International Students in Australia Allowed to Work More Hours!

The Prime Minister, Scott Morrison has announced that international students in Australia will soon be allowed to work more than 40 hours per week to (80 hours a fortnight) without compromising the conditions of their student visa. This change has been made to shift the lack of laborers that Australia is right now looking at as an ever-increasing number of individuals are disconnecting in the midst of an increment in the Covid-19 cases. This is a move that will benefit both international students and Australian employers who are struggling to find enough workers to fill their rosters.

The new regulations will enable the country’s universities to employ more international students as tutors and better workforce. Students will also be able to hold multiple jobs under these new arrangements. These changes come into effect from Jan, 2022, with the intention that they will be reviewed after 12 months so that any necessary adjustments can be made.

Australia’s International Education Industry Council (IEIC) released a report in September 2021,that showed a drop of 9% or $2.5 billion in international student revenue in 2020. The fall was attributed to uncertainty over visa restrictions, which the new measures are attempting to reverse.

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This regulation comes at a time when Australia is experiencing a severe labor shortage. The latest statistics have shown that out of all industries, hospitality has suffered the greatest decline in staff numbers over the last year. This was due to a number of factors including higher wages, slower consumer spending and tighter immigration rules surrounding foreign workers. The move by the Australian government comes after years of lobbying by business leaders and peak bodies, including AiG, who emphasized how much international students contribute to Australia’s economy through hard work, contributing hundreds of millions of dollars to our GDP every year.

It’s also welcomed by many students who feel they’re not able to fully engage with local communities while they’re studying here and want to make more friends, which is another important aspect of studying abroad.

This is also good news for employers who will benefit from an experienced and skilled workforce as well as those who have struggled in the past with finding employees with required skill sets or experience.

“Food distribution and emergency workers in New South Wales and Queensland can also return to work, if no signs of COVID are there”- Australia news.

Trying to get permanent residency in Australia can be hard, especially if you’re from a country outside of Europe and North America because there’s high competition for jobs here. One of the ways that you can give yourself an advantage is by getting some working holiday experience, which means being able to demonstrate that you’ve lived and worked here for a period before making an application for residency.

This change means that international students in Australia who have completed their study and are looking for work will have an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to live, work and contribute financially prior to applying for permanent residency in Australia. Australian universities have welcomed a new initiative to allow international students to remain in the country for up to three years after graduating.

International students in Australia will be able to work more hours a week to help support their study and pay for living expenses. The move follows a review into international student visas by former federal MP Andrew Robb and his successor as Trade Minister, Simon Birmingham.

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Tertiary education providers had said that the cap on hours was reducing the incentive for international students to study in Australia. They warned they would lose market share as a result, and that there was a risk that many of these people would instead choose other countries such as Canada or New Zealand, or remain at home.

The aged care sector lifted this limit, last year in September, 2021. In addition, universities will be able to hire more foreign academics and researchers, while students will also have access to greater support services during their studies.

Australia’s Minister for Education and Training, Stuart Robert, said: “These measures are designed to enhance pathways into sustainable skilled jobs by providing greater opportunities for new migrants and international students to contribute their talents and skills towards our national prosperity.

Australia will allow international students to work full-time for longer, exempting them from a 40-hour work week cap, in order to retain them after graduation. The government will also lift the post-study work visa limit of two years to three years, giving international students more time to look for jobs and remain in Australia.

Also Read: Australia Eases Travel Restrictions for International Students

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