On 18 March 2018, the newly named Department of Home Affairs (DOHA) replaced the 457 Visa with the TSS Visa (Subclass 482).
It is now a requirement for all nominated positions, with very few exceptions, to be advertised prior to the lodgement of the business nomination.
For nomination applications lodged on or after 12 August 2018, sponsors (or individuals who have applied to become a standard business sponsor or a labour agreement sponsor) must pay the applicable nomination training contribution charge (referred to as a contribution to the SAF or the ‘SAF levy’). The nomination training contribution charge is payable in full at the time of lodging a nomination application.
The purpose of the SAF levy is to require employers who sponsor temporary and permanent overseas skilled workers to contribute to the broader skills development of Australians.
The amount of the SAF levy and how this is calculated is dependent on the annual turnover of the company
Business size | TSS visa | ENS / RSMS visas |
Small (annual turnover less than $10 million) | AUD1200 per year or part thereof | AUD3000 one-off |
Other business (annual turnover of $10 million or more) | AUD1800 per year or part thereof | AUD5000 one-off |
Training requirements ENS and RSMS applications lodged on or after 18 March 2018 will need to evidence training as follows:
Since the introduction of the SAF levy in August 2018, the Department has received a number of requests for a SAF refund that do not meet the refund criteria.
Refunds of the levy are ONLY available if you meet one of the following scenarios:
A failure to submit required documentation at time of lodgement, such as evidence of labour market testing, leading to refusal of a nomination, is not a ground for a refund.
Before any immigration advice can be provided, we must hold an initial consultation which will attract a fee commencing from $385.