Expanding Pathways to PR for Temporary Skilled Workers
The Government is dedicated to implementing changes to Australia’s migration system to ensure temporary skilled workers have a pathway to PR.
To support this, the Department of Home Affairs is currently working on changes to the:
• Temporary Skill Shortage (sc482 TSS) visa
• Temporary Residence Transition stream (TRT) of the Employer Nomination Scheme (sc 186 ENS)
• Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187) (RSMS) visa subclasses.
These changes are expected to commence from 25 November 2023* (*subject to the approval of regulation changes).
Changes to the TSS visa will apply to new applications lodged on or after 25 November 2023*.
Changes to the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream nomination requirements will apply to new ENS/RSMS nomination applications and applications that are yet to be finally determined as at 25 November 2023*.
We will continue to monitor the changes and provide relevant updates. Our team will alert clients to their employee's eligibility in the usual manner. However, please do contact us if you have any questions.
What will be changing?
All TSS sc482 visa holders, regardless of whether they are sponsored in an occupation on Short-term, Long-term or Regional Occupation List will have to access permanent residency visa ENS sc186 visa visa TRT stream.
Limits on the number of Short-term stream TSS applications visa holders can make in Australia will be removed.
Nominated occupations for the TRT stream of the ENS will no longer be assessed against skilled migration occupation lists.
The nominated occupations will need to be listed in the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) and the nominated worker will need to continue to work in the occupation nominated for their TSS visa(s)
Eligibility period of employment on a TSS sc482 to nominate on TRT stream on ENS has been reduced from 3 to 2 years.
Changes will be made to age exemptions for regional medical practitioner applicants and high income earning applicants aged 45 years and over to allow for a two-year pathway.