Month: June 2024

fair-work-high-income-threshold

Increase in the Australian Fair Work High Income Threshold from 1 July 2024

Effective from 1 July 2024, the Fair Work High Income Threshold (FWHIT) will increase from $167,500 to $175,000 base salary, excluding superannuation.

Relevance to Australian Immigration and Visas

This will affect current Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS)(subclass 482) visa holders who are over the age limit of 45 interested in applying for Australian permanent residency through the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS)(subclass 186) visa Temporary Residence Transition stream. They may still be eligible to apply by utilising the exemption if they have been earning over the FWHIT and working for their sponsor in Australia for a minimum of two years.

Need Assistance?

At Hartman Immigration we regularly assist companies who employ TSS subclass 482 visa holders transitioning to Australian permanent residency through the ENS subclass 186 visa program.

Please do not hesitate to contact us at info@hartmanimmigration.com.au for Australian visa assistance and sponsoring skilled overseas workers.

Disclaimer:

The information on this website is intended only to provide a summary and general overview on relevant matters. It is not intended to be comprehensive nor does it constitute legal advice. You are advised to seek legal or other professional advice before acting or relying on any of the content contained in this website.

transfer-of-sponsorship

TRANSFER OF SPONSORSHIP FOR AUSTRALIAN TEMPORARY WORK VISA HOLDERS

The Australian Government announced that from 1 July 2024 changes would be made to transfer of sponsorship arrangements for overseas employees holding certain temporary work visas to enable greater labour market mobility.

The new transfer of sponsorship provisions will affect the following visa subclasses:

  1. Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482)
  2. Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 494)
  3. Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457)

From 1 July 2024, visa conditions 8107, 8607 and 8608 are changing in a manner which will allow for extended time to find a new sponsor and freedom to find other employment.

Key Changes to Transfer of Sponsorship Conditions and Cessation of Sponsorship of Temporary Visa Holders

From 1 July 2024, holders of the above visas will have greater flexibility in transferring employers in the following way:

  • Where their employment ceases with their sponsor, they will be provided with:
    • 180 days to find a new sponsoring employer, which has increased from the current 60 days.
    • A maximum of 365 days in total across the entire visa grant period to hold their temporary work visa after ceasing work for their sponsor.
  • During the 180 day period, visa holders can work for other employers, which the Australian Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has stated includes work in occupations not listed in their most recently approved sponsorship nomination. This is intended to ensure that visa holders can support themselves while they look for a new sponsor.
  • Unless exempt, a visa holder cannot work for another employer unless they have ceased work with their sponsoring employer.

Sponsorship Conditions Remaining Unchanged

  • Visa holders must remain in their nominated occupation while working for their existing sponsor.
  • Sponsors must still inform the DHA within 28 days if the organisation ceases sponsoring a visa holder or the visa holder resigns.
  • Visa holders must not do any work that is inconsistent with any licence or registration needed for their nominated occupation.

For advice regarding Australian visas and sponsoring skilled overseas workers, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@hartmanimmigration.com.au for Australian immigration assistance.

Disclaimer:

The information on this website is intended only to provide a summary and general overview on relevant matters. It is not intended to be comprehensive nor does it constitute legal advice. You are advised to seek legal or other professional advice before acting or relying on any of the content contained in this website.

innovation-and-early-careers-skills-exchange-pilot

Innovation and Early Careers Skills Exchange Pilot

The Australian Government has announced that as part of the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (A-UKFTA) the Innovation and Early Careers Skills Exchange Pilot (IECSEP) will be introduced to provide new opportunities for UK citizens to take their next career step in Australia through the introduction of a new Australian visa stream aimed at facilitating work in Australia for UK citizens.

The purpose of IECSEP is to build on the existing connections between Australia and the UK by establishing a new and streamlined mobility pathway for early career professionals and demonstrated innovators from the UK.

Program Streams:

There are two streams under the IECSEP:

  • the Early Careers Skills stream, which will allow participants to undertake a short-term placement, secondement, or intra-corporate transfer for up to one year in Australia.
  • the Innovation stream, which will allow highly skilled and experienced participants, with a demonstrated contribution to innovation, to undertake opportunities for up to three years in Australia.

Eligibility Criteria:

All IECSEP applicants must be able to demonstrate UK citizenship, and that they have adequate financial means to support themselves for the duration of their stay in Australia ($5,000 plus the fare to where the applicant is going to after Australia).

All IECSEP applicants must have a confirmed job in Australia to be eligible to participate in the IECSEP. Applicants will need to provide DFAT with either a letter of employment offer, or a copy of an employment contract, to prove their prospective employment in Australia when they submit their application.

To be eligible for the Early Careers stream applicants must:

  • be aged between 21 and 45 (inclusive) at the time of application;
  • hold tertiary qualifications;
  • have worked for at least 3 months in their current role, and the prospective employment in Australia; must be relevant to the applicant’s field of work in their current role; and
  • have prospective employment in Australia in an occupation defined at the ANZSCO Skill Levels 1, 2 or 3.

To be eligible for the Innovation stream applicants must:

  • have a demonstrated contribution to innovation;
  • be highly skilled;
  • be highly experienced; and
  • have prospective employment in Australia in an occupation defined at the ANZSCO Skill Level 1.

Application Information:

Total visas available under the IECSEP will be 1,000 in the first year, and 2,000 in the second year of operation, during which the program will be reviewed.

IECSEP is now open for applications.

The current round for the Early Careers stream will close at 11.59pm (GMT) on 31 December 2024.

The current round for the Innovation stream will close at 11.59pm (GMT) on 31 December 2024.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) may close application rounds with respect of one or both IECSEP streams on a date before the advertised times above.

Benefit for Employers and Businesses:

The Australian Government has highlighted that the purpose of IECSEP is to recognise the importance of innovation and skills mobility to the economies of Australia and the United Kingdom.

The IECSEP will provide Australian employers with an opportunity to access innovative and early-career professionals from the UK, through the pilot of a new and streamlined temporary mobility pathway from the UK to Australia. UK organisations are intended to benefit from employee upskilling, as well as a way of providing key staff with an international career development opportunity.

Disclaimer:

The information on this website is intended only to provide a summary and general overview on relevant matters. It is not intended to be comprehensive nor does it constitute legal advice. You are advised to seek legal or other professional advice before acting or relying on any of the content contained in this website.