Subclass 457 Visa Requirements

As of March 2018, applications for this visa type have now closed. To read about the replacement visa, see Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) visa subclass 482. Existing 457 visa holders are still welcome to switch to IMAN - our working visitor visa covers all meet the health requirement for the 457 visa.

There are several subclass 457 visa requirements that a prospective primary visa applicant must meet before applying for a visa.

The applicant must:

• have an employer willing to sponsor them for a nominated skilled position
• have adequate health insurance
• meet a required level of English language proficiency (some exemptions apply)
• meet set character requirements (which focus on elements such as whether the individual has a criminal history)
• be able to demonstrate that their skills, experience and background match those skills required for the nominated position
• be eligible for any required licences or registration needed for the position

An individual is able to work in Australia for a period of between one day and four years once a subclass 457 visa has been approved. The 457 visa also allows the individual to bring eligible dependents with them to work or study in Australia. There is no limit to the number of times the individual can travel in and out of Australia once they have arrived. If an individual is already living in Australia when applying for this visa, the last visa that they held must not be a Transit Visa or Special Purpose Visa.

Subclass 457 Visa Process

Subclass 457 visa requirements exist not only for a prospective employee but also for the employer. In fact, the employer must always start the process if they want an overseas migrant to fill a position by applying to become a standard business sponsor. Once the employer has been approved as a sponsor, the employee is able to apply for the position. The position should match the applicant’s skills, experience and qualifications. If an individual is successful, they can then apply for the 457 visa.

There are three steps that make up the 457 visa requirements:

• Sponsorship – the employer applies to become a standard business sponsor.
  This step is required before an employer can nominate an occupation for a subclass 457 visa
• Nomination – the employer can nominate an occupation for an existing or prospective subclass 457 visa holder
• Visa application – the person who is nominated will then apply for a subclass 457 visa.
  This is the final step in the 457 visa application process