Tag Archive for: Australia Visa

Terminating an employee on a 457 visa – a guide for employers

The 457 visa program offers employers a great deal of benefits such as the ability to access top talent from around the world, to create competitive advantage through hiring people with skills that can’t be found locally, as well as increase diversity in the workplace.

For the sponsored employee a 457 sponsorship promises strong pay and work conditions, quality work experience and high living standards for the employee and his or her family.
Parties go into a sponsorship relationship assuming the placement will go well. Sometimes, however, despite the best of intentions, the relationship does not work out as planned. Read more

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Increase in the number of applications for 457 skilled work visas

The number of applications for 457 skilled work visas has increased by 15% in a year; with Indian, British, and Chinese workers in particular queuing up to work in Australia, reports theaustralian.com.au.

Australia’s Immigration Department has approved work visas for thousands of engineers and nurses in the past year, despite the Employment Department cancelling their “skills shortage’’ status.

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More Benefits for Contractors

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More benefits for contractors – more reasons to keep smiling

SDP Solutions are happy to announce that we have partnered with IMAN Australian Health Plans to offer exclusive discounted rates to all our contractors on working visas.  We are always striving to improve our added value services and solutions for our contractors and also to our clients’ contingent workforce.

IMAN has been providing health cover to overseas workers for over 30 years and is a proud subsidiary of nib holdings limited, one of Australia’s leading health insurers.  Read more

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Changes to 457 immigration program see ‘nomination ceiling’ removed

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The ceiling on nominations for 457 visas has now been abolished since 14 February 2014, which should make life a whole lot easier for employers looking to nominate and sponsor overseas workers.

When the 457 immigration program underwent a major restructure in July 2013, a cap was placed on the number of positions an employer could sponsor overseas workers to fill.  Meaning if a business had reached its quota of nominations, but still had positions in need of skilled workers, there was very little they could do in the situation. Read more

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Immigration Department data shows the number of work visas in Australia continue to climb

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Source www.heraldsun.com.au

The number of visitors to Australia with work rights continues to soar, despite the nation’s worsening job outlook.

New Immigration Department data shows;

  • Australia’s unemployment rate climbing towards 6%
  • the number of New Zealanders on special visas has risen to 625,000
  • 10% jump in young foreigners on working holidays to almost 180,000, as of December 31 last year.
  • 7.6% spike in numbers for the controversial 457 skilled visa to 170,000
  • Student visa numbers rose by 6.4% to 257,000
  • 6% increase in the number of temporary entrants in Australia to 1.82million Read more
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Latest Updates on Proposed Changes to 457 Visa

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July is soon approaching and with that we will see the reforms to the 457 visa scheme come into effect.  Latest updates announced by the Government on the controversial 457 visa scheme include;

 

  • Increase of visa application charge; $900 instead of the current $455
  • Employers will need to make every effort to employ Australians before resorting to foreign workers
  • Exemption threshold is being raised to $250,000

With the election taking place this year, there has been a lot of political play onto the proposed changes to the 457 visa.  Political leaders are communicating the tightening on 457 visas is to protect “Australian jobs for Australian citizens and residents”.
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Skilled Migration Program Working Well: Report (source: www.designbuildsource.com.au)

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Despite recent controversy, Australia’s 457 visa program is working well, with foreign workers enjoying high levels of job satisfaction and many being used to train Australian workers, a comprehensive new report has found.

Published by the Migration Council Australia (MCA), a non-for-profit organisation dedicated to enhancing the productive benefits of Australia’s migration programs, the More Than Temporary: Australia’s 457 visa program report analyses a survey of 3,800 visa holders and 1,600 businesses involved in the program.

It reveals that overall, 457 visa holders enjoy high levels of job satisfaction and integrate effectively into the workforce and into Australian society.

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Proposed Changes to Subclass 457 visa – Reform to be introduced 1 July 2013

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Changes to Subclass 457 visa

The Minister for Immigration & Citizenship, the Hon Brendan O’Connor MP, has announced some major changes to the subclass 457, Temporary Work (Skilled), visa program.  While the Minister’s statement presents changes to Immigration policy the Department of Immigration & Citizenship (DIAC) is still finalizing the details of the legislative.  Most changes are expected to be introduced on 1 July 2013.

The debate looks set to continue for some time yet, especially in the rub up to the federal elections later this year, but the government have acted first with Treasurer Wayne Swan announcing in his most recent Federal Budget that the cost of a 457 visa will be increased to AU$900 (£580) in July.

(Please note we have an updated article on the Latest updates on the 457 visa scheme, you can access it by clicking here)

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