Opinion: Hear our 457 visa story

IN response to James Anthony, (“457 visa must be overhauled”, Times, December 27), not everyone’s circumstances are as you write.

Yes, my husband’s 457 was granted via sponsorship seven years ago.

It was a rigorous selection process, including trade recognition evidence, extensive employment history, financial outlay from both sides and the need for the company to prove that a permanent resident with comparable skills was not available locally.

Maybe the mining boom had taken all the local talent away, but my husband’s skills are niche and to date he is the only person working in WA in his specialised field.

It is not an easy task to decide to immigrate – it’s scary and exciting – but we were proud of our 457 visa and never felt like we were depriving the unemployed of opportunity.

It would be a shame if a reader thought 457s were the cause of unemployment.

Having become permanent residents and subsequently Australian citizens, home owners and having our second child here, we feel we are contributing in many ways and happily call Australia home.

When I was initially seeking employment after our second child, I was not eligible to apply for many positions while a spouse on a 457.

However, once our status changed – again an extensive process of paperwork, cost and eligibility – I ‘competed’ with 95 others for my first position and was successful on my skills and not my visa status.

S. VENN, Woodvale.