482 Visas to Permanent Residency

Many countries, including Australia, were severely affected by the Covid 19 pandemic. The pandemic had an impact on many different sectors, including the immigration sector.

The Australian Government announced in 2021 that certain holders of Temporary Skill Shortage visas (subclass 482 visa) and Temporary Work Skilled visas (subclass 457 visa) would be given improved access to permanent residence in response to the strong labour demand and the declining number of temporary visa holders.

This program was designed with input from industry experts and businesses across Australia. The Government believes that 482 Visa applicants working in skilled occupations are critically needed—and that they will be needed in the long term.

This article will provide you with an overview of what the 482 visa is and how it can help you become a permanent resident of Australia.

If you’re thinking about making Australia your home long-term, read on to learn more!

What is a 482 Visa?

The 482 visa is a temporary visa that allows skilled workers to live and work in Australia for a few years. An employer can hire a suitably skilled worker using this temporary visa to fill a position that they cannot find an adequately qualified Australian to fill.

Eligibility?

Applicants must meet certain criteria to be eligible for the 482 visas. They must:

be nominated for a skilled position by an approved sponsor and the occupation is on the list of skilled occupations.

Be qualified with the right skills for the position.

Have a minimum of two years of relevant work experience.

Have a relevant skills assessment if your job requires it.

Only work for your sponsor or affiliated company, unless you are exempt.

You must meet English Proficiency (e.g IELTS 5 in each band).

You may not be eligible for this visa if you had a visa cancelled or denied while you were in Australia.

An Overview of Australian Permanent Resident

A permanent resident is a person who has an Australian permanent resident visa or is usually resident in Australia and holds a permanent visa. In general, permanent residents in Australia are subject to fewer restrictions when living, working and studying than temporary visa holders.

Your ability to re-enter Australia as an Australian permanent resident depends on whether your permanent visa travel facility is still valid after your trip abroad. You are not granted automatic entry to Australia.

A permanent visa holder may become an Australian citizen after meeting certain requirements, including living in Australia for a certain period of time.

If you have a permanent residency visa, you cannot vote unless you were a British subject and enrolled prior to 1984.

482 Visas to Permanent Residency

There are several paths to permanent residence and one of them is by having a TSS (Temporary Skill Shortage) visa SC482. If you have been granted a TSS 482 visa through the medium-term stream. You may apply for permanent residence if or when you:

From July 2022, the Australian Government implemented new regulations to make it easier for certain holders of Subclass 482 (Temporary Skill Shortage) Visas (Subclass 482 Visa) and Subclass 457 (Temporary Work (Skilled)) Visas (Subclass 457 Visa) to obtain permanent residence if they meet the following criteria:

Have been employed by the same company for three years on a Temporary Skill Shortage 482 visa through the medium-term stream.

Have competent English (e.g 6.0 in all parts of the IELTS or an equivalent test score).

Younger than 45 years old at the time of applying for permanent residence.

Transitional Arrangements for Age Exemptions (2 options):

OPTION A (Often referred to as Grandfathering Provision for 457 holders):

If you held an SC457 visa or had applied for it and were later on granted a 457 visa on 18th April 2017, you can still apply for this visa even if you are under 50 when you apply.

OPTION B (often referred to as Legacy 457 Worker):

From 1 July 2022 Eligible legacy subclass 457 visa holders will be able to access an age exemption when applying through the TRT stream. To be eligible the visa holder must:

Have held a subclass 457 visa on or after 18 April 2017.

Have been in Australia between 1st February 2020 and 14th December 2021 for at least 1(one) year.

Meet all other nomination and visa requirements.

NOTE: The age exemption will be accessible for two years from 1 July 2022

If you meet the criteria listed above. You may be eligible for permanent residence through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) or the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187).

How to apply for permanent residency while on a 482 Visa?

If you meet the eligibility criteria above, you can start the permanent residency application process by contacting Pace Migration & Education Consultancy for more promising results. We are here to assist you with our 15 years of professional experience as a student and migration services to answer your queries.

Do you want to know more about transitioning from a 482 Visa to permanent residency? Contact our competent migration agent to learn more.

Original Article: 482 Visa to Permanent Residency