Australian Immigration Daily News

Department of Home Affairs has made temporary work arrangements for certain industry sectors.  The purpose is to assist industries which are most impacted by COVID19.

Below are some of the concessions which are available:

Agriculture –

Home Affairs will apply flexible arrangements to allow critical workers, including Seasonal Worker Programme and Pacific Labour Scheme participants and Working Holiday Makers, to extend their stay in Australia:

• Seasonal Worker Programme workers with visas due to expire will be able to apply for a Temporary Activity (subclass 408) visa in the Australian Government Endorsed Event (AGEE) stream.
• Pacific Labour Scheme workers with visas due to expire can apply for a new Temporary Work (International Relations) (subclass 403) Pacific Labour scheme stream visa.
• Workers currently in Australia under these programs will also be exempt from the requirement to work for a single employer and will be able to move between approved employers.

In addition, Working Holiday Makers who are working in critical sectors (eg agriculture, aged or health care) will be exempt from the 6 month work limitation with one employer and eligible for a Temporary Activity (subclass 408) visa in the Australian Government Endorsed Event (AGEE) stream.

Aged Care –

International students who work in aged care can also work more than 40 hours a fortnight, to make sure there are enough staff to look after the elderly who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.

All aged care Approved Providers or Commonwealth funded aged care service providers that have been issued with a RACS ID or a NAPS ID have been given access to the temporary relaxation of working hours for student visa holders.

These measures only apply to existing workers in their existing roles.

They are temporary measures and will be reviewed by the government regularly. Employers will be advised in writing when these considerations no longer apply.

Airline Industry –

From 2100 AEDT 20 March 2020, airline staff should ensure that only exempt travellers board a flight to Australia. Where possible, the Australian Advanced Passenger Processing system will be used to deny uplift for all other travellers.

The Australian Government will honour all “okay to board” messages that airlines receive.

Airlines must contact the Australian Border Force Border Operations Centre prior to non-exempt travellers boarding the flight.

Airline crew (including medivac crew) are exempt from the travel restrictions. Airline crew are advised to take particular care on lay-overs, to use dedicated private transport and to avoid crowded public spaces.

Airline crew should monitor for symptoms and not fly if they are ill. This includes off-shift crew who are travelling as passengers on an aircraft to reposition at another location. The same process is to be followed for this cohort as on-shift crew.

Airline crew are required to self-isolate in their accommodation, if they enter Australia, until their next work flight.

Further information will be published here as it becomes available.