What's New for Employer-Sponsored Workers

SkillSelect – 27 January 2012

SkillSelect is an online system that enables skilled workers interested in migrating to Australia to record their details to be considered for a skilled visa through an Expression of Interest (EOI).  People intending to migrate to Australia may be found and nominated for skilled visas by Australian employers or state and territory governments, or they may be invited by the Australian Government to lodge a visa application.

SkillSelect will be implemented on 1 July 2012.
See: SkillSelect

Subclass 457 visa holders – your rights at work

The Fair Work Ombudsman and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship work together to help you understand your legal rights when working in Australia.
See: 457 Visa Holders – Your Rights at Work (188KB PDF file)

Subclass 457 visa program tourism and hospitality industries information session November and December 2011

The department conducted a series of information sessions on the use of the Subclass 457 visa program in the tourism and hospitality industries during November and December 2011. Information including the presentation can be found on the Migration Blog.
See: Migration Blog – Guide to the 457 Program for the Tourism and Hospitality Industries

Sponsorship Accreditation – 7 November 2011

Employers may now apply for accredited status which will qualify them for priority processing for all subclass 457 nominations and visa applications.

To qualify for Accredited Status, sponsors will have to demonstrate several characteristics in addition to the standard sponsorship requirements at the time of application.
See: Sponsorship Accreditation Eligibility

Regional classification for Perth and changes to Regional Certifying Body network – 12 September 2011

Following the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship's recent announcement to include Perth in the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS), a number of changes have been made effective from 12 September 2011:

• regional postcodes for the RSMS to include Perth
• the inclusion of Perth as a regional area for family sponsored applications through the regional General Skilled Migration program.

In summary, Perth has been classified as regional for the following migration programs:

• Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (Subclass 119 & 857)
• Skilled Regional Sponsored (provisional) (Subclass 475)
• Skilled Regional Sponsored (provisional) (Subclass 487)
• Skilled Regional (permanent) (Subclass 887).

The Minister also approved the following changes to the Regional Certifying Body network:

• the inclusion of Regional Development Australia Goldfields Esperance in Western Australia
• name change of the certifying body in the ACT to the ACT Economic Development Directorate.

Permanent employer sponsored visas review – 19 August 2011

The department has released the permanent employer sponsored visas review discussion paper. The discussion paper will facilitate public consultation for the employer sponsored visas review which the department is conducting.
See:
Permanent Employer Sponsored Visas Review Discussion Paper Fact Sheet ( 64KB PDF file)
Permanent Employer Sponsored Visas Review Discussion Paper (226KB PDF file)

Subclass 457 visa program – May 2011 statistics – 5 July 2011

The department has released the latest statistics for the subclass 457 visa program. The information shows that visa applications for the subclass 457 visa program continue to grow as the economy maintains low unemployment. The May 2011 visa application figures are the highest since November 2008. The total number of primary 457 visa holders in Australia at the end of May was 72  270.
See: Subclass 457 program statistics

Increase to the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold – 1 July 2011

From 1 July 2011, the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT), has been indexed by 3.9 per cent, in line with the Australia-wide increase in average weekly earnings. This has increased TSMIT from $47 480 to $49 330.
See: Increase to the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold

Changes to the Employer Nomination Scheme – 1 July

From 1 July 2011 a number of changes will be introduced to the Employer Nomination Scheme(ENS).These include:

• the removal of Slaughterer (ANZSCO 831212) from the Employer Nomination Skilled Occupation List (ENSOL)
• the addition of Dog Handler or Trainer (ANZSCO 361111) to the ENSOL as described in the ANZSCO
• the inclusion of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) in the ENSOL as an assessing authority solely for applicants that the organisation wishes to recruit for teaching or research positions
• the minimum salary for ENS has been indexed. The new ENS minimum salary level has increased from
  • $65 020 to $67 556 for certain computing professional occupations
  • $47 480 to $49 330 for all other occupations.

Note: Market salary rates do not apply to ENS as they do to the Subclass 457 visa program. Employers must instead ensure the position pays a salary that satisfies the minimum salary specified for the occupation.

New Skilled Migration blog has been launched – 21 June 2011

The department launched a new blog related to skilled migration. The blog will discuss a range of skilled migration programs and policy, with the aim to better inform the public debate about skilled migration. The first post discusses the development of Enterprise Migration Agreements for the resource sector.
See: Skilled Migration Blog

Additional funding for 457 visa processing – 10 May 2011

On 10 May 2011, the department announced a new processing centre for subclass 457 visas to be opened in Brisbane. Together with other funding, this measure aims to halve processing times for subclass 457 visas.
See: Additional Funding for 457 Visa Processing

Enterprise Migration Agreements – 10 May 2011

On 10 May 2011, the Government announced the introduction of Enterprise Migration Agreements (EMAs), a new temporary migration initiative to help address the skill needs of the resource sector. EMAs will allow major resource projects to access overseas labour for genuine skill vacancies.
See: Enterprise Migration Agreements

Regional Migration Agreements – 10 May 2011

On 10 May 2011, the Government announced the introduction of Regional Migration Agreements (RMAs), localised migration initiatives that will bring together employers, local and state government and unions to cooperate on addressing local labour needs.
See: Regional Migration Agreements

Public Interest Criterion from 2 April 2011

On 2 April 2011, the department introduced the Fraud Public Interest Criterion (PIC) 4020, which has been applied to certain visa subclasses in the Skilled and Employer Sponsored Migration Programs.
See: Document Fraud

Eligible Occupation List and English language exemption

Changes to the Subclass 457 visa Eligible Occupation List came into effect on 15 February 2011. Seven occupations were removed from the list while four were added. English language exemptions for some occupations were also slightly modified.
See:
Eligibility Nomination
English Language Requirements