Australian lawmakers delayed ongoing plans to reform their temporary and permanent work visa programs. Modifications for each visa type are now expected to be released in March 2018, following nearly a year of incremental changes to the country’s immigration laws and policies.
The Australian Parliament first revealed plans to reform its visa program in 2017, sparking controversy over its anticipated repeal of the subclass 457 visa and implementation of a new Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482 or “TSS”) visa. Parliament is expected to implement new requirements to tighten regulations regarding employer-sponsored permanent residence applications, which may involve new qualifying factors such as occupation, experience, and age to assess candidates’ eligibility.