The 457 visa exists to help employers overcome local skills shortages. It's a temporary visa that allows a non-citizen to live and work in Australia for up to four years. As an employer, you're responsible for sponsoring someone to work for your organisation in Australia.

A 457 visa is a great option for people wanting to live and work in Australia. One of the key parts of a 457 visa application is providing the position description. A genuine position description fulfils the purpose of the 457 visa, which is to cover a skills gap in the workforce.

Recently, the Department of Immigration and Border Control has become much stricter in its interpretation of genuine position grounds. So what is the Department looking for? What's likely to impress or encourage disapproval?

If you've been terminated from your role and you're on a 457 visa, it can be really stressful. A 457 visa is a type of temporary skilled work visa. It allows you to work in Australia in your nominated occupation for an approved sponsor for up to four years. The key point is that you must have the support (or sponsorship) of your employer.

If you lose your job with your sponsored employer, you are no longer fulfiling the requirements of your visa. So what happens next?