While it is permissible to apply for a subsequent 482 visa whilst in Australia, it is important to understand that this is not a simple matter of applying for an “extension”. An entirely new application needs to be made against current legislation which may well be different to that required for the first visa.
New visas were introduced in late 2019 designed to attract skilled workers to regional/rural areas of Australia, rather than the majority settling into the crowded major cities of Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane.
Unfortunately, the threshold criteria for these visas is set so high that few skilled workers have been able to meet requirements.
We are hoping that more flexibility will be introduced into these visas in the near future to enable more skilled workers to apply.
A Skilled Training Fund was finally introduced into the Australian Immigration system on 12 August 2018.
A levy is payable into this Fund by employers who wish to sponsor foreign workers for a temporary skilled visa (subclass 482) and permanent employer sponsored visas (subclass 186/187).
The levy amount for temporary visas is determined by the turnover of the sponsoring business and the number of years of the sponsorship (1-4 years).
$1800 per year of the visa for businesses with a turnover of $10m+
$1200 per year of the visa for businesses with turnover less than $10m.
The levy applicable to a permanent visa is either a once off amount of $5000 or $3000 depending on the turnover, as per the above.
Be very aware that there are very few opportunities for the levy to be refunded if a Nomination is refused or even if a sponsored employee leaves.
It is important for permanent (& some temporary visa) applicants to be aware that it is a requirement for all persons included in the application (partners & children) to be medically examined by doctors approved by the Australian government.
This is to ensure that applicants or their accompanying families do not have any contagious diseases, serious pre-existing medical conditions or disabilities which could cause significant cost to Australia’s health budget or require access to community services that are in high demand.
In the event that one person in the family is found not to meet the health criteria, a permanent visa for all the family will be refused.
These are required by permanent visa applicants covering all countries in which each adult person included in the application has lived for 12+ months in the last 10 years.
The requirement has recently been extended to applicants for temporary work visas.
As these clearances can sometimes take many weeks/months to obtain, it is important to start the process of obtaining such clearances quickly once a decision has been made to apply for either a permanent or long term temporary visa.
Instructions relating to obtaining clearances are on the website of the Department of Home Affairs.
Applicants for most sponsored work visas – both temporary and permanent – need to be aware that processing delays are currently quite considerable.
This is a direct result of staff cutbacks by government and a cumbersome processing methodology.
Average processing timelines for all visa categories are published on the website of the Department of Home Affairs, but as they are ‘average’, it means that some go through more quickly & others take longer.
Lack of required supporting documentation in the appropriate format – including colour scans of police clearances – is one of many reasons the Department cites as reasons for delays.