Trends in Australia’s temporary skills shortage visa program

Statistics from the Department of Home Affairs have been released which show trends and key statistics for the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa programs.

Australian or overseas employers who cannot find suitably skilled candidates from the Australian labour market can sponsor skilled overseas employees under the TSS program, usually through a standard business sponsorship arrangement or Australian government agreement known as labour agreement.

The Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) (subclass 482) visa program came into effect on 18 March 2018, at which time the Temporary (Work) Skilled (subclass 457) visa program ceased for new applications. The data below covers both visas as there are a number of legacy 457 visa holders still in Australia.

Primary applications lodged for TSS visas has gone up by 52 percent in the 2022-23 period over the 2021-22 period and of those 14,490 visas were granted (up by 117.1%).

The tables below outline the composition of the TSS (and residual subclass 457 visa) program for 2022-23 in terms of applications granted as at 30 September 2022

In the 2022-23 program year to 30 September 2022:

· 6,060 temporary resident (skilled) visa holders were granted permanent residence or a provisional visa, an increase of 9.3 % compared with the same period in the previous program year (5550)

· the majority of permanent visa grants, 65.7 %, were to visa holders in the employer sponsored stream.

Contact Assent Migration Lawyer for assistance with your transition to a temporary or permanent employer sponsored visa.