Further Government statement on Subclass 457 review

The Federal Government has announced the following changes to the 457 programme:

• streamline the processing of sponsorship, nomination and visa applications to reward low risk applicants and refocus compliance and monitoring activities on high risk applicants;
• increase the sponsorship approval period from 12 to 18 months for start-up businesses, to give start-ups more time to make their businesses sustainable;
• provide greater flexibility in relation to English language testing and skill requirements for 457 applicants, to ensure that the standards required are appropriate for the industries and occupations being sought; and
• retain the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold at $53 900, ahead of a review within the next two years.

Source: MIA}