PR visa is not yet processed? Our understanding is that we would get an automatic bridging visa as we would have paid and applied for PR? 4) Is it possible to cancel an application for PR and get a refund if the application has not been processed by July 2021? 5) Is it likely, given current pandemic/economic climate) that our PR application would be rejected? Any recommendations for an immigration advisor who could advise on our situation would be much appreciated. Thanks

Hi, Quick question, I am trying to transfer a 457 visa to another employer and I have been waiting for 8 weeks now without a reply from the immigration. I have tried to push it with the lawyer but still nothing. Any suggestions on how to move forward with this? I can’t keep waiting for too long as I am currently unemployed? Also is the a way to raise a complaint with the department of immigration? Thanks Altin

Hi!!!!! We just want to share our story. August 2015 I've started working for my boss here in NSW as Architectural Draftperson on 457 VISA. then my family came December 2015. September 2017 they've lodged 186 Visa, February 2018 Nomination was approved and medical exams was done. But my visa was put on for "Further Assessment" as I do have health issue. We heard nothing from them until - June 2019 a healthy waiver was requested and submitted after 28 days with the help of a RMA. Me and my family was so stress upon processing and preparing documents for the waiver, Contacted numerous Doctors and asking help with the community special friends and family and also a friend who is in Netherlands, She had help us so much! those 28 days was the worst days of our life(28 days Later?-Movie). After submitting the waiver we still have to wait for the medical report from my specialist(3rd specialist- we never gave up) which was to follow up with the other documents. and finally we manage to get a positive report in favour of me and 100% against what the immigration is saying. We submitted the medical report 3rd of June. by the way our local GP was also helping us in a lot of ways as she disagrees with what the immigration has decided.(272k cost of my health care!!) 24th of June I've logged in to my immi account and found out that my Health Assessment was change and says "Health Clearance Provided", so I've ask the agent what was that, probably something happened in the process it may be good or bad. That time I had a feeling that something good is going to happen but not a 100% tough. so I tried to ask the agent to follow up with the CO via email. 1st of August 9:00am I've called the agent as we only have 7 more days to go before our medical exams expired, But unfortunately I wasn't able to speak to her, Message left. 9:30 AM I got a call from the agent saying that we don't need to follow up as the visa was granted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are so happy!! !!!!!! Thanks to god we manage to surpass all the stress.. . To all applying for permanent residency please make sure your 100% healthy before applying or otherwise you will go thru a lot! Thanks to this forum as well as the forum help me in a lot of ways..... Ward Regards,

Hlw, Need a suggetion Plzzz hlp Let me know plz, how to apply TRA Skill Assessment? And also tell me TRA Skill Assessment apply fee (for 457 visa). Or details Link plz,,,, Thanks Advance.

Let me know plz, how to apply TRA Skill Assessment? And also tell me TRA Skill Assessment apply fee (for 457 visa). Or details Link plz,,,, Thanks Advance.

Hi there, I will be finishing employment with my sponsor next week and I wish to transfer from my sponsored 457 visa to a working holiday visa. I have never had a working holiday visa and plan to travel to New Zealand the weekend to apply for the 417 visa. I am Irish. I can only leave 2 days (Saturday and Sunday) for my 417 visa to be processed as I am still working during the week. Are there any issues I may face? I've heard of a lot of peoples 417 visas being processed in a few hours. Does this only happen Monday - Friday? Can I work my notice with my sponsor on a 417 visa instead of the 457? Thanks in advance for any advice with this!

Hi all Just after some opinions or thoughts on the impact of my previous employer not withdrawing my nomination for a 457 visa. To keep a long story short my husband and I came over here in Jan 2017 on student visas, found an employer to sponsor me as a sales and marketing manager and we submitted our 457 visa application on 28 June 2017. The decision to date is still pending. After 9 months we decided we cannot work for the company any longer. The bullying and way they treat employees just got beyond a joke. This was not directed just at us, 15 people left the company within a 12 month period and the number of employees normally sits around 16 people. Most people seemed to last no more than 6 months. To leave as amicably as possible we told them we were returning to the UK due to unexpected family reasons. They accepted this reason without question as knew how much we loved Australia and wanted to stay. . Anyway myself and the company used a really good immigration lawyer. I contacted them to advise we have left and filled out the relevant form. They have then contacted my employer and asked them to confirm they wish to withdraw the nomination. No answer, so for two days the lawyers and myself chased them. Finally the have responded and said they do not wish withdraw the nomination and to leave it on the system. The lawyer advised that if they do this there is no way I can work for them as will not have a visa and this will simply cause immigration to contact them and question that decision once they look at the nomination in the coming weeks or months. Can somebody shed any light on why they are doing this? it seems of no benefit? We hope to return in a few years (we are heading home to retrain and hopefully come back) will this impact us down the line? Thanks for any help

Anybody know where i can find this? Ive spent a lot of time on the DIBP website over the years and Im sure Ive seen it. Just can't find it now! Looking to transfer my current 457 to a new employer. Am I right to say 4 - 6 weeks from lodgement? Cheers

Hello all, I am looking for some practical advice, ideally from anybody who has first hand experience of this situation. I am not questioning whether my employer is obliged to pay my return travel; I know that they are regardless of redundancy or resigning, as stipulated by DIAC. I am seeking clarification on whether they are required to arrange my flights or instead to pay the (reasonable) costs incurred after I have booked (the most commercially viable) flights. I cannot get through to DIAC as they hold queue is 25+ people at all times. For context, I came out to Australia with this employer, remain employed with an active 457 visa and am now leaving. Extract from the 457 visa page on http://www.border.gov.au: [h=4]Pay travel costs to enable sponsored people to leave Australia[/h]You must pay reasonable and necessary travel costs to enable the sponsored person and their sponsored family members to leave Australia. They must ask you in writing for you to pay the costs. We can also make a written request on their behalf. The costs will be considered reasonable and necessary if they include all of the following: travel from the sponsored persons usual place of residence in Australia to their place of departure from Australia travel from Australia to the country (for which the sponsored visa holder holds a passport) and intends to travel to economy class air travel or, where that is not available, a reasonable equivalent. Travel costs must be paid within 30 days of receiving the request. You will only be required to pay return travel costs once. If a sponsored person returns to Australia (whilst holding the visa for which you sponsored them) after you have paid their return travel costs, you will not be required to pay their return travel costs again. This obligation starts on the day: the visa is granted (if the sponsored person did not already hold a visa when your nomination of them was approved , or your nomination is approved (if the person already held a visa in this subclass when your nomination is approved). This obligation ends on the day (whichever is the earliest): another sponsor has their nomination application for the sponsored person approved the person you sponsored is granted another visa other than a subclass 457 visa, a bridging visa, a criminal justice visa, or an enforcement visa the person you sponsored has left Australia and the relevant visa (and any subsequent bridging visa) is no longer in effect.

Google has been forced to “revise its Australian recruitment plans” in response to government changes to the 457 skilled migration visa scheme. The web giant has urged the government to “fix” the scheme to help it attract overseas nationals with “business-critical skills” - as well as domain product knowledge - on longer-term visas. The comments were first reported by Computerworld. Google complained that the current visa system is “uncompetitive compared to global peers” because it did not recognise “proprietary knowledge” as a required skill, nor offer the “long-term certainty necessary to attract people from overseas”. Last August, the government dumped 457 visas in favour of a tightened temporary skill shortage (TSS) visa and culled 200 positions from the list of jobs eligible for skilled migration. Most IT roles on the 457 list were spared under the new scheme. But Google noted it needed skills in disciplines outside of those specific IT domains. “Business-critical skills have been excluded from the longer term visa categories that are necessary to attract workers with the knowledge and experience required to train younger Australian employees,” Google said. “Examples include product managers, who need high level software engineering, project management and people leadership skills; user experience (UX) specialists, whose sub disciplines are covered by a number of Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) codes; and technical solutions and systems administrators proficient in Google’s proprietary products and systems.” Google argued that proprietary knowledge ranked “among the most critical skill categories for workers within complex modern businesses.” “This is not recognised in the structure of Australia’s current skilled migration system, which also pigeon-holes emerging roles in rapidly changing businesses into existing ANZSCO skill categories,” it said. Google also wanted to see changes to the visa system to give workers the confidence to move to Australia in the first place. “Uprooting a family to move across the world is a significant decision, and although Australia offers a high standard of living, the nation's current visa scheme does not provide the stability required for senior workers with families and children if their role falls into a short term skill category,” Google said. “This makes it difficult to recruit workers, and means roles that are necessary for Google’s business operations are harder to place in Australia compared to other centres across the region.” Google currently employs about 1300 people in Australia, the “majority” of whom are Australian.

Hi I got my 457 visa just before November 2017 . My occupation in now short term list so i wandering any effect for visa with new conditions? cheers ash

Hey guys, Not sure if anyone can shed any light on my situation. I'm currently sponsored as a recruitment consultant on a 457 visa. At the time my visa was lodged my employer wasn't (and still isn't) eligible to be a nominated sponsor. So instead I am sponsored by a 3rd party company and I work offsite with my actual employer - I hope this makes sense. As I have signed a full time permanent contract with both parties I was under the impression that I would be considered in the yes of immigration that I have been working in the same role I was sponsored as, and accrue the 2 years to make me eligible to apply for PR. I am about 21 months into this role so should be eligible to apply soon, but after checking with the 3rd party company that actually sponsors me - they think that I haven't accrued any time in the eyes of immigration to count towards a PR employer nominated application?? My actual employer where i work, seems to disagree and wants to help me get PR asap. I understand this is a little complex but if anyone can shed any light it would make me feel heaps better. I cant call immigration because they're not accepting incoming calls at this time - too many people calling about the visa changes I imagine. Thanks Duncan.

Hi I‘m a 457 holder, and I have submitted a 190 visa last week. I need to travel back to my country for my family next month. And my employer might cease my 457 visa if I leave the job. Will it have any impact on my 190 visa application? if I need to stay overseas about 4 months, what should I do? Hope someone can give me advice, thanks very much!

Hi All I would be grateful for your advice. I have been offered a job in Syndey (96K inc. Super). They are offering a 457 visa (it is their policy and won;t change to a PR), but I;m concerned about a couple of things: 1) I;m not sure what the current exemption threshold is for school fees. I have 3 primary aged children and I worry that up to $15k of my salary will go on school fees. I can;t find any info on the threshold for exemption in NSW....only a form to complete which goes to an assessment board when you're ready to apply. 2) what is your opionion on my salary for living in Sydney (working in CBD) for a family of 5 (especially if I have to pay for school fees!) My sincere thanks for your time

Australia is a land of sunshine, blue skies, sandy beaches and seemingly endless economic growth. No wonder so many people want to move there. With more than 28% of its population having been born overseas, Australia is the clear immigration leader among major developed countries. Only tiny Luxembourg and Switzerland score higher. Data: OECD. *Information from 2013. But a new survey released this week reports that more than half of all Australians want lower levels of migration, with nearly three-quarters agreeing that the country is "already full." The survey, conducted by the independent Australian Population Research Institute think tank, suggests that many Australians are concerned about the pressures immigration places on housing, hospitals and transportation infrastructure. According to the survey, nearly two-thirds of Australians also believe that immigration puts "a lot" of pressure on jobs. But the Australian economy has famously gone more than a quarter century without a recession -- a modern record. So why should people be concerned that immigrants are stealing jobs in Australia of all places? Perhaps the Australian economic miracle isn't all it's cracked up to be. In fact, the secret ingredient in Australia's growth strategy isn't good economic management, the overhyped commodity super-cycle or even the rise of China. It is immigration. For the last several decades, rampant immigration has driven such rapid growth in Australia's population that annual population growth has completely overwhelmed the ordinary business cycle. Define a recession as two consecutive quarters of negative growth in real GDP (adjusted for inflation), and Australia's last one was in the first two quarters of 1991. Define a recession as two consecutive quarters of negative growth per capita, and Australia had two more recessions: in the second half of 2000 and in the first half of 2006. And though Australia technically missed a recession during the Global Financial Crisis, it recorded alternating quarters of per capita growth and decline from late 2008 through early 2010. Data: Reserve Bank of Australia, Australian Bureau of Statistics. Note the per capita recessions in 1990, 2001 and 2006. Since 1990 Australia's economy has powered ahead with a 3.0% rate of compound annual growth. Take out population growth of 1.4% per year, and the economy has only grown around 1.6% per year in per capita terms. Australia isn't an economic miracle. It's a demographic miracle. Population growth Since 1990 Australia's population has grown from 17 million to nearly 25 million, an increase of nearly 50%. Most of that growth has come from immigration. A child is born in Australia every 1 minute and 44 seconds. Someone moves to Australia every 53 seconds. The main sources of long-term immigration to Australia are permanent migrants, refugees and people on business long stay ("subclass 457") visas. Permanent migrants are allotted 190,000 places a year, of whom about two-thirds are admitted on the basis of skills and another one-third for family reunion. Refugee flows come to a little less than 20,000 a year. And until recently, 457 business visas were granted at a rate of around 100,000 a year. Read more on Forbes: Is Australia The Land Of Opportunity For Migrants? Until recently, because the 457 visa program will be abolished in 2018. The program, originally established in 1996 to meet targeted skills shortages, expanded dramatically in the mid-2000s. Allegations of abuse led to a crackdown in 2013. Now the category will be eliminated entirely, to be replaced by a new, more restrictive Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa program in March 2018. The 457 visa program was designed to help business fill critical positions when people with appropriate skills couldn't be found in Australia's limited labor pool. In more recent years, the number one 457 visa occupation has been "cook." That's not even "chef" or "restaurant manager," which are both further down in the top 20. It means a cook, usually at a small family restaurant or cafe. A cook prepares a cabbage dish in the kitchen at Aubergine restaurant in Canberra, Australia in August 2015. (Photographer: Mark Graham/Bloomberg) Addressing abuses in the 457 program, which was widely considered a backdoor to permanent residence and ultimate citizenship, the new TSS program is designed to make it much harder for people to stay in Australia. The government has also attempted to tighten up English language requirements for existing permanent residents who want to become citizens. Though it has faced major opposition in the Australian Senate, the Turnbull government plans to push forward with a watered down version of its proposals to limit immigration. (Full disclosure: I am myself a permanent migrant to Australia who initially arrived on a 457 visa as a university lecturer, though I have no plans to apply for Australian citizenship.) Always room for more? Luxembourg and Switzerland may have more immigrants than Australia, but most of their immigrants come from neighboring European countries like Germany and France. Their immigrants share a culture and usually a language with the host population. As recently as 2010, the same was true for Australia, where the United Kingdom was the leading source of immigrants. But in recent years the picture has changed dramatically. Since 2011, first China and then India became the leading sources of permanent migration into Australia. Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics. Note: New Zealand immigrants are not included. This shift has coincided with a huge run-up in home prices in Australia's state capitals, with Sydney and Melbourne in the lead. Over the last six years the median home price in Sydney has nearly doubled to breach the psychologically-important mark of $1 million Australian dollars (about $770,000 USD). Rapidly rising prices have inevitably led to concerns about existing residents being priced out of the market. Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics. Skyrocketing home prices can combine with visible, culturally distinct immigrant populations to produce a recipe for conflict. Anti-immigrant sentiment in Australia is nowhere near the levels seen in Europe, but anti-immigration rhetoric is rising. Hate crimes against immigrants are rare in Australia, which is a country where most people bend over backwards to make immigrants feel welcome. But even Australia's famously cheerful welcome may be about to come to an end. With more than 118,000 permanent residents already in line for Australian citizenship, it's not clear how many more Australia wants. Opposition to immigration has become a kind of political taboo in some quarters, but Australia could cut immigration by half and still be one of the world's leading immigrant countries. Lower immigration would certainly hit economic growth in Australia, but that seems to be a risk most people are willing to take. The Australian growth miracle may end not in a burst bubble of capital rushing to get out but in a long line of people waiting to get in. Salvatore Babones is the author of American Tianxia: Chinese Money, American Power, and the End of History. Follow him on Twitter @sbabones.

Work with industry leaders and the latest equipment National training budget for all employees Brisbane-based Our client is Australia's largest diesel fuel injection and turbocharger company with 11 branches across Australia. The Position Reporting to the Branch Manager and working with a team of skilled technicians, you will be responsible for servicing and repairing fuel injection pumps and injectors. Skills Duties will include: Disassemble, clean and inspect pumps and injectors Repair, service and calibrate components Accurately record and report job details The Person Our client is looking for an experienced technician who is honest and reliable. Other requirements include: Minimum 7 years (post apprenticeship) pump room experience Ability to show on-going and recent Bosch training certificates Ability to repair all current FI pumps (including all Bosch inline pumps & governors, P-size, Bosch & Denso common rail, EP44s) Experience using EPS815 and AVMPC2 Diagnostic skills The ability to work unsupervised Experience in organising service jobs would be highly regarded. Remuneration will be based on skills and industry experience. This position is permanent full-time and can include employer sponsorship (457 visa) for the successful applicant. If you are interested in applying for this opportunity, please send me a private message for my contact details. John Young - Recruitment Specialist AMVL International Recruitment http://www.amvljobs.com

Some of Australia's top restaurateurs are warning their businesses are being put at risk due to an extreme skills shortage in hospitality that is being exacerbated by the Federal Government's drastic changes to the 457 visa program. The changes, announced in April, will abolish the pathway to permanent residency for key roles including restaurant managers, bakers and cooks. The hospitality industry relies on foreign workers to fill certain roles Business owners have said that the changes mean a level of uncertainty that will jeopardise their plans for expansion — and ultimately impinge on the quality and diversity of the Australian dining scene. Celebrity chef Neil Perry has about 3,000 staff across dozens of restaurants, including Rockpool, Jade Temple and Rosetta in Sydney, about a third of whom are on some kind of temporary work or student visa. "[Workers on 457 visas] are super important for the restaurant industry because there are skills we need to bring in, both back- and front-of-house, in cooking, service [and] sommeliers," he said. He said he had always sought to employ Australian staff in those positions, but it was not always possible to find the right skillset. "It means we have to reflect on [any possible] expansion — can we or can't we. [With the] labour market saying [it] can't supply any more, we have to rethink what we're planning to do." Nino Zoccali, who runs Italian restaurant Pendolino in central Sydney, said the mood in the industry since the announcement had been dire. "Everybody is talking about key staff leaving and not wanting to stay because of the changes to the rules." He said 70 per cent of his front-of-house managers were on a 457 visa. Full article at http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-13/upmarket-restaurateurs-scrapping-457-will-hurt-food-industry/8893970

Hi, I'm very new to the forum and looking for some advice on visa's. I'm currently in Australia and have been here since Mid June on a working holiday visa, but now I would like to make the switch to a PR visa if possible but I'm worried about the processing times. I am an accountant with 70 points (provided English test goes well) and will hope to lodge my EOI by November, delay as it takes 4 weeks to get a date for the Pearson English test and then another 4 weeks to get my skills assessment so I probably wouldn't be ready until then. Although I would be applying to get this visa as a single applicant it seems like the current wait time for someone with my points is somewhere between 9-12 months, purely based on this forum. But as I'm with an employer now and there is potential to get sponsored by them, would it be possible to continue with the 189 on my own even if being sponsored? As ideally I would like to be free from the hold of any employer. It may sound bizarre but I would like to sort my own PR asap so I am free to move jobs if I wish to. Does anyone know if I could continue to await my EOI if I were sponsored? As I am only allowed work for one employer a maximum of 6 months, I would need to be sponsored to stay on with my current employer beyond the 6 month period. Also if I wasn't sponsored and didn't get my EOI before June 2018 when my working holiday visa is up, is it possible to return on once my EOI is released? I know I would automatically go on to a bridging visa if I were to receive my EOI during my working holiday visa but with the current wait times for EOI, it may not be possible to remain in Oz. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Sam

Hi all, This new tax law that commences on the 1st of July when claiming DASP for 417 visa holders has got me worried. When I moved her 7 years ago I held a 417 visa for a year. I then got sponsored and have been on this 457 visa for nearly 6 years. I'm hearing conflicting information on what I will be taxed on my super when I leave Australia. I rang the ATO today and got a lot of responses such as "I think" and "maybe" to my questions. My main question is will I get charged the full 65% on all my super even though I have been on a 457 for 6 years or will I only be charged the 65% for the contributions I made while on the 417. This could mean the difference in thousands of dollars for me

By Robert Williams Email: admin[at]pomsinoz.com 04/05/2017 In a speech given at the McKell Institute, the Leader of the Opposition,Bill Shorten has vowed to ramp up the fees for controversial temporary work visas (such as the 457) in a bid to make sure Australian employers firstly seek to employ local workers before turning their attention overseas. At the same time, Bill Shorten also pledged to establish and implement a new visa to ensure Australia remains an attractive proposition for the 'best and brightest' talent. In the speech, Labor has promised not to ratify any trade deals that forgo labour market testing and they have also pledged to establish an independent labour market testing body that would restrict temporary workers’ visas to skills shortages. These announcements come less than a month after the Prime Minister announced plans to abolish the 457 visa in March 2018 and replace it with the new Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) Visa in addition to slashing over 200 occupations from the list of eligble skilled occupations. "We’ll no longer let 457 visas be passports to jobs that could and should go to Australians”, commented the PM at the time. However, the Leader of the Opposition said the Federal Govt's changes were a "con job". “Malcolm Turnbull’s proposed changes to 457 visas are little more than a con job that barely make a difference,” “Under the Liberals, too many local workers are being left at the back of the queue for local jobs.” said Bill Shorten. Under the opposition's plan, the cost of a 2 year visa would sore from $575 AUD a year to approximately $1,600 AUD per year or $6,400 AUD for the 4 year visa. This change would represent an increase to 3% of the temporary skilled migration income threshold, with the additional funds raised being directed to a training fund. Describing the policy, Bill Shorten said “This is a strong price signal to employers that they should be looking for local workers first,” “Under Labor, putting local workers first won’t just be fairer – it will be cheaper.” Running along side this, Labor would roll out a new “Smart” visa for what it calls world leaders in science, medicine, academia, research and technology to ensure highly skilled migrants were still attracted to Australia. An Australian Skills Authority would have a remit for producing a single skills shortage occupations list and advise the government of the day on current skills shortages and future skills requirements.

By Robert Williams 03/05/2017 Email admin[at]pomsinoz.com India’s Prime Minister has voiced his reservations to the Australian PM about the Government’s recent decision to phase out and replace the 457 visa next year. India was perturbed by the Federal Govt’s announcement last month that the popular 457 visa would be stopped in 2018 and replaced and replaced with the completely new Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa which will assist businesses in addressing bona fide skill shortages. The TSS Visa is a four year visa is your occupation is on the Medium and Long term Strategic Skilled List (MLTSSL) or two years is your occupation isn't on the MLTSSL The Australian PM described the changes as being “in the national interest”. At present, Indian nationals make up a quarter of 457 visa holders - the most of any nationality. India had hinted the move to replace it could affect trade negotiations, which the two countries had only just pledged to revive during Mr Turnbull’s recent India visit in early April. Now, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Mr Modi himself has “expressed concern” to Mr Turnbull about the possible impact of visa changes. In response to the announced Visa changes, India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued a terse statement, saying that it was “examining the consequences” of the new policy, adding that it would look at the matter “in the context” of trade negotiations. Elsewhere, Anisha Gupta, an Indian migration has suggested that Visa changes will damage Australia’s longer-term ability to attract both skilled workers and students with an eye to their futures. “I’m receiving a lot of calls from the applicants, as well as the people who have already applied for the visa — how will that affect them?” she said. (Current visa holders will not be affected by the changes, which will see the introduction of two new temporary skills visas — a two-year visa and a more specialised one for four years “targeted at higher skills”.) Ms Gupta warns changing the visa system will likely hurt Australian universities’ efforts to attract Indian students, especially those seeking degrees in the 200 professions the Government is removing from the list of those eligible for skilled worker visas. That would affect the students if they think their occupations are out of the list, so they might choose another country which has a more favourable immigration policy for them,” she said.

Does anyone know whether there is a list of approved sponsors for the 457 visa, or whether there was anyway in which I could check to see if a company is approved to sponsor overseas workers? Thanks in advance

Hello everyone, Just hoping anyone can assist me with below enquiry. My husband is applying for 457 visa at the moment. As a secondary applicant, I am not sure if I need to provide IELTS as well? My friend told me if I cannot prove my English skill, then my visa will be granted with certain condition,such as I won't be allowed to work full time in Australia. Is this true? Many thanks in advance

Hi Everyone, My husband has applied for a Bricklaying job with Mcdonald Jones who are offering 457 sponsorship. I was wondering if anyone else has applied with them and if so whether everything went through smoothly or not? Thanks in Advance