What is the Difference Between Temporary Work Visa 457 and Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa?

The Temporary Work Visa 457 and the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa are both temporary work visas in Australia, but they have some key differences:

Occupation List: The TSS visa has a shorter and more restricted list of eligible occupations compared to the 457 visa.
Dual Streams: The TSS visa offers two streams – Short-term (stays up to two years) and Medium-term (stays up to 4 years). The 457 visa does not have this distinction.
Labour Market Testing: Employers must provide evidence of Labour Market Testing (LMT) for the TSS visa, which was not required for the 457 visa.

Both visas allow foreign workers to work in Australia for a sponsoring employer. However, the TSS visa replaced the 457 visa in 2018 and introduced new requirements and restrictions. The TSS visa's criteria include nomination by a sponsoring employer, occupation requirements (listed on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List), and minimum English language proficiency.

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What is the Difference Between Temporary Work Visa 457 and Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa?

Comparative Table: Temporary Work Visa 457 vs Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa

The Temporary Work (Skilled) Visa 457 and the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa are both visa programs for skilled workers to work in Australia. However, the TSS visa replaced the 457 visa in March 2018. Here are the key differences between the two visas:

Feature	Temporary Work Visa 457	Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa
Duration	Allowed skilled workers to work in Australia for up to 4 years	Allows employers to sponsor overseas workers for 2-5 years, with two streams: short-term (2 years) and medium-term (4 years)
Occupation List	Contained 651 occupations	Combines 3 main lists: Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL), Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), and Regional Occupation List (ROL)
Labor Market Testing	No labor market testing required	Requires labor market testing for both short-term and medium-term streams
Salary Assessment	No market rate salary assessment required	Requires a market rate salary assessment for both short-term and medium-term streams
English Language Requirements	Less strict English language requirements	Stricter English language requirements

The TSS visa was introduced to address concerns about the 457 visa, such as the abuse and mistreatment of immigrant workers, as well as to ensure that local jobs, wages, and conditions are protected.

Guilherme Mazui

Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.