17 February 2020
The Department of Home Affairs has agreed to relax and broaden the conditions for holders of Subclass 417 and 462 WHM visas to allow them to assist in the bushfire recovery without breaching visa conditions.
- the time a WHM can now work with the same employer has been extended from six months to 12 months for those assisting with bushfire recovery efforts through a change in policy. This is consistent with arrangements put in place for recovery efforts following Cyclone Debbie in 2017.
- the definition of “specified work” will be revised for the Work and Holiday Maker (subclass 462) visa, to ensure construction work in a disaster declared area is captured.
- paid and volunteer disaster recovery work in declared areas impacted in the recent bushfires will count towards the “specified work” needed to apply for a second or third year 417 or 462 visa.