According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), March 2020 quarter witnessed greater impact on tourism jobs than other jobs in the economy due to the impact of bushfires and COVID-19 as tourism activities tend to be labour intensive. Head of ABS Tourism Statistics, Amanda Clark, said, “The number of filled jobs in the tourism industry fell 3.0% between March 2019 and March 2020, while economy wide filled jobs grew by 1.7%… While many areas of tourism activity were adversely affected, filled jobs in Accommodation services fell the most decreasing 11,600 jobs between March 2019 and March 2020.” In this period, tourism jobs in Australia decreased by 21,900 (3%) compared to an increase of 243,900 (1.7%) in the overall economy.
04 August 2020, in a joint media release with Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, the Hon David Littleproud MP, the Hon Michaelia Cash and Dr Sam McMahon, have announced that the Commonwealth and the Northern Territory Governments ‘agreed to conduct a trial aimed at addressing the labour shortages affecting NT farmers’. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on agriculture due to labour shortage in the Northern Territory, which relies heavily on seasonal workers and Working Holiday Makers for food growing, especially mango growing, the Governments have agreed on a targeted trial to meet the labour needs. As per the announcement, initially the programme will be open to Vanuatu citizens only, with possibility of adding more countries later. The Northern Territory Farmer’s Association has forecasted a shortage of 800 to 1,000 workers from August onwards. Minister Littleproud said, “This trial will see up to 170 workers under the Seasonal Worker Programme come to Australia to help with the 2020 harvest, with more workers to potentially follow subject to a review of the first cohort and approval for additional numbers by the NT Government.” Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, the Hon Alan Tudge MP said, “With appropriate quarantine arrangements in place, seasonal and Pacific workers can continue to safely support Australian farmers facing critical workforce shortages…of course, farmers can only employ people under the Seasonal Worker Programme and Pacific Labour Scheme if they can demonstrate that no Australian is available to do the work.”
According to sources, Australia’s net overseas migration has fallen from 232,000 in 2018-19 to 154,000 in 2019-20. Further, Australia is set to experience a dramatic drop in migration in the year 2020-21 where the net number of migrants is expected to be 31,000. Merrick Peisley, Principal Advisor at the Centre for Population said, “With net overseas migration expected to fall, regions that rely on overseas migration for population growth will likely be hardest hit.” He also said, “Australia’s population growth is set to be the lowest in over 100 years due to COVID-19.” Certain regions in Australia that rely heavily on migration to drive population growth or regions like Western Australia’s wheat belt area are among the adversely affected areas, hit the most by the border control measures adopted in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
On 26 July 2020, South Australian Government has announced that its Skilled and Business Migration programs will remain closed until further notice. Accordingly, the State nominations are closed until the nomination quotas are allocated by the Commonwealth Government for the 2020-2021 program year. Previously, the State had announced that the Skilled and Business Migration programs will remain closed until August 2020 in South Australia. With this announcement, the migration programs will remain closed until further notice in the State.
The Department of Home Affairs acknowledges multiple reports of scams involving impersonations of the Department that have been reported to ACCC’s (Australian Competition & Consumer Commission) Scamwatch, and recommends to stay alert and report the scams. ACCC Deputy Chair, Delia Rickard said, “Scammers are increasingly taking advantage of the financial difficulties and uncertainty generated from the COVID-19 pandemic to trick unsuspecting Australians…We are seeing two main types of scams impersonating government departments; fake government threats and phishing scams.” Usually, the victims receive a fake robocall pretending to be from a government department, such as the Department of Home Affairs, and the scammers try to scare and threaten people into handing over money. In the current year so far, 2,016 scams involving Department of Home Affairs impersonations have been reported, with losses amounting to over AUD $99,000. To report a scam on ACCC website, click here
In financial year 2019-2020, a record number of 204,817 people were conferred Australian citizenship, an increase of over 60 per cent from the previous financial year, where 127,674 people were conferred Australian citizenship in 2018-2019. In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Government has conferred citizenship to more than 60,000 people through online ceremonies, while small in-person ceremonies have also resumed since 03 June 2020. The top nationalities of people who were conferred citizenship are India (38,209), United Kingdom (25,011) and China (14,764). Hon Alan Tudge MP, Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs said, “When someone becomes a citizen, they make a pledge to uphold Australia’s rights, liberties, laws and democratic values. It represents a willingness to integrate into our successful multicultural nation…Being an Australian citizen is an immense privilege, which brings both rights and responsibilities. I congratulate all those who have taken this important step.” According to the Department of Home Affairs, more than 5 million people have become Australian citizens since the introduction of concept citizenship in Australia in 1949 vide the erstwhile Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948 (Cth).
Migration (LIN 20/158: Class of Persons for Student (Temporary) (Class TU) Visa Applications) Instrument 2020 dated 24 July 2020 [“the Instrument”] specifies additional classes of persons applying for a Student Visa (Subclass 500) to whom the nil VAC (Visa Application Charge) applies. The Instrument provides that international students who held a valid Subclass 500 visa on or after 01 February 2020 will pay nil VAC while re-applying for a further Subclass 500 visa to complete their study if they were unable to complete it within the original visa validity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, current or recent students whose studies were affected by COVID-19 pandemic and their family members (combined applicants) have been included as the 2 new classes of persons to whom the nil VAC applies, in addition to the previously existing 7 classes. The Instrument repeals the previous Migration (LIN 20/099: Classes of Persons for Student (Temporary) (Class TU) Visa Applications) Instrument 2020 dated 24 February 2020. Further, the Instrument is registered on the Federal Register of Legislation on 29 July 2020 and as per Section 2 of the Instrument, it commences on the day after registration and accordingly, is in effect now. To access the full Instrument, click here.
On 10 July 2020, the Victorian Government has announced AUD $534 million economic survival and jobs package to support businesses and workers in the State. This is in addition to previously announced assistance of AUD $1.7 billion and other range of government assistance including support for job seekers and renters, setting up AUD $45 million International Student Emergency Relief Fund for international students facing financial hardship during the crisis, relaxation of work hours, relief payments for temporary visa holders, support for multi-cultural and multi-faith families, and public housing support. The ‘Support for Businesses’ package includes: Refund of full payroll tax to small and medium-sized businesses for the Financial Year 2019-20. Defer payment of payroll tax by small and medium-sized businesses until 1 January 2021 for the tax of first three months of the Financial Year 2020-20 2021. Connect businesses that need staff with prospective workers through the ‘Working for Victoria’ initiative. Access to Business Support Fund to support the hardest hit sectors and other small businesses. Access free online courses, live and on-demand events and other business resources through the ‘Upskill My Business’ initiative. Financial support to tourism operators affected by temporary lockdowns due to COVID-19 through the ‘Tourism Accommodation Support Program’.
To facilitate travel exemptions in response to travel restrictions due to COVID-19, the Department has created a dedicated portal, the Travel Restriction Exemption Portal, to seek a travel exemption from the from the Commissioner of ABF (Australian Border Force) for travelling to, or out of Australia. While temporary visa holders may still be able to leave Australia and go back to their home country where practical, the Government has imposed overseas travel restrictions on Australian citizens and permanent residents to leave from Australia, who may be able to seek a travel exemption from the ABF Commissioner to be allowed to travel. A person affected by the current COVID-19 travel restrictions are eligible to apply for the exemption and include: Immediate family members of an Australian citizen or permanent resident (being spouses, de facto partners, dependent children and legal guardians) New Zealand citizens usually resident in Australia Persons having a compelling or compassionate reason to travel to Australia urgently, including critical skills and medical emergencies Persons believing they meet the departure travel restriction exemption. The departure travel restriction exemption allows travel only if your travel relates to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, conduct critical industries and business, receive urgent medical treatment, attend urgent and unavoidable personal business, serve the national interest, or for compassionate or humanitarian grounds. A person seeking a travel exemption is required to submit a request at least 4 weeks, but not more than 3 months, prior to travel.
In a recent joint media release, the Government acknowledges that International students are important to Australia and to the Australian economy. In response to the impact of COVID-19 Pandemic, the Government announces changes to the student visa arrangements to ensure that ‘international students are not worse off due to the coronavirus pandemic’ and Australia remains a priority study destination. The five key changes include: Recommencing the grant of student visas lodged outside Australia to enable students to make travel arrangements as soon as the border reopens. Waiving off a further student visa application fee for International students who were unable to complete their studies within their original visa validity due to COVID-19. Counting online study undertaken by current student visa holders outside Australia due to COVID-19 towards the Australian study requirement for a post-study work visa. Making the graduates holding a student visa eligible to apply for a post-study work visa outside Australia if they are unable to return to Australia due to COVID-19. Giving additional time to the applicants for providing English language results where access to these services has been disrupted due to COVID-19. The Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, Hon Alan Tudge MP, said, “These measures back the international education sector – our fourth largest export sector – and will assist its recovery.” These changes will come into force upon making relevant legislative changes and are currently not applicable.