About the 457 Visa
The 457 visa program is designed to fill skill shortages that cannot be met from the local labour market.
Holders of a 457 visa can be approved for a short period such as 3 months or a maximum period of 4 years.
It is possible to renew a 457 visa, provided a new nomination and application is submitted and the sponsors approval is current.

This visa allows you to:

• Work in Australia for up to four years
• Bring their family to work or study in Australia
• Travel in and out of Australia as often as they want.
• Apply for permanent residence sponsored by the employer
• The applicant can be in or outside Australia when their application is lodged

About the Permanent Employer Sponsored Visa Program
The program allows employers to sponsor foreign workers for permanent residence to fill genuine vacancies in their business.

Visas in the permanent employer-sponsored visa program

• Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) subclass 186
• Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) subclass 187

About the ENS
The ENS can assist Australian businesses anywhere in Australia to fill vacancies in their business, whereas the Regional Migration Scheme
(RSMS) is confined to positions in regional areas.

The ENS is made up of two streams:

Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream
The TRT stream is for subclass 457 visa holders who have worked in Australia for their employer in the same occupation for at least the last
two years.

Direct Entry (DE) stream
The DE stream is for certain skilled foreign workers in Australia or overseas who are untested in the Australian labour market or unable to
meet the TRT requirements.

Some may already be in Australia working, while others may never even have entered or worked in Australia.
The ENS visa allows you to:

• Workers who cannot qualify for the Skilled Migration Program can live and work permanently in Australia
• Workers who do not qualify for 2 years as holders of a 457 visa, can live and work in Australia permanently
• Workers and their family have access to:
  • Medicare, Australia’s government medical insurance scheme
  • After 2 years waiting period, other social security benefits
• Workers and their family are eligible to study at a tertiary institution in Australia
• Children of the family can attend public school free of charge
• Family members of an applicant for an ENS or RSMS visa may ordinarily make a com­bined application with the primary applicant
• Settled permanent residents may be able to sponsor family members to live in Australia

About the RSMS
The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) helps Australian employers in regional and low population growth areas to recruit skilled
foreign workers to fill permanent vacancies that are unable to be filled from the local labour market.
Concessional criteria and a wider range of permissible occupations for nomination, and the skill level criteria are lower for RSMS when
compared to ENS.

Priority Processing of the RSMS
Applications are given highest priority processing pursuant to Direction No 50, issued under section 499 of the Migration Act. age3
The RSMS visa is a permanent visa, but is subject to cancellation if the employee leaves employment within 2 years of obtaining the visa.

 

The RSMS visa allows you to:

• Workers who cannot qualify for the Skilled Migration Program can live and work permanently in Australia
• Workers who do not qualify for 2 years as holders of a 457 visa, can live and work in Australia permanently
• Workers in ANZSCO skill level 1, 2 or 3 under DE do not require a skills assessment.
• Workers and their family have access to:
  • Medicare, Australia’s government medical insurance scheme
  • After 2 years waiting period, other social security benefits
• Workers and their family are eligible to study at a tertiary institution in Australia
• Children of the family can attend public school free of charge.
• Family members of an applicant for an ENS or RSMS visa may ordinarily make a com­bined application with the primary applicant
• Settled permanent residents may be able to sponsor family members to live in Australia