AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION NEWS

Increased level of English ability required for 457 visa

Wednesday, 22 April 2009

DIAC have announced that they will be raising the level of English for all subclass 457 trades and chef applicants, effective from today.

The expected level of English required for all 457 trades and chef applicants has been raised from and International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score from 4.5 to 5. This is not only in response to, but also in effect limiting the potential exploitation that could be associated with employers bringing in labourers from non –English speaking countries.

A spokesman for DIAC said that "this change applies to all subclass 457 applications lodged from today based on trades level and chef qualifications". "The requirement to ensure at least a ‘modest’ level of English - as defined under IELTS standards – is the first to be implemented after the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship announced a number of changes to the programme".

These changes only affect current 457 visa holders if they are wanting to extend their visa to stay for longer than their current visa allows them to stay.

This change comes about after a complete revision of the 457 visa programme, which will see an indexation of the Minimum Salary Level (MSL) by 4.1% from July 1, along with procedures that ensures the 457 programme continuing to provide local industry with skills without undermining local training and employment opportunities.

If you are interested in Visas to Australia, contact Migration Expert for information and advice on which visa is best suited to you. You can also try our visa eligibility assessment to see if you are eligible to apply for a visa to Australia.