Red_V_Roger

Sorry if its already been posted elsewhere:

From The Age newspaper:

People on temporary 457 working visas will be paid wages at "market rates" under proposed changes to employer obligations by the Federal Government.

The same changes will require those on the visas to obtain private health care and pay for their children's education, rather than employers footing the bill, before being granted entry into the country.

The draft changes are the result of a review conducted for Immigration Minister Chris Evans to finalise regulations under the Worker Protection Act, passed last year and due to take effect in September.

Those draft changes also include requirements for employers to pay for return flights for 457 visa holders and their spouses after the visa has expired.

Immigration and labour market analyst Bob Kinnaird said it was notable that Senator Evans had included market rates as the minimum wage rate in the draft recommendations as it was "the first public admission 457 visas were being used to undercut wages for local workers".

Original Story: http://www.theage.com.au/national/to...0212-863o.html

hitchcock71

but will this apply to us who will have been here for 2 yrs - by september or newbies who get a visa from 2009 ?

i think they want people to come over on the ens rather than the 457 now -

i already pay for my private meds - but i dont pay for master hitches schooling -in wa you dont - so how will they bring that in ?

Red_V_Roger

I wondered all that too except people with kids on 457 in NSW already pay schooling.

I'm also not sure how the private health care would work with reciprical agreements with the UK. May be it would only be people from countries without the agreement - which I thought was the rule anyway.

looky

Isn't this the existing ruling with wages at market rate? There was even a criteria to satisfy the wage rate at Immi's predetermined level on the 457 sponsorship and application. Majority of 457s and myself have had to pay for our own private health insurance, children's school fees, travel fares onshore. The only thing the employer (mine) did was sponsoring the 457.

The conditions of private health insurance, children's school fees etc. are negotiated as part of the employment package and has nothing to do with the 457 sponsorship at all.

ianhutch1

Thats not strictly true though, a 457 employer is liable to pay all medical and hospital expenses for an employee and accompanying family members for treatment in a public hospital other than expenses that are met by health insurance or reciprocal health care arrangements so to say that private health insurance is nothing to do with the 457 sponsorship is a bit misleading.

My employer pay for my private health insurance as it gives them peace of mind that they arent suddenly going to get hit with a huge medical bill if myself or anyone in my family get ill and it costs them almost $500 a month, if they bring this in and I then have to pay this myself its going to be a big blow financially

hitchcock71

a lot of companies have got round this by having it written in to the contracks that the employee has to pay for and have private med insurance - which is what has happened with my hubby

hubby has to have private med insurance at all times - pd for by him - if company demand to see insurance docs and hubby can not produce acurrent stament from the med insurance then - he can be fired

Safin

We had to do likewise but as another condition had to have the contributions deducted from salary, had to be with certain approved companies and had to be top level! Costs us $384 a month!!!!!

Also are other recommendations such as
90 days to get another employer not 28 days,
a public list of already approved sposors (with over 20 457'ers),
a limit of 8 years on 457's (can go offshore to get more),
a facility that those here on 457 applying for GSM PR do not have to go offshore to be granted.

Be interesting to see how long it takes to make the recommendations fact, which ones are implimented and whether it applies to existing holders.

Red_V_Roger

Yes, should be as I've planned September as the time to start PR.

looky

Changes 1,2 and 4 seems like a good change, especially points 1 and 4 but would like to see priority for those on 457 applying for GSM onshore.

For point 3 I would question the sanity of most 457'ers if they permit themselves to be on 457 for that long period of time! Well except those who genuinely only wants to work here and return home eventually.

hitchcock71

should be easy for you as you will have been here for 2 yrs by then - so you can do ens without skills assissment

we can do it in november

hitchcock71

but then why not apply for pr after 2 yrs and get pr - then they can still go home but not have the worry of health etc and get all the benefits of a perm resident rather than temp

looky

Yes you are right. If someone intends on being here for that long they might as well apply for a PR. As such, may I correct myself and say that anyone who allows themselves to be on a 457 for 8 years should have their head checked!

hitchcock71

no i think you were quite right with your first comment insanity for someone to stay on a 457 for 8 yrs i think is insane unless they need lafta so much !!!

Safin

Think it was estimated it was just 2 percent who go over 8 yrs. And under new PROPOSALS it can be got but you'll have to go offshore. Usually its those not eligible for PR. For those oldies (or almost too oldies like my OH) getting enough points for PR can be difficult/impossible even if you are fairly well skilled. Leaves you with just employer sponsored and age exemptions to be granted. Also those not skilled enough to get assessments/points! Then there are some tax breaks which if single for example and fairly footloose may be worth the risk.

That was another thing - they were talking about removing the 2 yr requirement for ENS without skills assessment. Didn't quite get what they were proposing to replace it with though. Something to do with recognising how long you'd been working here for instead. It didn't say what they'd do about the skills assessment though.

hitchcock71

saf have you a link to all of this ?