AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION NEWS

Further Changes to 457 Work Visa Programme

Friday, 22 May 2009

Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Australia, Chris Evans, has announced that a number of occupations will be removed from the 457 Work Visa programme.

Occupations that have been affected are those included in the tourism, clerical and agricultural industries.

This is the second major reform to the 457 programme in recent weeks, following the increase in the English language requirements for trade occupations in April.

The 457 programme has been under review of late, and these changes are among a series of measures that is aimed to ensure that the 457 programme provides local industry with the skills needed, without undermining local training and employment opportunities.

"This change will ensure employers using the 457 programme to gain access to these occupations satisfy all their obligations under the programme, including those on training," a departmental spokesman stated.

This latest change means that employers wanting to recruit overseas workers in occupations listed under the major groups five to seven on the Australian Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO) can only do so by successfully negotiating a labour agreement with the Commonwealth.

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.