AREEA welcomes the draft regulations outlining proposed new obligations for 457 sponsors recently released by the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship.
The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship has released draft regulations outlining proposed new obligations for 457 sponsors. The regulations were promised by the Minister following the Visa Subclass 457 Integrity Review conducted by Barbara Deegan and the introduction of the Worker Protection Bill 2008.
The Minister, in releasing the draft regulations, appears to have accepted AREEA’s primary concerns:
- there is no prohibition on 457 visa holders working during periods of lawful industrial action;
sponsors are not required to pay for the health insurance or income protection for their 457 visa holders;- 457 visa holders will be required to take out private health insurance and cover any school expenses for their children; and
- there is no obligation on sponsors to pay the costs of recruitment, migration agents, and licencing.
The draft regulations also remove the requirement for employers to cover health care costs of visa holders. This was necessary, AREEA submitted to the Senate inquiry, if as has occurred, the regulations allow for market rates of pay in lieu of the existing minimum salary level.
Members seeking further information about the draft regulations should contact Geoff Bull in AREEA’s Perth office on 08 6218 0700 or email [email protected]
To download a copy of the draft regulations, click here.
