The Australian Government has just released legislation on the permanent residency pathways for visa holders on the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL), in response to the strong labour demand and the declining number of temporary visa holders in 2021 due to the pandemic.
From 1 July 2022, a Subclass 457 or 482 visa holder nominated in a STSOL occupation will be able to access the permanent residency pathway under the Subclass 186 Temporary Residency Transition Stream (TRTS), if they:
– Have been in Australia for at least 12 months between 1 Feb 2020 and 14 December 2021; and
– Meet the TRTS requirements (that is, 3 years of employment as a Subclass 457 or 482 visa, age, English language, etc.)
This new legislation provides a pathway to permanent residency for Subclass 482 visa holders in the short-term stream, regardless of whether their nominated occupation is on the Medium & Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) or the Regional Occupation List (ROL).
Furthermore, the grandfathering provisions for those who held, or had applied for, a Subclass 457 visa on 18 April 2017 has now been extended.
To learn more about your eligibility for this pathway, please contact Thames Migration in Australia or the United Kingdom.
Source to Legislation: Migration (Specified persons and periods of time for regulation 5.19) Instrument (LIN 22/038) 2022