April 18 (UPI) -- Australia announced stricter work visa rules Tuesday, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull saying the change will prioritize Australian workers.
The "457" work visa program, offering four-year visas to foreign workers in certain fields, will be replaced by two- and four-year visas, and the list of identified job categories will be reduced from 651 professions to 216. Application fees for visas will rise, and applicants will undergo English proficiency tests and criminal background checks.