To facilitate Australia’s economic recovery, the 2021-22 Migration Program ceiling will be maintained at 160,000 places – which includes 79,600 Skill and 77,300 Family stream places. To ensure Australia remains one of the most generous humanitarian resettlement countries in the world, the Humanitarian Program will have 13,750 places in 2021-22 and maintain our long-term commitment to humanitarian resettlement.
The hospitality and tourism sector has suffered serious negative impacts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly given its historic reliance on temporary visa holders to support the sector. The Government will increase flexibility for student visa holders to work beyond the current 40 hour per fortnight limit in the hospitality and tourism sectors. This builds on the existing flexibility arrangements for student visa holders to work in critical sectors as part of the COVID-19 response.
The Government will also extend the validity period for Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visas by 18 months for individuals who are unable to use their visas due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
The Government will enhance migration litigation and merits review by funding additional finalisations in the Migration and Refugee Division of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and providing an additional judge in the Federal Circuit Court in 2021-22, and a second judge in 2022-23. The Government will also strengthen migrant worker protection in response to recommendations of the Report of the Migrant Workers’ Taskforce.