More work hours for International students in Hospitality & tourism industry in Australia
International students working in Australia’s hospitality and tourism sector are allowed to work more hours. Australia’s federal government considered the cap of 40 hours of work a fortnight by providing more visa flexibility during the pandemic, reported the Financial Review.
The federal government has announced changes in the budget that will help international students working in the tourism and hospitality industry get back on their feet after a year impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some 350,000 foreigners are in Australia on student visas.
In addition, temporary visa holders will be able to access the 408 COVID-19 Pandemic Event Visa for a period of 12 months if they work in the tourism and hospitality sector. This decision adds tourism and hospitality to the critical sectors of agriculture, food processing, health care, aged care, disability care, and child care for eligibility for this visa subclass.
Temporary visa holders working in – or intending to work in tourism and hospitality- will be able to apply for the COVID-19 visa up to 90 days before their existing visa expires and then remain in Australia for up to 12 more months. However, Student visa holders are not allowed to work for more than 40 hours per fortnight as part of the visa condition. However, there is now a temporary relaxation of the rules in certain circumstances.
You can work for more than 40 hours a fortnight if you are:
- employed in the agriculture sector
- employed in the tourism and hospitality sector
- employed by a registered National Disability Insurance Scheme provider (NDIS)
- employed by an aged care Approved Provider or Commonwealth-funded aged care service provider with a RACS ID or a NAPS ID, before 8 September 2020
- enrolled in a health care related course and you are supporting the health effort against COVID-19, as directed by health officials
(source: ABC news; https://ab.co/3hrosrK)
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