Work Hour Capping for Foreign Students in Australia to be Re-Introduced
NEW DELHI, Feb 23: Australia has decided to re-introduce capping of working hours for the foreigners on students visa which were relaxed during the Covid pandemic. The capping, however, will be higher than the restrictions Australia had before 2020.
Australia has announced changes to its rules for those on student visa that includes capping the working hours for foreign students at 48 hours per fortnight, higher than 40 hours capping prevalent before the pandemic.
According to an Australian Home Ministry release, the new rules will come into effect from July 1. The ministry also said they would be extending the duration of the post-study stay for student visa holders. The present arrangement would continue till June 30 to allow students to support themselves financially and have sufficient time to concentrate on their degrees.
“Student visa work restrictions were relaxed throughout the pandemic, and completely removed in January 2022 to allow primary and secondary student visa holders to work over their normal limit of 40 hours per fortnight to address workforce shortages. This will end on 30 June 2023,” a notification released on the Australian Home Ministry’s website said.
“From 1 July 2023, work restrictions for student visa holders will be re-introduced and capped at the increased rate of 48 hours per fortnight. This ensures that student visa holders are able to focus on obtaining a quality Australian education and qualification, while remaining able to support themselves financially, gain valuable work experience, and contribute to Australia’s workforce needs,” it added.
The rules were relaxed during Covid-19, which led to a drastic labour shortage in the country due to which the work hour limit was removed and students were allowed to work for as many hours as they could.
Apart from this, the Australian government has also announced a two-year extension of post-study work rights for international students, but only for the candidates with select degrees and those pursuing the course where there is a shortage of skills.
(Manas Dasgupta)
