31 July 2008

Another increase of minimum salary for overseas workers in Australia

As of tomorrow, August 1 the minimum salary level (MSL) for skilled workers in the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) will increase by 3.8 per cent.

The ENS is a program that allows employers to sponsor highly skilled migrants to work and live permanently in Australia.  These foreign nationals can be either highly skilled workers living overseas, or highly skilled workers already on temporary residency visas in Australia, such as the subclass 457 visa.

The Government recently announced an increase of the MSL for workers on a 457 visa, and have said the changes to the minimum salary for workers in the ENS are in line with the changes in policy and MSL in the 457 visa program. 

The standard MSL under the ENS has increased to $43 440, and information computer technology professionals will have their own MSL at $59 477. 

All applications lodged under the ENS before August 1 will not benefit from the MSL increase, and all workers already working on an Employer Nominated visa will also not be affected by the changes.

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The Australian Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people apply for an Australia visa.

Article by Jessica Bird, Australian Visa Bureau.