MARCH 18, 2015: The 457 visa programme will be overhauled to ensure Australian workers come first.The Abbott Government has moved to crack down on those who rort the system by adopting a number of recommendations from a recent independent review.This is about making sure Australian workers have priority.The 457 visa programme is a supplement for businesses when needed and not a substitute for Australian workers.The recommendations we are adopting will target employers who do the wrong thing.Recommendations to be adopted include;

•  A new penalty making it unlawful for sponsors to receive payment in return for sponsoring a worker for a 457 visa;
• Cross checks between the Department of Immigration and Border Protection and the Australian Taxation Office to ensure that workers on 457 visas are receiving their nominated salary and are not undercutting Australian workers
• Proactive prosecution and naming and shaming of offenders exploiting overseas workers and misusing the programme
• Appointment of a Ministerial Advisory Council on Skilled Migration (MACSM) with new terms of reference
• A review of the list of occupations available for sponsorship under the 457 programme

 Those businesses doing the right thing with the programme will also benefit from the changes as the government will reduce the regulatory burden for those with a proven track record by streamlining sponsorship requirements.There will also be further consultation on the proposal to replace the current training benchmark provisions introduced by Labor which are complex, costly, and susceptible to misuse.It’s important to note that there was no evidence of widespread rorting, but the system did need to be strengthened.Implementation of the review’s recommendations has begun and will be further rolled out throughout 2015.