Recently, Australian immigration minister has announced the changes being brought to the nation’s Employer Nomination Scheme. The changes are already in force since December 6, 2010 onwards.

A little insight: The Australian ENS is an immigration program designed to empower the nation’s employers as per which they can nominate international workers, who are highly skilled and sponsor workers to work them on permanent visa. The scheme boasts of two visa subclasses-

• Subclass 121 visa, which is for applicants outside Oz.
• Subclass 856 visa that is for applicants applying from within Australia.

In order to be eligible for the Employment Nominee Scheme, one has to meet any of the following options:

• An applicant is eligible, given the position for which he/she is nominated (by an Australian employer) attracts a salary of not less than the high income threshold, or
• If he/she boasts at least 3 years of working experience in the position for which he/she is nominated for, or
• If he/she has lived in the land of Kangaroo for at least 2 years on an eligible visa, as well as working with the employer for at least 1 year who is nominating the applicant.

As part of the changes, the executive-level high income threshold for this visa has been made 250,000 Australian Dollars. Earlier, the threshold was 165,000 Australian Dollars. The adjustment to the salary threshold under the ENS marked its first ever alteration since 2005. Applicants, who have applied for the visa on 6th December or after the date, will have to meet this requirement.

Also, employers, as well as applicants who wish to consider the income threshold as their eligibility criterion will be required to produce evidence which will support that the nominated position has a base salary of minimum 250,000 Australian Dollars.

For more information on what’s happening on the Australian immigration front, contact an Immigration and Visa Consultant!