A common question relating to skilled visas is whether work experience acquired on a 407 Training Visa can contribute towards the work experience requirement for Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) Visa Subclass 482 or the Australian skilled employment requirement for Visa Subclass 190.
Subclass 482 TSS visa
According to the Department of Home Affairs (DOHA), eligible work experience for SC 482 must:
- Have occurred for 2 years (in the last 5 years)
- Have occurred in the nominated occupation or at the same skill level in a related field
- Be full-time or part-time equivalent
Work Experience in a Related Field
Applicants who have not worked in the nominated field but can demonstrate relevant work experience may be able to satisfy the work experience requirement of Visa Subclass 482. DOHA directs decision makers to consider the following factors when assessing the relevancy of the work experience:
- Whether the experience is the same or closely related to the nominated occupation in ANZSCO
- Whether the experience is performed at the same skill level as work experience must be gained at the appropriate skill level.
- Example: Kitchen Hands and Cooks are a lower ANZSCO skill level than a Chef
Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated visa
According to DOHA, eligible Australian skilled employment experience for 190 or 491 visa must:
- Have occurred in the 10-year period immediately prior to the application.
- Be employed in a nominated skilled occupation for a particular amount of time
- Have been performed while the applicant held a substantive visa
- Note: 407 Training Visa is a substantive visa
Skilled Employment
Applicants need to demonstrate skilled employment to satisfy the points-test for Subclass 190 visa. However, DOHA have noted that this does not require the applicant to have a particular skill level. The decisionmaker has discretion to consider whether the applicant is performing some of the duties under the ANZSCO code by considering the following:
- Opinion of the relevant skills assessment authority regarding the skilled employment and its eligibility
- ANZSCO information
- Any other relevant information including employment records or references.
Related: Claiming points for work experience
Employed is defined to mean ‘engaged in an occupation for remuneration for at least 20 hours a week.’
Conclusion
It should be noted that the intention of work experience and Australian skilled employment in the context of visa subclasses 190 and 482 is to ensure that visa applicants are highly skilled, and their skills can quickly transition and contribute to the Australian economy and workforce.
It is very probable that work experience obtained on a 407 Training Visa will be considered eligible by DOHA for Visa Subclass 482 given the work experience requirement is broad in nature.
Work experience gained on a 407 Training Visa is unlikely to be considered eligible for Visa Subclass 190 due to the higher threshold of skilled employment. This could also depend on the type of 407 Training Visa that the applicant holds. For example, if you hold a 407 Training Visa required for registration, this type of work experience is likely considered to be at a higher skill level than an applicant performing work on a 407 Training Visa to improve skills in an eligible occupation.
Exception
Please note there is an exception for Medical Practitioners. Medical Practitioners can claim experience as an Intern or Registrar can be considered as skilled employment for the purposes of points-tested skilled visa applications.
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