On 27 April 2023, the Minister for Home Affairs, Claire O’Neil announced that the Govenment would be implementing significant changes to the skilled visa migration program, in response to the findings of the independent Review into Australia’s Migration System.
One of the changes announced was expanding the eligibility for permanent residence for Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa holders under the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream of the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa, by the end of 2023.
Further information on this important change was published by the Department of Home Affairs on 5 May 2023, which is reproduced below.
By the end of 2023, the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream of the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) visa will be available. This stream is for all Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa holders whose employers wish to sponsor them.
Applicants will need to continue to work in the occupation nominated for their TSS visa(s). However, occupations will not be limited to the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). We will reduce eligibility for the TRT stream from three years to two years employment with the sponsoring employer. Applicants will need to meet all other nomination and visa requirements for the TRT stream of the Employer Nomination Scheme visa.
To facilitate these pathways, the Government is also removing limits on the number of Short-term stream TSS visa applications that visa holders can make in Australia. This is an interim measure to assist those currently onshore who would normally need to go offshore to make further visa applications.