Relaxed conditions for employer sponsored visas commencing 1 July 2024

Australian Visa News
Written By Ndi Ruppert

From 1 July 2024, the Department of Home Affairs will introduce changes to the conditions for temporary visa holders, who are affected by changes to their working circumstances including changing their employer.

Improvements to the visa conditions 8107, 8607 and 8608 are being made in response to the Australian Government’s Migration Strategy, aimed at supporting the skilled migrant labour market by relaxing some of the timeframes and work conditions if workers stop working for their sponsoring employer.

Key changes for workers on Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457), Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482), and Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 494) include the extension of Time for job transition by Visa holders who stop working with their sponsoring employer:
- workers have up to 180 days at a time , or
- a maximum of 365 days in total across the visa grant period to find a new sponsor, apply for a different visa, or arrange to depart Australia.

Note that employer obligations remain, and employers must notify the Department within 28 days of any change to the sponsored worker’s situation, including ceasing the sponsorship or the worker resigning.

The changes commence 1 July 2024 and apply to those existing visa holders and new visa applications. Any periods a visa holder stopped working for their sponsor before 1 July 2024 will not count towards the new time periods outlined above. Employers and temporary visa holders are encouraged to regularly check specific visa conditions.

If you have found the  publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances, please contact us at info@ruppertlegal.com.au or make an appointment at a time convenient to you via the Ruppert Legal Booking Page.

Please note that this publication is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances.

Ndi Ruppert
Qualifications

Ndi Ruppert is the principal and founder of Ruppert Legal, a boutique immigration law firm based in the Hunter region. She holds a Bachelor of Business and Law, a Diploma of Legal Practice, and a Master of Laws with Distinction majoring in Human Rights and International Business from the University of Newcastle.

Experience

Ndi has been admitted to the Supreme Court of New South Wales as a solicitor for over 13 years. Before establishing her own legal immigration practice in 2021, Ndi was responsible for the immigration division at Hicksons Lawyers, a large international corporate law firm with offices in Sydney and Newcastle. As evidenced by her continued listing on the Doyles List of Leading Immigration Lawyers in New South Wales, Ndi has become a sought after and highly regarded Australian immigration advisor with clients ranging from individuals, families, entrepreneurs and small businesses, through to large multinational corporations.

With a special interest in human rights & immigration, Ndi has a passion for helping those in need and being a voice for the vulnerable, having previously worked as an advocate for people with disabilities, including assisting them with NDIS appeals. At Ruppert Legal, Ndi continues her dedication to supporting victims of domestic family violence and is committed to ensuring that clients have access to justice through Ruppert Legal’s pro bono service in collaboration with Mosaic Multicultural Connections.

https://www.ruppertlegal.com.au/bio-ndi-ruppert
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