Editor's Blog

Education Minister for South Australia Dr. Susan Close has announced that 457 visa workers earning a household income of more than $77,000 will have to start paying school fees of up to $6100 from next year, according to a report in The Daily Telegraph.

Now, the children of sc457 workers do not pay public school fees. The move brings South Australia into line with WA, NSW and the ACT.

According to the newspaper, for the first year, the new charge will only apply to people who arrive in SA from January 1, 2017. From January 2018 it will apply to all 457 visa holders living in the state, regardless of when they arrived.

The report states that any family supported by a 457 visa worker, with a household income of $77,000 or more, will have to pay $5100 per year for primary school students and $6100 for secondary students.

Explaining her reasons, Dr Close said that it was “fair to ask 457 visa holders who make a temporary home here to make a modest contribution to the cost of providing public education...The money will help fund early childhood education, which is one of the most crucial areas of our education system.

It is estimated the new fee requirement will generate more than $11 million in extra revenue for the state over the next four years.