To mitigate the disadvantages faced by Australians and permanent residents in the job market, Australia has decided to enhance certain regulations concerning its temporary work visa, particularly the subclass 400 Short Stay Specialist visa.

According to reports, the Australian government will now conduct a more comprehensive review of applications for temporary work visas. The Department aims to investigate these applications from various perspectives to ensure that this visa category is not misused as an unauthorized substitute for the Temporary Skill Shortage Visa – subclass 481.

Additionally, the new regulations will make it more challenging for foreigners seeking a temporary work visa with a duration of six months to obtain approval, as indicated in the report. While the six-month temporary work visa will remain available, authorities have emphasized that such applications will only be considered under exceptional circumstances, specifically when a worker needs to remain in Australia for more than three months within a 12-month timeframe. The Australian government has indicated that these applications will be subject to stringent criteria, implying that only a limited number of applicants will successfully secure the visa.

In conjunction with these changes, Australian authorities have clarified that holders of temporary work visas will now be permitted to remain in the country for a maximum of three months within a year, according to the Visa Guide report. The three-month period will commence upon the visa holder’s entry into Australia and will not allow for returns or re-entries during the 12-month duration, as the report further explains.

This stipulation means that once a temporary work visa holder departs from Australia, they will be barred from re-entering the country, even if their total stay has not reached three months.