Are you in Australia under a Working holiday Visa: Subclass 417 or your Work and Holiday Visa: Subclass 462 (depending on your country origin) with plans to continue working in Australia in the future? It’s time to give some serious thoughts on how to prepare for it before it’s too late.
You would not want to be someone who calls an immigration expert just two weeks before your second Work and Holiday visa expires, and so it is very important for you to plan ahead if you wish to stay in Australia.
If you are keen to find an employer to sponsor you for a TSS visa or for one of the options for Permanent Residency visa, there are new rules around Labour Marker Testing that means that you need to start the process at least two months before the end of your visa period.
Here are few tips that would help you in successfully applying for a TSS visa after your Working and Holiday visa, without the last minutes panic.
- Decide on your occupation: The two main occupation lists are STSOL and MLTSSL. In-order to apply for a TSS visa, make sure your occupation exists on either of these lists.
- Make sure you have certified copies of your qualifications: Your qualifications should be certified and verified and must be relevant to your nominated occupation. Also, make sure you certify the translations if the qualifications aren’t in English.
- Ask your employer if they are willing to sponsor you for your TSS visa: Let your employer know that you are interested to stay in Australia and ask if they are eligible to sponsor you. If you lodge an employer sponsored visa application while working for your nominating employer, the Department of Home Affairs may grant an extension to the six-month work limitation.
- Try to continue your work experience in your chosen employment while you are in Australia: The more experience you have in Australia in your respective occupation, the better chances you have to stay and apply for a TSS visa. At the same time, don’t breach the six-month rule. The Department of Home Affairs needs either five years of relevant work experience or a degree and two years of relevant work experience for many occupations.
- Job Description letters: Ensure that you have reference letters from your past employers describing your roles and duties and responsibilities performed. In some cases, you might also need evidence of being paid for the work, like, payslips or tax returns.
- Labour Market Testing requirement: If your current 417 or 462 visa expires before the Labour Market Testing requirement is met and your application is not in the system, you will have to leave the country and will not be able to return until the visa is approved, which could take months.
- You will need to have a positive skill assessment: If you are thinking of Skilled Independent Permanent Residence or Direct Entry through the Employer Nomination Scheme, this would take up to 12 weeks.
- You will need to show you meet the English language requirement: If you don’t have a valid IELTS score already, don’t delay in taking your English tests; such as IELTS or PTE.
Are you currently on your Working Holiday Visa and want to stay back in Australia, don’t hesitate to call us on 02 9407 8700 or reach us at [email protected], after carefully assessing your situation we will get back to you with your best Australian visa options!
