Going from a 457 visa to permanent residence there are a couple of ways to convert your 457 visa to permanent residence through your employer.
There are some common misconceptions regarding the route between a 457 to permanent residence, these include:
- That a 457 visa automatically converts to permanent residence after a period of time, e.g. 2 years, this is incorrect.
- That you must wait 2 years before you can apply for a permanent residence visa, this is incorrect.
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The most common ways people go from a subclass 457 visa to permanent residence are:
- Through the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS)
- Through the Regional Skilled Migration Scheme (RSMS);
- Through Skilled Migration; OR.
- As the Partner of an Australian permanent resident or citizen.
1st option for going from a 457 visa to permanent residence
Converting your 457 visa to an Employer Nominated (ENS) 186 visa
There are two pathways to the subclass 186 Employer Nominated visa from the subclass 457 visa.
Temporary Residence Transition stream
Typically, most employees spend two years on a 457 visa with their employer and then get their employer to nominate them for a subclass 186 Employer Nominated permanent residence visa.
Direct Entry stream
If you have worked for at least three years at a skilled level in your current occupation, it is not necessary to wait until you have spent at least two years with your current employer on a 457 visa before you can be nominated for an Employer Nominated visa.
Provided you meet the criteria for a skills assessment in your occupation, and you can prove that you have worked for at least three years at a skilled level (usually this means post qualification) in your occupation.
It is possible for your employer to nominate you for an Employer Nominated ENS visa through the Direct Entry stream.
2nd option when going from a 457 visa to permanent residence
Converting your 457 visa to a Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) 187 visa
An employee can only be nominated for a subclass 187 Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) visa by an employer with a business which operates in Regional Australia. Click here for a list of Regional Australia postcodes.
There are two pathways for an employee on a 457 visa to move to a 187 visa.
Temporary Residence Transition stream
Most employees spend two years on a 457 visa with their employer before being nominated for a subclass 187 RSMS visa.
Direct Entry stream
It is also possible to be nominated for a 187 visa without spending two years with your employer on a 457 visa.
Applicants working in a trade occupation who can meet the criteria for a skills assessment can be nominated for and apply for a 187 visa as soon as they obtain a positive skills assessment in their occupation.
Applicants working in a professional occupation who have a formal qualification in their occupation or who can prove they have worked in their occupation for either three or five years.
Depending on their occupation, can be nominated for and apply for a 187 visa straight away, without spending two years with their employer on a 457 visa.
3rd option from 457 Visa to Permanent Residency:
Skilled Migration:
Another option a lot of our people consider.
Applications are made independently of an employer. It is a points tested application where you must score a minimum of 60 pts to be able to lodge an Expression of Interest.
DIAC then chooses the candidates they want with the best skills and highest scores and invites them to apply for permanent residence.
Obtaining State Nomination is one way to really improve your application and speed up processing times.
4th Way of going from a 457 visa to permanent residency
Partner Migration:
This is an option that arises when 457 visa holders enter into genuine ongoing relationships with Australians.
You don’t have to be married.
Genuine de facto and same sex relationships of 12 months or longer will also be eligible to apply for a partner visa.
Usually, a partner visa is granted for three years and then after two years you are invited to apply for permanent residence.
So you better be nice to your Australian partner as you only get PR after two years!
If you do wish to book a consultation with our visa professionals Australia Here We Come, click here and enter your details
Or subscribe to our free Australian visa course
Our next post will be covering the 186 employer nominated visa. We wish good luck in your visa application. If you are doing it yourself or through an agent.