457 Visa Skills Assessment
Employees seeking to obtain a 457 visa must meet the required skill level prior to lodging the visa application. Not all trade occupations need to go through the 457 Skills Assessment Program because it only applies to applicants who work in a certain occupations and hold a passport from a certain country or Special Administrative Region (SAR).
Currently, there are twenty three (23) trade occupations that need to obtain a positive skills assessment, including chef, cook and welder. Those occupations are only applicable to a holder of a passport from Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong SAR, India, Macau SAR, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe (depending on the occupation nominated).
However, it is anticipated that mandatory skills assessment will be expanded from 1 July 2017, where integrity concerns exists.
The test aims to determine if an applicant has the skills and experience necessary to work in Australia at the trade level, for the nominated occupation.
Most trades for a 457 visa require an Australian Certificate IV or an Australian Certificate III, including at least two years of on-the-job training. However, RTOs (Registered Training Organizations) request further evidence of at least three (3) years of full time paid employment in the relevant and directly related trade. This is to ensure successful applicants can contribute immediately to Australia’s skilled workforce.
Furthermore, an applicant holding a Certificate III in commercial cookery may not be qualified for Asian cookery, because the qualification relevant to this occupation is a Certificate III in Asian cookery.
Some occupations require registration to perform work in Australia. Although it happens after the grant of a 457 visa, a visa holder must obtain necessary registration or licensing within a reasonable period (90 days) before commencing work. It is a 457 visa condition (8107) and subject to visa cancellation.
Contact SCA Connect today for an expert advice on strategic visa solutions to address the recent and upcoming legislative changes to migration.
