In June 2013, the previous government of Australia decided to undo decades of progressive reform and introduce Labour Market Testing (LMT) into the 457 program. That government was defeated in September 2013 and the new government has substantially watered down the LMT regime with amendments passed on November 23. The subclass 457 visa is the […]
Category Archives: Australia
In June 2013, the previous government of Australia decided to undo decades of progressive reform and introduce Labour Market Testing (LMT) into the 457 program. That government was defeated in September 2013 and the new government has substantially watered down the LMT regime with amendments passed on November 23. The subclass 457 visa is the […]
The Australian government has announced a raft of changes to visa programs effective July 1, 2012. Changes to the employer nominated permanent residence visa program were outlined in the last ABIL Global Immigration Update. Changes to the General Skilled Independent visas and Business Skills visas are outlined below. SkillSelect As of July 1, 2012, the […]
The Australian government has announced reforms to the permanent entry employer-nominated visa program to be introduced on July 1, 2012. Key reforms include: removing the existing distinction between applications with respect to whether they are made by applicants who are in or out of Australia replacing the current requirement of paying nominated permanent resident applicants […]
Sponsors should be cautious when considering dismissal of 457 visa holders. As with their Australian counterparts, 457 visa holders have access to employment remedies under the Fair Work Act. Even where a sponsored employee’s employment is terminated under an employment agreement, the dismissal may still be held to be harsh, unjust, or unreasonable. Under Australian […]
As part of “Subclass 457” visa reforms, the Australian government has announced a sponsor accreditation scheme, available beginning on November 1, 2011, for certain standard business sponsors. The Australian Government has announced plans to introduce Accredited Sponsor (AS) status, beginning on November 1, 2011, to facilitate the priority processing of company nominations and temporary entry […]
Currently, employees living away from home to perform their employment duties in Australia may be eligible for tax-free benefits for reasonable housing and food costs under the Living Away From Home Allowance (LAFHA) rules. Changes have been proposed to start on July 1, 2011, to address the perceived abuse of these LAFHA tax concessions. As […]
The Federal Government announced on January 27, 2011, that it will fast-track 457 visa processing for workers engaged on rebuilding work in the wake of the devastating Queensland floods. 457 visa holders and eligibility for Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy Centrelink is an Australian Government statutory agency that delivers a range of Commonwealth services to the […]
Increased FIRB screening and compliance measures, including a hotline and a pilot monitoring system, have been introduced to ensure that temporary visa holders comply with FIRB requirements. Statistics show 15 real estate transactions were prevented by FIRB and a further 73 proposed residential real estate purchases have been voluntarily withdrawn in the last 9 months.