The Government is increasing the duration of some Essential Skills visas and streamlining the application process to provide more certainty to employers and visa holders while COVID border restrictions remain in place.

These instructions are effective on and after 19 July 2021.

Increase the maximum duration of Essential Skills visas for employment paid below the median wage from 12 months to two years

Remove the requirement to provide a police certificate or medical certificate with an Essential Skills visa application, if one has been provided previously

Remove the labour market test requirement and not require an employment agreement to be provided for applicants who meet the streamlined criteria

The streamlined criteria applies if an applicant is remaining in their current, full-time employment and they hold one of the following visas:

• a work visa of any type (including a Working Holiday visa), or
• a student visa with conditions allowing unlimited work rights (see U13.15.15), or
• a Critical Purpose visitor visa either granted as a critical health worker, or granted for more than six months as an ‘other critical worker’ (including those coming in under a class exception).

Extending Essential Skills visas to last two years means the new Accredited Employer Work Visa, which was due to come into effect on 1 November, will be delayed until the middle of next year. An update will be provided as soon as an exact date is confirmed.

To know more about this new change visit: “Extended Essential Skills visas being rolled out“

Or if your planning to apply for your visa and you want to know if you are affected by these changes book a FREE 15-minutes assessment with us.