Blog

26 Dec 2015

The Temporary Work (Skilled) Visa (subclass 457)

If you’re thinking about migrating to Perth and your skills are in-demand by employers, you may be able to live and work in Perth on the Temporary Work (Skilled) Visa (subclass 457), often simply referred to as 457 visa. Here, we’re going to take you through what you need to get this visa and what it entitles you to.

What is the Temporary Work (Skilled) Visa (subclass 457)?

This temporary work visa allows skilled workers to live and work in Australia for up to four years. They can enter and leave the country as frequently as they like and can apply to bring family members with them to study or work in Australia.

Who is this visa for?

If they are unable to fill job openings with a permanent resident or citizen of Australia, business owners may sponsor a skilled foreign worker. With this visa, skilled foreign workers are permitted to enter the country to work for up to four years, provided that they work in their chosen occupation for an approved sponsor. The temporary skilled work visa allows businesses to draw from a larger pool of candidates for their human resources needs than if they were limited to choosing from Australians and permanent residents of Australia.

What are the requirements to obtain the visa?

To obtain this visa, an approved employer must select an applicant for a job opportunity and become a sponsor. The employer must file the appropriate paperwork to sponsor and select the applicant for the job before they will be allowed to file for the 457 visa.

Simply having an employer who has become an approved sponsor, however, is not enough. Workers who already have an Australian visa with a “No further stay” condition are barred from applying for the 457 visa (or any other visa). (Workers already living in Australia may apply for this visa, not just workers who are living outside of Australia.)

Applicants must apply with a valid passport. If applicants get a new passport after having applied for this visa, the new passport’s details must be shared with one of the offices of the Australian Government’s Department of Immigration and Border Protection using the Form 929 Change of address and/or passport details (a four-page PDF that you can fill in). Updates to passport details may be made via ImmiAccount.

What does the visa entitle the applicant to?

Skilled workers who receive this visa are entitled to stay in Australia for up to four years, provided that they work for an approved sponsor who has chosen them for a position of employment. In addition, their family members are entitled to study or work in Australia. Finally, those who hold this visa are permitted to enter or exit the country as often as they like.

How much does this visa cost?

The cost of the 457 visa is variable. An applicant may expect to pay from $1,060 AUD to $1,760 AUD. That amounts to paying approximately $265 AUD to $440 AUD per year if the visa holder takes up the full length of permitted stay.


Sheila Woods

Posted by: Sheila Woods

A very experienced migration agent, Sheila has always been fascinated by this field. Her university degree thesis was on Australia’s post-war immigration history (and it earned her first-class honours).


Filed in: Visas

Comments

Comments are closed.


Topics

Follow us