In these turbulent times, based on the government’s treasury figures, Australia’s unemployment rate is expected to climb from 5.1% to reach 10%. Given there will be a significant rise in unemployment, there are some expectations that Australia’s visa list which outlines the occupations that are able to apply for an employment visa/Permanent Residence will be reviewed with certain occupations being removed from the list.
If you work in one of the industries which has been affected by COVID-19 (e.g. Retail, Hospitality, Travel etc), you should be asking:
• do I have a TSS/482 visa holder who I would like to safeguard before potential changes to the visa list occurs?
• are there any TSS/482 visa holders who should apply for PR sooner rather than later, in case the visa list changes?
How can your business start planning?
At this stage, it might be a few months before the Australian government starts to reopen the doors for foreign nationals coming into Australia for work assignments. Governments have indicated that citizens from New Zealand may initially enter Australia, with other countries to eventually follow.
Until this happens, companies who wish to sponsor employees for work purposes, will likely need to factor in additional costs such as the mandatory 14 days quarantine measures. For example, if an employee needs to stay in a hotel for 14 days at $250 (3 stars) to $400 (5 stars) per night, companies may need to budget for an additional $2,800 to $5,600 towards relocation costs.
At Oz Migration we would be more than happy to go through strategies; prepare cost estimates for your company’s internal mobility programs; explore options to companies/individuals; or just have a confidential chat about the current landscape.
For further assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach us at info@ozmigration.net.au or call us on 02 9407 8788
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Written by Robert Lu
Robert is the Immigration Manager at Oz Migration Solutions. He has been working in the industry for the last 12 years, passionate about immigration and a believer in “Big Australia”.
MARN: 0848586
