There are around 300,000 students in Australia who face the 40-hour working limit on their working hours while they are studying, according to government estimates.
International students will have a cap levied on their working hours relaxed if they are employed in hospitality and tourism, marking a major change for many who rely on these jobs.
But in a scheme to boost the tourism and hospitality sectors, the government is now eliminating the existing cap for Int student visa holders working in these industries following intense industry.
Immigration Minister Alex Hawke says the change will help fill employment gaps in these sectors and support Australia’s economy recovery.
The decision comes after international students, including those working in these sectors, were among the worst impacted by COVID shutdowns at the height of the coronavirus pandemic last year.
The hospitality and Tourism Industry will now also be considered as critical industries along with other sectors such as agriculture, health care, disability care, and childcare with similar stipends.
Temporary visa holders working in or intending to work in tourism and hospitality will also be able to apply for the 408 COVID-19 Visa up to 3 months before their existing visa expires.
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This conclusion was made after international students, including students working in these areas, were worst affected by the outage of COVID during the height of the coronavirus pandemic last year.
This will enable them to stay in Australia for up to 12 additional months.
The immigration minister has also signaled further changes to visa settings.
Prior to this year, the Australian Government announced a $ 1.2 billion package in March to help tourists facing the withdrawal of JobKeeper’s wage grants.
Hospitality and tourism, like other segments such as agriculture, food processing, healthcare, disability care, and childcare, will be classified as important industries with similar benefits.
