Currently, there are approximately 118,000 people in Australia on a Working Holiday Visa and on April 4, the acting Minister for Immigration announced the news that a great majority of those who are on Temporary Visas in Australia will have access to their superannuation during this crisis, and has acknowledged that those on Working Holiday Visas (subclass 417) play a crucial role in the health, aged care, disability, agriculture, food processing and childcare sectors of the Australian economy.
To support these critical sectors in our economy, the Government has pledged to ensure that those on Working Holiday Visas will be given ongoing employment during this time. Not only this, those on this visa will be exempt from the six month work limitation with one employer, and will be given the opportunity to apply for a further visa to continue working in these sectors if their current 417 visa is about to expire anytime during the next six months.
However, if you hold a 417 visa and you are unable to apply for a second or third 417 visa, and if you are stuck in the situation where you are unable to go home to your country, you will be permitted to apply for a Temporary Activity (subclass 408) Australian Government Endorsed Event (AGEE) stream visa. This temporary visa will allow you to continue to work and remain lawfully in Australia until it is deemed safe and the travel restrictions lifted for you to return to your home country.
The following industries and areas have been approved as specified work for subclass 417 (Working Holiday) visa holders towards eligibility for a second or third 417 visa application:
- Plant and animal cultivation in regional Australia;
- Fishing and pearling in regional Australia;
- Tree farming and felling in regional Australia;
- Mining in regional Australia;
- Construction in regional Australia; and
- Bushfire recovery work in declared bushfire affected areas only, carried out after 31 July 2019.
With the ongoing changes and the panic surrounding the coronavirus crisis, you may be wondering:
- What happens if I have applied for a second or third 417 visa but my current visa is about to expire?
- Can I extend my current visa to look for more work to meet the ‘specified work’ requirement?
- What happens if I am unable to extend my 417 visa?
These are questions that we receive from anxious clients and being in these circumstances and not knowing what will happen can be stressful. Understanding where you stand as a 417 visa holder during this crisis is important and it can be difficult to keep up with all the migration law and policy changes that are being changed or implemented daily.
At Migration Centre of Australia, we have been trusted by our clients throughout the years to help them find their way in Australia. Our Registered Migration Agents are known in the industry for their expertise and knowledge in Working Holiday Visas and are constantly monitoring legislative updates to ensure that they are always one step ahead.
If you are currently on a Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417) and you need help in applying for a second or third 417 visa, or you simply require professional migration advice regarding your visa status, contact us today on 02 4626 1002 or send us an email at info@migrationcentreofaustralia.com.au and one of our migration agents will be ready to answer all of your questions.
