The Australian government has announced the abolition of the 457 skilled migration Visa program this week. It has been replaced with 2 visa schemes, one of 2 year duration and one of 4 years. Irish engineers currently on 457 visas will not be affected by the changes. For the 2 new visa programs there are new requirements, with a new list of eligible occupation skills . Many engineering professions and trades are still on the eligible list but applicants need to check to be sure. These reforms are part of sweeping changes to immigration generally with the government also announcing changes today, 20/04, to the citizenship process. In short for experienced Irish engineers, while these changes do tighten the requirements for working in Australia, paths to immigration do still remain. Arrive Australia and the Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce have further reading on the abolition of the 457 visa scheme. The Australian government receives an average of 200,000 permanent migrants each year, along with 250,000 temporary migrants on working holiday maker visas. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced via a video on Facebook that its replacement will ensure that “Australians, wherever possible, where vacancies are there, where job opportunities are there, Australians will be able to fill them.”