Proposal For Australian Simplified Working Visa

20 Dec 2010

The Australian government has proposed a simplified system for the work visa Australia. The proposal – jointly released by Australia Immigration Minister Chris Bowen and Senator Nick Sherry – would reduce the numbers of employment-based Australia visas to streamline the system.

The changes would reduce the current 18 different categories of short term working visa in Australia to nine.

The proposed changes include:

Merging the Short Stay Business Visa, Sports Event Participants Visa, and Documentary & Commercial Visa into the “Short Stay Activity” visa.

Combining the Exchange, Sport and Religious visas into the “Sponsored Long Stay Activity” visa.

The Australian Visa categories of Occupational Trainee, Professional Development, Visiting Academic, Sport Trainees merged into the “Training and Research” visa.

Government Agreement, Foreign Government Agency, Domestic Worker—Diplomatic Consular, Immunities and Privileges, and Service Sellers visas combined into the “International Relations” visa.

Merging Medical Practitioner, Domestic Worker—Executive, Business (Long Stay), and Journalists visas into the “Business (Long Stay)” visa.

Combining the Entertainment and Media and Film Staff visas into the “Entertainment” category.

Senator Sherry said the proposed changes aimed to create a streamlined system.

“This will achieve further simplification by standardising similar regulations and removing regulations where they are assessed as being no longer required” he said.

Australian Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said the next stage was to open the proposal to public consultation before finalising any changes,

“The final settings for simplified temporary work visas will be decided after further public consultation, based on feedback to this latest discussion paper,” he said.

The deadline for feedback is February 4, 2010.