Australian Immigration Daily News

Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Payments and Benefits) Amendment Rules (No. 5) 2020 released days ago confirming that the payment may be extended up to December 2020.

As per the explanatory statement the initial package was introduced to assist businesses and employees up until September 2020. 

The new Legislative instrument - Subsection 7(1) of the Act provides that the rules may make provision for and in relation to, one or more kinds of payments by the Commonwealth to an entity in respect of a time that occurs during the prescribed period (the period between 1 March 2020 and 31 December 2020), the establishment of a scheme providing for matters relating to one or more of those payments, and matters relating to such a scheme. Any payments must relate to the prescribed period – the period from 1 March 2020 to 31 December 2020.

The purpose of the Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Payments and Benefits) Amendment Rules (No. 5) 2020 (the Amending Rules No. 5) is to revise the rules in the JobKeeper scheme so that entities that are approved providers of child care services are not entitled to JobKeeper payments for certain employees or for a business participant. This follows the Government’s decision to extend separate support to this sector by the reintroduction of the Child Care Subsidy and the introduction of an additional Transition Payment as part of the Early Childhood Education and Care transition arrangements. The changes take effect from the start of the JobKeeper fortnight commencing on 20 July 2020.

The Amending Rules No. 5 revise the rules in the JobKeeper scheme so that entities that are approved providers of one or more approved child care services are not entitled to JobKeeper payments for:

• business participants; and
• their employees, if the sole business activity of the employer is to provide those child care services.

The changes take effect from the start of the JobKeeper fortnight commencing on 20 July 2020.

For further information, please visit: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2020L00884/Explanatory%20Statement/Text

International Students

International students should continue to stay in touch with their education providers to ensure they are able to keep up with their studies and there is no disruption to their studies.

• All international students are encouraged to stay in touch with their education providers about the range of support which is available to them at this time.
• Many universities and other education providers are offering a range of support to students including fee deferrals, deferred studies or payments, food and accommodation support and mental health and other medical support.
• Search the Australian education provider COVID-19 response information list below to find out what support is being offered by your institution. 

https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/English/Study-in-Australia-student-support/financial-support