14 May 2020
Subclass 417 and 462 visa holders currently employed in critical sectors will be able to work beyond their 6 month limitation without needing to make a formal request for permission.
Critical sectors include:
- Health care, Aged care, and Disability care
- Agriculture (plant and animal cultivation)
- Food processing (including fruit-picking)
- Childcare
Existing 417 or 462 visa holders working in critical sectors who are unable to meet the 3 or 6 months specified work for a second or third year working holiday maker, and who are not able to return to their home country can apply for a special Subclass 408 Temporary Activity visa to allow them to stay and work temporarily. The new pathway means that WHV holders, engaged in critical work, who did not complete the required period of ‘specified work’ to qualify for a 2nd or 3rd Working Holiday visa will be eligible to remain in Australia. Any time completed on the 408 visa will not count towards a subsequent 2nd or 3rd WHV.
It is critical that WHV applicants have ongoing work or an offer of employment when applying for the 408 AGEE COVID-19 visa.