Agent or no agent

[ToowoombaBlue]

Those on the employer nominated 457 visa, did you use a migration agent, or did you do it all yourself?

 

Kind regards

 

Chris

[xlornax]

I was on a 457 and did it myself..its straight forward enough and if you are being sponsored by a company who is used to the process they can give you some pointers if u get stuck..I didnt need any though..just followed instructions online n had no problems

[MaggieMay24]

My company used an agent and paid for it so didn't have to worry about it myself. Now my company prefers not to use an agent. Our last overseas hire did his own with no issues, and if I had to do it again I'm comfortable I could do it myself. But if I needed a skills assessment or had any health concerns I may feel differently.

[Alan Collett]

Chris

 

Are you referring to the business sponsorship application, the nomination application, the subclass 457 visa application, or a combination?

 

Best regards.

[Isabelt28]

There was a story on here just the other day of a guy who had the wrong certificate from a skills assessment & that led to a visa refusal. It sounded like a tiny issue, but it's cost him thousands.... Wouldn't have happened with an agent & if it did, you'd have been covered. Go with an agent I say, just pick a good one.

[ToowoombaBlue]

[QE=Alan Collett;1936487814]Chris

 

Are you referring to the business sponsorship application, the nomination application, the subclass 457 visa application, or a combination?

 

Best regards.

 

Hi Alan

 

I believe it to be a combination of nomination and subclass 457, the company are pre-approved so hopefully it should all be straightforward. They have to do their bit, I do mine and we meet in the middle. Well, thats the theory anyway.

 

I already have a valid 651 evisitor visa, so the 457 should override that.

 

Chris

[wrussell]

[QE=Alan Collett;1936487814]Chris

 

Are you referring to the business sponsorship application, the nomination application, the subclass 457 visa application, or a combination?

 

Best regards.

 

Hi Alan

 

I believe it to be a combination of nomination and subclass 457, the company are pre-approved so hopefully it should all be straightforward. They have to do their bit, I do mine and we meet in the middle. Well, thats the theory anyway.

 

I already have a valid 651 evisitor visa, so the 457 should override that.

 

Chris

it should all be straightforward

 

I sent the following to a centre of excellence:

Thank you for the opportunity to provide further information.

May we refer you to the DIBP Policy disclosed in PAM3?

SKILLS ASSESSMENTS

121 Requirements

For 457.223(4)(e) the visa applicant may be required to demonstrate that they have the skills necessary to perform the occupation for which they have been nominated. If an applicant is required to demonstrate these skills, officers are to specify the manner in which this demonstration is to occur. Under policy, certain applicants are required to demonstrate they have the requisite skills by providing the outcome of a 457 visa skills assessment. This assessment is specific to the 457 visa. The formal skills assessment and qualifications recognition process undertaken for skilled migration applications is not required for 457 visa applicants unless specified in policy.

 

122 Formal 457 visa skills assessment

It is departmental policy that, if TRA supports the provision of a 457 visa skills assessment for the nominated occupation and passport country of the visa applicant, the applicant will be required to demonstrate that they meet 457.223(2)(d) or 457.223(4)(e) by providing a 457 visa skills assessment.

If TRA supports the provision of a 457 visa skills assessment for the visa applicant’s nominated occupation and passport country, visa applicants are encouraged to undertake the assessment before making their visa application. If the visa applicant does not provide the outcome of the assessment, officers should formally request the applicant to provide this information.

 

The following is from TRA:

2.2 Eligibility for the 457 Skills Assessment Program

To apply for a skills assessment under the 457 Program an applicant must provide

documentation to support that:

 a passport is held from one of the nominated countries; and

 the applicant has worked in the nominated occupation.

 

 

Nominated Countries:

 Brazil

 China (including Hong Kong

and Macau)

 Fiji

 India

 Papua New Guinea

 Philippines

 South Africa

 Thailand

 Vietnam

 Zimbabwe

 

Nominated Occupations [ANZSCO Code No.] assessed are:

 Automotive Electrician

[321111]

 Baker [351111]

 Cabinetmaker [394111]

 Carpenter [331212]

 Carpenter and Joiner

[331211]

 Chef [351311]

 Cook [351411]

 Diesel Motor Mechanic

[321212]

 Driller [712211]

 Electrical Linesworker

[342211]

 Electrician (General)

[341111]

 Electrician (Special Class)

[341112]

 Fitter (General) [323211]

 Fitter and Turner [323212]

 Fitter-Welder [323213]

 Joiner [331213]

 Metal Fabricator [322311]

 Metal Machinist (First

Class) [323214]

 Metal Fitters and

Machinists (not elsewhere

classified) [323299]

 Motor Mechanic (General)

[321211]

 Motorcycle Mechanic

[321213]

 Panelbeater [324111]

 Pastrycook [351112]

 Pressure Welder [322312]

 Sheetmetal Trades Worker

[322211]

 Small Engine Mechanic

[321214]

 Technical Cable Jointer

[342212]

 Toolmaker [323412]

 Vehicle Body Builder

[324211]

 Vehicle Painter [324311]

 Welder (First Class) 322313]

We confirm that the applicants are from a nominated country, but not in an occupation nominated for a TRA 457 skills assessment.

May we submit that it is open to you to decide that a skills assessment is not required in these cases?

For whatever assistance it might be to you, we are able to confirm that the prospective employer has had 457 visa applications for this occupation approved over several years and skills assessments were not requested.

 

A piece of cake.

[ToowoombaBlue]

Thanks for the response

.

 

The skills assessment has been completed, I'm ftom the UK and the employer is pre-aporoved, so as you say "piece of cake"

 

Chris

[Isabelt28]

Chris, just out of interest, why did you even consider an agent if you genuinely believe is dead easy??

[ToowoombaBlue]

Chris, just out of interest, why did you even consider an agent if you genuinely believe is dead easy??

 

I was being ironic Isabel, wrussels post confused the hell out of me!

[jodipodi]

I was being ironic Isabel, wrussels post confused the hell out of me!

Hiya Perthblue, if you are considering using an agent Westly Russell would be a good place to start, he knows what he's doing xx

[wrussell]

It looks as if my attempt at irony was unsuccessful.

 

What we had was a failure to generalise.

 

Just when you think it is as easy as 3.14159265...

[ToowoombaBlue]

We decided to have a go oursleves and the visa has been approved, so by hook or by crook, we must have done it right!

[GetMeDownUnder]

Well done

I did mine myself too so it can be done. I would perhaps use an agent if there was confusing circumstances (or if I was filthy rich).

[Cissi]

My husband's employer and my former employer used agents to do our 457s. When I quit my job and needed to switch over to his 457, I did it myself (but that application was dead easy).

 

Having followed our applications, my sense is that the most complex part is proving that you are being paid in line with the Australian market rate. To prove this, you need to show that you are offered similar terms and conditions (including salary) to an Australian employee performing the same role i.e. your employer needs to provide the employment contract and possibly payslips of an example existing Australian employee.

 

My former employer didn't have any issue proving this. In my husband's case, there is no Australian employee performing the same role as he was a specialist hire, so the agent helped the employer source external market data. I felt that if we were responsible for our 457s, I would have done mine myself but used an agent for his.

[Adam Grey]

Market Rate evidence is a nomination requirement. To be fair a 457 applicant shouldn't be asked to get involved in that process at all, the employer should do it.