FAMILY MEMBERS ON WORK PERMIT
As a sponsored 457 employee, the following people may apply to accompany and stay with you in Australia:
- Your spouse
- Your interdependent partner
- A dependent child of you, your spouse or your interdependent partner
- Other dependent relatives of you or your spouse.
SPOUSES
A spouse is the person that you live with as husband or wife. This relationship may be a legal marriage or a de facto relationship with a member of the opposite sex (de facto relationship must be genuine and continuing and must have existed for at least the last 12 months).
Interdependent Partners
An interdependent partner involves a gay or lesbian relationship where you have a mutual commitment to a shared life together to the exclusion of all others. This relationship must be genuine and continuing (have existed for at least the last 12 months)
Dependent Children
A dependent child is the natural, adopted, or step-child, of you, your spouse or your interdependent partner. You, your spouse or your interdependent partner must have legal responsibility and custody for the child. The child must:
- Not be married, engaged to be married or in a de facto relationship
- Be under 18 unless they are a full-time student, or incapacitated for work.
Other Dependent Relatives
Other relatives of 457 visa applicants or their spouses may be considered in the application if they meet all of the following:
- they have no other relative able to care for them in their own country and they have never been married, or are widowed, divorced, or are separated
- they are usually resident in the 457 visa applicant's household
- they rely on the 457 visa applicant for financial support for their basic needs
- the 457 visa applicant has supported them for a substantial period
- they rely on the 457 visa applicant more than any other person or source
457 visa applicants must provide details of all children or other dependent relatives aged 18 years or over, regardless of whether or not they are included in the 457 visa application. We will assist you to complete Form 47A which must be completed and attached to the 457 visa application.
Health & Police Clearance Requirements - 457 Visa Family Members
All secondary 457 applicants must meet the health requirements for 457 applications generally. All secondary 457 applicants must also meet character requirements. We will provide all application forms & instructions for completing these.
Work and Study Rights - 457 Visa Family Members
Any secondary 457 applicants granted this 457 visa are given full work and study rights.
Medicare Levy Exemption under the 457 Visa Program
The Medicare levy is a tax paid through the personal tax system in Australia. Many 457 visa applicants granted subclass 457 temporary residence visas may be subject to the Medicare levy. The Medicare levy is based on the taxable income of the 457 visa holder for each income tax year.
If the 457 visa applicant is from a country that has no reciprocal health care arrangements with Australia, the 457 visa applicant and any dependants who have not been entitled to Medicare benefits can seek an exemption from the Medicare levy through their income tax return at the end of the financial year..
If the 457 visa applicant is from a country with reciprocal health care arrangements with Australia, Medicare assistance may be available for immediately necessary treatment.
Do subclass 457 visa holders need to have health insurance?
It is a requirement for visas being granted that applicants have made adequate arrangements for health insurance for themselves and accompanying family members. In addition, Condition 8501 requires all visa holders, including accompanying family members, to maintain adequate arrangements for health insurance for the duration of their stay in Australia. Failure to comply with a visa condition may result in the visa being cancelled.
Visa holders who are enrolled with Medicare under adequate reciprocal health care arrangements will be considered as having met this requirement. Some reciprocal arrangements cover periods of six months only and may not be suitable for a 457 visa. We will advise you on these requirements further when you engage our services.
