Starting July 1, 2024, the Australian Government is making important changes to visa conditions 8107, 8607, and 8608 as part of its broader Migration Strategy. These updates aim to address worker exploitation and drive productivity in the labor market.
The key improvements are designed to support the mobility of temporary migrant workers holding the following visas:
– Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457)
– Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482)
– Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 494)
Under the new rules, if these visa holders stop working for their sponsoring employer, they will have more time to find a new sponsor, apply for a different visa, or depart Australia. Specifically, they will be allowed up to:
– 180 days at a time, or
– a maximum of 365 days across the entire visa period
During this transitional time, visa holders can work for other employers, including in occupations not listed in their previous sponsorship nomination. This provides critical support as they seek a new sponsor.
However, visa holders must still remain in their nominated occupation while working for their existing sponsor. Sponsors are also still required to notify the department within 28 days of any changes, such as ceasing sponsorship or a visa holder’s resignation.
These changes apply to both existing visa holders and those granted a visa on or after July 1, 2024. Any time a visa holder previously spent not working for their sponsor before this date will not count towards the new time periods.
The goal of these updates is to enhance labor market mobility for temporary migrants while also protecting workers from exploitation.