benefits of 189 visa over 457?

[theleggates]

Hi,

I moved back to Scotland last October after being on a 457 visa in WA but we are now thinking to move back to Australia next year as a permanent move. I have a wife, a 3 year old and a 4 month old at the moment and we will be staying in Scotland till he is a year old but after that we would like to return and I have been thinking a 189 visa would be better as I am not tied to one place of work.

I am just wondering what benefits the 189 has over a 457 as it is a lot more money. The worry with the 457 is if for whatever reason the company that sponsors me for the 457 (I am a car mechanic) dosent work out then I will be forced to move back to the uk if I can't find another employer to take me on.

Does a 189 visa help with costs such as child care and schooling compared to a 457?

Does it also cover more medical costs that a 457 dosent cover?

I have heard the 189 visa being called permanent residency...is that what it is? I understand that is completely different to citizenship but when we were on the 457 we were told after 2 years we could apply for permanent residency so is does that mean transferring to a 189?

 

Just trying to figure out what visa to go for then we will have to decide what areas we would like to move to and then contact possible employers to see how many car mechanic jobs are available. In the end where we go will probably be decided by what job offers I can get.

Thanks!

[movingback]

If it's going to be a permanent move and you can get one, this is a no brainer. Get the 189. It gives you permanence. A 457 does not.

[MaggieMay24]

I agree that it's a no brainer - 189 is a permanent visa and 457 is only temporary. Whether an employer is willing or able to sponsor you later for a PR visa (usually 186) is never a certainty. On a 457, you don't have any access to Centrelink benefits, in WA you have to pay $4K per year towards school fees, and likely other disadvantages on top of the tie to your sponsoring employer. If you have a possibility towards a 189, it would pay for itself many times over due to the government benefits you may be eligible for and school fees you don't have to pay.

[Guest]

Consider also things like child care rebate, family tax credits and the like when you are PR. You can research into that to help you make an informed decision.

 

You can make use of Medicare or opt for private cover. We use a mix of both. Don't forget though that when PR you have a year for the private health cover (age dependant I think) before the lifetime loading kicks in. Make sure you are up to speed on what they means and what you need to do if this is important to you. We took out private cover a month or two before the year was up and then after another year looked at the plan we had, jigged it around a bit and now pay less for our private. We intend to keep it though.

 

Consider dental for adults may be expensive. Very expensive. We pay private ($80 for a checkup, $150 for the hygienist and a clean) and our son goes to a lovely place for kids that bulk bills and we use the child dental scheme also but this is ending soon so won't be available in the not so distant future. So for him if we pay anything its $44 for an appointment is all.

 

And yes, if you live in most states on a 457 temp visa you have to pay thousands of $$ per child in school fees (for state schools) then this will stack up. I don't think there are many states where you don't have to pay on a 457 now. SA was one of the last ones where on a 457 there were no school fees bar the usual few hundred dollars everyone pays. But that has ended now and it'll be around the $5,000 mark per child from 2017/18 iirc.

 

The thing to consider is do you have funds to support yourselves if you make the move as PR holders? Are you prepared to job hunt and perhaps be outside your comfort zone or having to consider a move interstate or elsewhere in the state if it helps you secure work? At least to get you started or to give you an income. And also prepared for not having a job lined up but perhaps having a few months where you don't have a job? If you are really wanting to migrate to Australia permanently, are aware of the pitfalls that may be ahead (and of course the positives for you from it also ) then go for PR.

[chrispeck]

Hey Scotto,

 

Wise words from everyone else, it is a no brainer, if you can get the 189 grab it with both hands. The 457 is a riskier path, and has various drawbacks. The 189 will also give you more freedom, you can live & work wherever you like. If you don't like the job just quit. If you are on a 457 it's much more restrictive.

 

Our policy is always to look for skilled migration (189) first, and only if the client doesn't qualify do we look at a 457.

 

I have sent you a PM, if you want more professional advice (although so far the "non-professional" advice has been bang on!).

[theleggates]

Thanks everyone for the replies, they have been very helpful! I will take Chris up on his offer of professional advice to make sure I am eligible for a 189 and see whats involved in the process.

From what you have all said it sounds like it will be much more beneficial to go with the 189, providing I can get it.

[amibovered]

One is migrating to Australia, the other is not.

[silencio]

I don't see any advantage in getting a 457 to be honest. Maybe for singles without any family responsibilities who just wanted to explore the world and are happy for an easy entry to Australia. Last year we bought a house and on a 457 migrants won't be able to do so! (You would need a federal government permission). Also freedom of movement is not applicable on a 457 as you are bound to your employer and can't move anywhere else in Australia BEFORE finding another employer.

 

The most disadvantage for me would be working at the mercy of a particular employer and therefore this visa type is often described as 'slave visa'.

Edited July 22, 2016 by silencio

[Bungo]

Thanks everyone for the replies, they have been very helpful! I will take Chris up on his offer of professional advice to make sure I am eligible for a 189 and see whats involved in the process.

From what you have all said it sounds like it will be much more beneficial to go with the 189, providing I can get it.

 

It is about being fit for purpose. If you want to move temporarily the temporary visa is fine. If you want to move permanently then a permanent visa is required.