To support the supply of certain services during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Home Affairs and Australian Border Force will take a flexible approach to student visa holders, including those working beyond their usual work limitations, but only in the sectors below. A student visa holder can work for more than 40 hours a fortnight if they are employed:
- by an aged care Approved Provider or Commonwealth-funded aged care service provider with a RACS ID or a NAPS ID
- by a registered National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provider
- enrolled in a healthcare-related course and are supporting the health effort against COVID-19, as directed by health officials
- in the agriculture sector
- in the tourism and hospitality sector
- in a supermarket, or associated distribution facility, located in an area impacted by COVID-19 lockdown restrictions for the duration of the lockdown.
The sectors are defined using the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) system. For the tourism and hospitality sector, the definition also includes work for employers whose primary purpose is to directly provide a service to tourists, when their activities are not listed in the Division of Accommodation and Food Services under the ANZSIC system. More information is available on the Australian Bureau of Statistics website. These are temporary measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, and will be reviewed by the Government. Continue to check our website for updates on these arrangements.
