DEMAND for 457 visa workers in the mining industry has continued to decline, according to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

The department’s latest Subclass 457 quarterly report reveals that the 457 visa applications lodged by the mining industry fell 39.7 per cent in the year to 31 December 2015.

There were 620 applications lodged, comprising 2.3 per cent of applications across all industries.

Of those applications, 570 were granted by the department, representing a fall of 45.3 per cent on the previous year and totalling just 2.5 per cent of applications granted across all industries.

The construction industry accounted for 6.9 per cent of visas granted in the year, while the electricity, gas, water and waste services sector accounted for 0.9 per cent.

The top three sponsor industries for primary applications granted in the year to 31 December 2015 were ‘other services’ (15.3 per cent), information media and telecommunications (14 per cent) and accommodation and food services (13.2 per cent).

Across all industries, there was a 1.2 per cent decrease in the number of 457 visa applications lodged in the year, while the number of visas granted (22,870) decreased by 10.4 per cent.

90,040 subclass 457 primary visa holders were in Australia on 31 December 2015, a decrease of 4.6 per cent on the previous year.

Mining the highest paying industry

According to the report, skilled overseas workers granted visas in the mining industry are paid the highest average nominated base salary of all industries, at $169,200. This figure increases to $217,500 when considering total remuneration for the same period.

Click here to view the report.