JenniGee

Just a quickie on behalf of a friend, if no-one minds giving me the latest info...I've had a search, but a lot of the threads seem to be from a year or so back & bless DIAC, there have bound to have been changes

We have a friend arriving in March on a company sponsored 457 visa from the UK. Situation is, he has been employed for several years by said company, who need him now to work in Oz. He will be coming with family, kids & cat

Can anyone tell me, provided he remains employed with his company, what would be the soonest he could apply for PR from the 457? Or would it be in his interests to immediately lodge an onshore application - is that the 176?

Many thanks for your wisdom

JGx

Tramps_mate

He could apply for company sponsored permanent residency at any time I believe. If the company is willing. Friend of mine on a 457 got PR after 4 years how ever..

newjersey

he can apply at any time for any visa, that be PR or another temp visa, that he is eligible for in his own right. He can only apply for a employer-sponsored visa *after* the sponsor has done their end in proving their eligibility to be a sponsor (i.e. having lodged and approved a nomination), again, regardless of that being PR or another temp visa. Willingness in itself is nice, but there is bureaucracy involved (may not materialize into anything) and sometimes nominations get rejected. Just be aware of this, there is no guarantee in sponsorship promises and full dependency on them carrying this all the way through.

JenniGee

Thank you both for your replies

So he is eligible, meets the age, health, skills criteria etc & has the points. To clarify, he's able to apply for a PR visa in his own right as soon as he gets here then?

JGx

Pollyana

Or before he gets here, if he meets all the criteria

JenniGee

Lol! Not sure if he'll be able to cope with that Polly, it's all been a bit of a whirlwind for them - this move came up in November, company sent them over for a look around just before Christmas & the visa was sorted, removals booked & they're arriving March 1st!

Great change to the DIAC website that I found this morning was the Visa Wizard - they never had that before when we were going through the process!

Thanks again guys

JGx

Alan Collett

Hi JG.

They should look at the onshore ENS, subclass 856:
http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/skill...lass-856.htm#a

ENS applications that are submitted with a Decision Ready Checklist (can only be completed ny a registered migration agent) are presently taking about 4 weeks from lodgment to a decision - so they can be very quick.

This provides permanent residency, and frees up the visaholder from being tied to the 457 visa sponsoring employer.

Best regards.

Red_V_Roger

May be a bit of confussion here...there is a feeling of a two year wait whiel on 457 before applying for 856 PR. You don't have to wait, but if you apply before the two years is up, you probbaly will need to do a skills assesment. Thsi is not required after two years because I think they consider that as you have done the job for two years, you must have the skills to do it,