Skills in Demand Visa VS. TSS visa
Highlights
As the Skills in Demand Visa will be replacing the current TSS 482 visa, many people might ask, will this new visa program be better than the current 482 visa?
Brief overview of the Skills in Demand Visa
2024 marks a significant shift toward a more sustainable migration system by introducing the Skills In-Demand Visa. This visa program is set to replace the Temporary Skilled Shortage (subclass 482) Visa.
Qualifications
The Skills in Demand Visa has three streams, which qualifications will mainly be based on the applicant’s annual earnings.
Specialist Skills Stream
This is for highly skilled migrants who are beneficial to Australia’s national productivity with guaranteed annual earnings of at least AUD 135,00
Core Skills Stream
This is for skilled migrants whose occupation is on a new Core Skills Occupation list with guaranteed annual earnings of at least AUD 70,000
Essential Skills Stream
This will be for workers paid below AUD 70,000 with essential skills. Most of these workers are sponsored through labour agreements.
Skills in Demand Visa vs Temporary Skills Shortage Visa
In regards to Australia's Migration Strategy, here are the key elements in which the Skills in Demand Visa is expected to differ from the current Subclass 482 Visa used for employer sponsorship.
| Key Elements | Skills in Demand Visa | Temporary Skills Shortage Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Stay period | 4-year stay period | 4-year stay period |
| PR pathway | Guaranteed PR pathway to all streams | Guaranteed PR pathway to all streams |
| Cessation of employment | If employment with a sponsor ceases, have 180 days to find another sponsor | If employment with a sponsor ceases, have 60 days to find another sponsor |
| Ability to switch employers | Periods of employment with any approved sponsor may count toward PR requirements | Duration of employment for a PR visa is reliant on a single employer |
| Labour Market Testing (LMT) | LMT will gradually be abolished | The current LMT is required to be advertised on the Workforce Australia site for 4 months |
| Visa processing time | 21-day median service for the Core Skills stream, and 7 days for the Specialist Skills stream | Short-term stream has 63 days processing period while medium to long-term stream has 75 days processing period |
| Sponsorship fee | The DHA is exploring a monthly or quarterly ‘pay-as-you-go’ model for government fees | Upfront payment for government fees |
| Public Register of Sponsors | To enable skilled migrants to switch employers, a public register of approved sponsors is set to be developed | The list of sponsors is not being made widely available as a public register |
The recently introduced Skills in Demand visa opens up promising possibilities for skilled professionals to engage in and contribute to Australia's flourishing economy. Nevertheless, navigating the visa application process can be intricate and may necessitate expert guidance.
We recommend consulting with our certified migration professionals to prioritize and strategize a seamless migration pathway effectively. Although there are various options to initiate the visa application process, it's crucial to commence on the correct path.
