Settlement Guide: These 5 Australian visas are now closed to new applicants

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection is promising an easier visa application process for individuals and their sponsors. The changes from November 19 affect specialised professionals, domestic and religious workers amongst others wanting to enter Australia for short-term work. Visas have been consolidated into new subclasses to create an easier application process.

Source: AAP

The new temporary activity visa framework will replace seven visa subclasses with four new subclasses.

The new visas cover short-term specialist temporary work, temporary activity, training and international relations.

The proposed changes are a result of a 2014 Skilled Migration and Temporary Activity Review by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

Paper applications have been scrapped – all visa applications now need to be made through ImmiAccount online.

Here are the five visas that no longer exist under the new temporary visa framework - effective 19 November 2016.

Fear not though - in their place, the government has announced new, consolidated visa categories.

Subclass 401 Temporary Work (Long Stay Activity) visa

A seasonal worker picks grapes at a vineyard outside Canberra. Source: AAP

If you already hold a religious worker stream, sport stream, domestic worker stream or the exchange stream of the subclass 401 Temporary Work (Long Stay Activity) visa you will not be impacted.

Subclass 402 Training and Research visa

College student using laptop in science laboratory Source: Getty Images

This visa is replaced by a new Training (subclass 407) visa. All prospective subclass 407 Training visa applicants are required to be identified in a training nomination lodged by an approved subclass 402 Training and Research sponsor until 18 May 2017 or a temporary activities sponsor, unless you are undertaking training with a Commonwealth government agency in Australia.

Subclass 416 Special Program visa

Students from Sabdamala Nepali school performing in Sydney. Source: SBS Nepali

Subclass 416, which was designed to “provide opportunities for youth exchange, cultural enrichment or community benefits or a school programme,” is replaced by the new subclass 408 Temporary Activity visa.

To meet the requirement of the special programme activity in the subclass 408 Temporary Activity visa sponsors will be required to have a special programme agreement with the Commonwealth government.

Subclass 420 Temporary Work (Entertainment) visa

Madonna performs her 'Rebel Heart' Tour at Allphones Arena on March 19, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. Source: Getty Images

It will be consolidated into the new subclass 408 Temporary Activity visa. Changes include removal of bulk discount, mandatory online lodgement and individuals will no longer be eligible to sponsor entertainers.

Subclass 488 Superyacht Crew visa

Source: Wikimedia Commons

It will be consolidated into the new subclass 408 Temporary Activity visa for people who want to come to Australia on a temporary basis to work in the entertainment industry, participate in high-level sport, undertake full-time religious work or full-time domestic work in the household of certain senior foreign executives.

The four new visa subclasses from 19 November 2016 are:

• Subclass 400 Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa
• Subclass 403 Temporary Work (International Relations) visa
• Subclass 407 Training visa
• Subclass 408 Temporary Activity visa

For detailed information visit The Department of Immigration and Border Protection website.