Breaking News - 457 Visas Stopped

[Guest The Pom Queen]

6 minutes ago, EVELYN said:

Does a grandfather agreement means that current 457 visa holders can still apply for permanent residency after two years of working?

You would hope so.

[imthedave]

I get why they have done this after so many abused the system but it's going to cause me a few sleepless nights now.

I'm here on a 457 skilled visa under category 111111 CEO/Managing Director. The company sponsors only me for the 457 and I employ 8 Australians, including 2 new graduates. I (over) fulfil all training requirements for Australian employees. We are part of a much larger foreign group of companies who have a specialist technology not available in Australia (and is now widely used all over). I don't have formal qualifications as such but I've been working in this position with the company for 8 years in another country until I was asked if I wanted to move here to a local office

I'm English, here with my wife and daughter for just coming up to 18 months and are literally in the process of sending in the renewal application.

We've made the decision to settle here permanently and have recently bought a house (even paying the HUGE penalty of the FIRB approval fee of $5000 for permission plus the extra 7% stamp duty). 

The plan was to renew the 457, then go for PR then potentially full citizenship.

Reading through the details above, it says maximum age 45. I'm now 46.  

I just wish that when they announced things like this, they made some points absolutely clear to those who are already existing holders and what any grandfather rights will be. It says the new visas come into affect next March so in the mean time, either they will just freeze all 457 visas or make them incredibly hard to get. I guess I'll have to sweat it out over the coming days until the dust settles and things become clearer :-/

[Guest263228]

Only question being what took them so long? The rorts by employers and far too over generous entry levels for barely skilled and/or positions where shortages did not exist, has over time played havoc in sectors of the Australian work place. It has certainly seen standards fall.

In my opinion this visa should never have been offered as a short cut and cheaper option to attempt to enter Australia. Those on it should be required to return and apply through normal procedures if they feel they have something that cannot be filled from those within Australia already.

Yet another of the former Liberal (Conservative's) ploys like their damage to the housing market that has resulted in a lot of harm through going to far.

Better late than never I suppose, but one may well ask just how much is due to fringe party pressure?

[TravellingKatherine]

1 hour ago, Cerberus1 said:

 

• Significantly condensing the occupation lists used for skilled migration visas, including the subclass 457 visa, from 19 April 2017.

 

 

 

No one has mentioned this. This suggests they are going to shrink the SOL for all skilled visas. 19th April is tomorrow! 

[Guest263228]

13 minutes ago, imthedave said:

I get why they have done this after so many abused the system but it's going to cause me a few sleepless nights now.

I'm here on a 457 skilled visa under category 111111 CEO/Managing Director. The company sponsors only me for the 457 and I employ 8 Australians, including 2 new graduates. I (over) fulfil all training requirements for Australian employees. We are part of a much larger foreign group of companies who have a specialist technology not available in Australia (and is now widely used all over). I don't have formal qualifications as such but I've been working in this position with the company for 8 years in another country until I was asked if I wanted to move here to a local office

I'm English, here with my wife and daughter for just coming up to 18 months and are literally in the process of sending in the renewal application.

We've made the decision to settle here permanently and have recently bought a house (even paying the HUGE penalty of the FIRB approval fee of $5000 for permission plus the extra 7% stamp duty). 

The plan was to renew the 457, then go for PR then potentially full citizenship.

Reading through the details above, it says maximum age 45. I'm now 46.  

I just wish that when they announced things like this, they made some points absolutely clear to those who are already existing holders and what any grandfather rights will be. It says the new visas come into affect next March so in the mean time, either they will just freeze all 457 visas or make them incredibly hard to get. I guess I'll have to sweat it out over the coming days until the dust settles and things become clearer :-/

Forgive me but You say yourself you have no qualifications. I am a little amazed as to the grounds, from what is described above, as the reasons you feel your case should warrant a further 457 let alone PR.

It is hardly as if CEO is a rare position in Australia. In fact a bit of a revolving door in certain areas I've been exposed to due to lack of suitability. That includes Australian born as well as foreign.

Some foreign born that am aware of have taken on a CEO position after company restructuring for less money. This has had the result of edging out local talent and lowering conditions overall.

[jess6]

17 minutes ago, imthedave said:

I get why they have done this after so many abused the system but it's going to cause me a few sleepless nights now.

I'm here on a 457 skilled visa under category 111111 CEO/Managing Director. The company sponsors only me for the 457 and I employ 8 Australians, including 2 new graduates. I (over) fulfil all training requirements for Australian employees. We are part of a much larger foreign group of companies who have a specialist technology not available in Australia (and is now widely used all over). I don't have formal qualifications as such but I've been working in this position with the company for 8 years in another country until I was asked if I wanted to move here to a local office

I'm English, here with my wife and daughter for just coming up to 18 months and are literally in the process of sending in the renewal application.

We've made the decision to settle here permanently and have recently bought a house (even paying the HUGE penalty of the FIRB approval fee of $5000 for permission plus the extra 7% stamp duty). 

The plan was to renew the 457, then go for PR then potentially full citizenship.

Reading through the details above, it says maximum age 45. I'm now 46.  

I just wish that when they announced things like this, they made some points absolutely clear to those who are already existing holders and what any grandfather rights will be. It says the new visas come into affect next March so in the mean time, either they will just freeze all 457 visas or make them incredibly hard to get. I guess I'll have to sweat it out over the coming days until the dust settles and things become clearer :-/

Very interesting to see you posting this. This is exactly what I had in mind...

How can they build a highly skilled visa scheme and exclude 45+ people... That does not make any sense to me and you are a good example of this.

Another thing that does not make sense is requiring people to work 3 years in the exact same position and commit to another 2 (or maybe 3 years now?) with the same employer and in the same position to get permanent residency. 

So in 6 years this person will not evolve or be promoted? 

[theveed]

List is out!
https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Work/Work/Skills-assessment-and-assessing-authorities/skilled-occupations-lists

MLTSSL (previously SOL)

https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Work/Work/Skills-assessment-and-assessing-authorities/skilled-occupations-lists/mltssl

STSOL (previously CSOL)
https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Work/Work/Skills-assessment-and-assessing-authorities/skilled-occupations-lists/combined-stsol-mltssl

Removed occupations

https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Work/Work/Skills-assessment-and-assessing-authorities/skilled-occupations-lists/removed-skilled-occupations

 

[Parley]

A side benefit is to reduce some heat out of the housing market too.

[bane01]

All political announcements abolishing 457 can backfire in the longer run and it’s cheaper to hire now 

[jess6]

1 minute ago, Pura Vida said:

Forgive me but You say yourself you have no qualifications. I am a little amazed as to the grounds, from what is described above, as the reasons you feel your case should warrant a further 457 let alone PR.

It is hardly as if CEO is a rare position in Australia. In fact a bit of a revolving door in certain areas I've been exposed to due to lack of suitability. That includes Australian born as well as foreign.

Some foreign born that am aware of have taken on a CEO position after company restructuring for less money. This has had the result of edging out local talent and lowering conditions overall.

Are you not aware of a few CEOs and company founders who have dropped from Uni and consequently did not have "qualifications"?

[imthedave]

Forgive me but You say yourself you have no qualifications. I am a little amazed as to the grounds, from what is described above, as the reasons you feel your case should warrant a further 457 let alone PR.
It is hardly as if CEO is a rare position in Australia. In fact a bit of a revolving door in certain areas I've been exposed to due to lack of suitability. That includes Australian born as well as foreign.
Some foreign born that am aware of have taken on a CEO position after company restructuring for less money. This has had the result of edging out local talent and lowering conditions overall.

As I said, we are a specialist foreign company and there are no local technologies even similar.
It's our internal policy to appoint the most senior person in an organisation from within the Group as it's a trusted position. We also did labour test the market and really had no suitable candidates.
I may not have specific qualifications but I've been in this position for 12 years, 8 of which with this one company.
According to the requirements, specific experience counts as qualification.

My worry is the renewal and the age limitation now.
It used to be 50.




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[Collie]

Hey mate,

Can you not skip the 457 and go straight to the company sponsoring you for PR?  I suggest you get onto a good migration agent in the coming days. 

[imthedave]

Hey mate,
Can you not skip the 457 and go straight to the company sponsoring you for PR?  I suggest you get onto a good migration agent in the coming days. 

That's exactly what I'm thinking now. I've already got an agent handling this but of course, I can't get hold of them today!! ;-)



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[Collie]

He/She probably knows no more than you do today.  Givem them a few days and they should know more then

[jess6]

12 minutes ago, imthedave said:

 

As I said, we are a specialist foreign company and there are no local technologies even similar.
It's our internal policy to appoint the most senior person in an organisation from within the Group as it's a trusted position. We also did labour test the market and really had no suitable candidates.
I may not have specific qualifications but I've been in this position for 12 years, 8 of which with this one company.
According to the requirements, specific experience counts as qualification.

My worry is the renewal and the age limitation now.
It used to be 50.




Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

 

I am sure it will be fine.

Avoid losing sleep over this change. This does not target people like you. It clearly targets people who were abusing the system, which you are not.

[Robbouk]

So how does that affect people hunting for a 457 job and visa now?

My son is living with me here in Melbourne, he is currently on his second year of the WHV.  His work experience should be on the skills list (IT technician, Networks and/or desktop).

He doesn't have enough qualifications and experience to qualify for a skilled independent, but he does have just over 3 years of work experience in this domain.

Where do we look, if not at the 457?

What is the new criteria?

Is there a cut off point?

 

All this announcement has done is cause more concern and lots of questions!

[jess6]

10 minutes ago, Robbouk said:

So how does that affect people hunting for a 457 job and visa now?

My son is living with me here in Melbourne, he is currently on his second year of the WHV.  His work experience should be on the skills list (IT technician, Networks and/or desktop).

He doesn't have enough qualifications and experience to qualify for a skilled independent, but he does have just over 3 years of work experience in this domain.

Where do we look, if not at the 457?

What is the new criteria?

Is there a cut off point?

 

All this announcement has done is cause more concern and lots of questions!

You may want to take a look here: https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Work/Work/Skills-assessment-and-assessing-authorities/skilled-occupations-lists/combined-stsol-mltssl

The 457 still exists until March 2018 and will then be replaced by another visa.

The removed occupations are: http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Work/Work/Skills-assessment-and-assessing-authorities/skilled-occupations-lists/removed-skilled-occupations

[doubter]

As an example how many Australians would fill the jobs in McDonalds and Hungry Jacks for instance.I doubt many because they don't want to do those kind of jobs just like people in the UK don't want to do low paid jobs that's why 457 visas help employers.

[jess6]

2 minutes ago, doubter said:

As an example how many Australians would fill the jobs in McDonalds and Hungry Jacks for instance.I doubt many because they don't want to do those kind of jobs just like people in the UK don't want to do low paid jobs that's why 457 visas help employers.

This is not the only issue there. 

Two people with the same occupation do not necessarily have the same skills or experience.

Australia is a very isolated market compared to Europe or North America that's often why overseas experience is needed in specific sectors to bring innovation to Australia.

[Alan Collett]

22 minutes ago, Robbouk said:

So how does that affect people hunting for a 457 job and visa now?

My son is living with me here in Melbourne, he is currently on his second year of the WHV.  His work experience should be on the skills list (IT technician, Networks and/or desktop).

He doesn't have enough qualifications and experience to qualify for a skilled independent, but he does have just over 3 years of work experience in this domain.

Where do we look, if not at the 457?

What is the new criteria?

Is there a cut off point?

 

All this announcement has done is cause more concern and lots of questions!

 

IMHO this announcement has thrown into sharp focus the desirability of having an informed migration agent acting for you.

You can't be expected to quickly deal with changes of such magnitude without access to the same information that has arrived in our inboxes this afternoon.

Best regards.

[Alan Collett]

12 minutes ago, jess6 said:

You may want to take a look here: https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Work/Work/Skills-assessment-and-assessing-authorities/skilled-occupations-lists/combined-stsol-mltssl

The 457 still exists until March 2018 and will then be replaced by another visa.

The removed occupations are: http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Work/Work/Skills-assessment-and-assessing-authorities/skilled-occupations-lists/removed-skilled-occupations

"Clients who lodged subclass 457 nomination and visa applications prior to the Government’s announcement for occupations now no longer approved for the purposes of the programme, which remain on hand, will be given the opportunity to withdraw their applications and a refund provided."

From a communication received in the last 45 minutes.

Best regards.

[theveed]

13 minutes ago, Alan Collett said:

"Clients who lodged subclass 457 nomination and visa applications prior to the Government’s announcement for occupations now no longer approved for the purposes of the programme, which remain on hand, will be given the opportunity to withdraw their applications and a refund provided."

From a communication received in the last 45 minutes.

Best regards.

Dang, that's tough.

I've been waiting for my 457 for close to 7mos so far (both company and myself are 1st time applicants) and not sure how much additional delays this change will bring. While it's mainly a inter-company transfer, it's still hard to make a decision whether or not to PR in Aus in 3 years' time.

[Alan Collett]

As this is in the public domain ...

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2017L00450

Best regards.

[jess6]

2 minutes ago, Alan Collett said:

As this is in the public domain ...

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2017L00450

Best regards.

You are an angel! Thank you very much!

[Samson]

So if the visa process is "in progess" rather than received does this make a difference? do we still need to withdraw and refund, and can we re-apply if we are currently on a bridging visa? And will the company have to make another nomination? 

I can't believe they can just implement changes without any thought, I have been going back and forth with my CO for nearly a year regarding my application and suddenly I now have to withdraw my visa?