Changes to 457 Visa Accreditation Status

immigrationIs your organisation eligible for accreditation?

From 1 July 2016, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection is changing the requirements for companies seeking accreditation status in the subclass 457 visa program.

Accreditation enables sponsors to access priority processing and streamlined assessment of subclass 457 (temporary work) nomination and visa applications.

To seek accreditation on or after 1 July 2016, sponsors must:

– be a government agency, a publicly-listed company or a private company with at least AUD four million annual turnover for the last three years;

– have been an active 457 sponsor for at least three years (with no more than a six month break in the past 36 months), with no adverse information (based on monitoring, including formal warnings and sanctions);

– have sponsored at least ten primary 457 visa holders in the 24 months prior to the application for
accreditation;

– meet the Department’s decision-ready and non-approval requirements over the previous three years;

– have Australian workers comprising at least 75% of their workforce in Australia;

– meet the Department’s new employment standard and contract requirements;

Next steps
If your organisation is interested in gaining accreditation status, a well-evidenced sponsorship variation application needs to be submitted. Please contact us for advice from our migration agents.

 

Disclaimer: This news alert does not constitute immigration advice or assistance and does not take into account your circumstances. We do not guarantee the accuracy of any information in this alert.