UPDATE ON CURRENT LEGISLATIVE CHANGES
UPDATE ON CURRENT LEGISLATIVE CHANGES
UPDATE ON CURRENT LEGISLATIVE CHANGES
The Department of Immigration & Border Protection (DIBP) has recently made three important changes in legislation which will affect a number of current and future visa holders:
Temporary Work (Subclass 457) Visa – Condition 8107 Changes
This change affects those Subclass 457 visa applicants whom are granted a Subclass 457 on or after 19 November 2016. Previously, the Condition 8107 which is imposed on all Subclass 457 visas, outlines that if you ceased working for your nominating employer, you were required to find a new nominating employer within 90 days of ceasing work.
This limit has now changed from 90 days to 60. Meaning, those whom are granted a Subclass 457 on or after 19 November 2016 only have 60 days to find a new nominating employer rather than 90.
Work and Holiday (Subclass 462) Visas
To date, those eligible passport holders for a Subclass 462 were not eligible to apply for their second Work and Holiday visa.
With new changes, eligible Subclass 462 visa holders can now complete specified work in certain regional parts of Australia resulting in their eligibility to apply for a second Subclass 462 visa. This permits an additional 12 months of work and holiday in Australia.
Specified work comprises of employment in industries such as forestry, fisheries, tourism and hospitality in regional areas including the Northern Territory, Northern parts of Western Australia and Queensland.
Re-definition of a ‘member of the family unit’
For certain visas the definition and age of a ‘dependent child’ has been amended to include step-children as well as biological children and the dependency age increased to 23.
Further, (again, for certain visa subclasses) a relative can be classed as ‘dependent’ if they do not have spouse or de facto partner, is usually resident in the primary applicant’s household and is dependent on the primary applicant.
These amendments are due to come into effect on 19 November 2016. Should you have any queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our office
