Australia Work Visa

Australia remains the preferred choice for Indian students and working professionals, with over 1.2 lakh Indian students studying last year.

The Australian government said the student visa rules were introduced during Covid-19 to address workforce shortage.

Australia plans to expand the ''Working Holiday Maker'' visa programme to over a dozen countries, including India, to recruit workers to regional areas to solve the labour shortages particularly on farms, Immigration Minister David Coleman said today

The move came days after the US decided to suspend premium processing of H-1B visa petitions for fiscal year 2019.

Australia has abolished its popular employer-sponsored 457 visa programme, widely used by Indians, replacing it with new stringent programme that requires higher English-language proficiency and job skills.

The Economic Survey cited examples of countries like the US, the UK and Australia that are undertaking various reforms in their work visa programmes to protect the interests of the local workers.

Australia today said the changes made in its work visa regime were not directed at India or any other country and asserted that Indians are not likely to be significantly affected by the modification in the policy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday conveyed to his Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull India's concerns about the impact of the recent decision to abolish a popular work visa used by a majority of Indians.

The announcement by Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse comes after Australia said it would scrap a temporary visa for skilled overseas workers.

New Zealand said on Wednesday it will tighten access to its skilled work visas, just a day after the United States and neighbouring Australia announced similar restrictions on immigration.

The Centre is looking into "consequences" of Australia's decision to curb its 457 work visa policy, used by over 95,000 foreign workers - most of them Indians. It further said that the issue will also be looked at in the context of free trade talks.

The 457 visa was introduced in the 1990s to expedite the entry of business professionals and highly skilled migrants but over time it was opened up to include a broad suite of workers.

As at September 30, there were 95,757 workers in Australia on primary 457 visa programme, ABC reported. The programme will be replaced by another visa programme, with new restrictions.

Indians are seeking increasingly to migrate to Australia, drawn by the work opportunities that Australia offered, media reported on Saturday.

Eighty Indians were among hundreds of foreign workers and students who were reportedly duped to pay excessive fee for an Australian working visa by recruitment agents, raising serious concern over the misuse of a visa scheme which allows hiring immigrants.

Australia remains the preferred choice for Indian students and working professionals, with over 1.2 lakh Indian students studying last year.

The Australian government said the student visa rules were introduced during Covid-19 to address workforce shortage.

Australia plans to expand the ''Working Holiday Maker'' visa programme to over a dozen countries, including India, to recruit workers to regional areas to solve the labour shortages particularly on farms, Immigration Minister David Coleman said today

The move came days after the US decided to suspend premium processing of H-1B visa petitions for fiscal year 2019.

Australia has abolished its popular employer-sponsored 457 visa programme, widely used by Indians, replacing it with new stringent programme that requires higher English-language proficiency and job skills.

The Economic Survey cited examples of countries like the US, the UK and Australia that are undertaking various reforms in their work visa programmes to protect the interests of the local workers.

Australia today said the changes made in its work visa regime were not directed at India or any other country and asserted that Indians are not likely to be significantly affected by the modification in the policy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday conveyed to his Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull India's concerns about the impact of the recent decision to abolish a popular work visa used by a majority of Indians.

The announcement by Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse comes after Australia said it would scrap a temporary visa for skilled overseas workers.

New Zealand said on Wednesday it will tighten access to its skilled work visas, just a day after the United States and neighbouring Australia announced similar restrictions on immigration.

The Centre is looking into "consequences" of Australia's decision to curb its 457 work visa policy, used by over 95,000 foreign workers - most of them Indians. It further said that the issue will also be looked at in the context of free trade talks.

The 457 visa was introduced in the 1990s to expedite the entry of business professionals and highly skilled migrants but over time it was opened up to include a broad suite of workers.

As at September 30, there were 95,757 workers in Australia on primary 457 visa programme, ABC reported. The programme will be replaced by another visa programme, with new restrictions.

Indians are seeking increasingly to migrate to Australia, drawn by the work opportunities that Australia offered, media reported on Saturday.

Eighty Indians were among hundreds of foreign workers and students who were reportedly duped to pay excessive fee for an Australian working visa by recruitment agents, raising serious concern over the misuse of a visa scheme which allows hiring immigrants.