Subclass 457, 482 & 494 visa holders will have more time to find a new employer

The Australian Government has announced that from 1 July 2024 onward, Temporary Work (Skilled) (Subclass) Visa holders, Temporary Skill Shortage (Subclass 482) Visa holders and Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (Subclass 494) Visa holders will have more time to find a new employer without breaching the conditions of their visa.

At the moment, Subclass 457 visa holders and Subclass 482 visa holders have up to 60 days to find a new employer as outlined by Condition 8107 and Condition 8607 which apply to their visas respectively, whereas Subclass 494 visa holders have up to 90 days to find a new employer by virtue of Condition 8608.

From 1 July 2024 onward, Subclass 457, Subclass 482 and Subclass 494 visa holders will have up to:

• 180 days at a time; or

• a maximum of 365 days in total across the total visa grant period;

to find a new sponsoring employer.

@inclusivemigration Great news: Subclass 457, 482 and 494 visa holders may have more flexibility from 1 July 2024 onwards in terms of finding a new employer and avoiding a breach of Conditions 8107, 8607 and 8608. Always remember to check your visa conditions on your Visa Grant Notice to ensure your compliance with your visa conditions. #migrationlawyer #immigrationlawyer ♬ original sound - Inclusive Migration Lawyer

During this time, Subclass 457, Subclass 482 and Subclass 494 visa holders will also be able to work for other employers in other occupations, so as to ensure that they can support themselves while trying to find a new sponsor to employ them.

The Department has also confirmed that these changes will benefit existing Subclass 457, 482 and Subclass 494 visa holders, as well as persons who apply for Subclass 482 and Subclass 494 visas from 1 July 2024 onward. Furthermore, periods a Subclass 457, 482 and 494 visa holder stopped working for their sponsor before 1 July 2024 will not count towards the new time period outlined above, providing them with more flexibility and providing temporary migrants which more labour market mobility.

If you have any questions about how this upcoming change may affect you, please email info@inclusivemigration.com.au or send us an enquiry using the contact form on our website.