Seasonal Worker Program to Continue to Financial Year 2020

Seasonal Worker Program to Continue to Financial Year 2020

Seasonal Worker Program has long been the answer to the plight of Australian agriculture and accommodation sector in designated areas when there is not enough local Australian labour to meet the demand.

The program is intricately designed to meet the needs of Australian employers, while at the same time contributing to the economic development of participating Pacific Island nations and Timor-Leste.

Nations for which the program is available to are Timor-Leste, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

Australian government announced a new budget measurement for the period of 2019 – 2020.

With the assistance of overseas workers from this program, it is expected that the rate of production will increase.

To ensure the wellbeing and welfare of the SWP worker, the government will also raise awareness and knowledge on these matters to the workers.

To enforce Australian Fair Work Act 2009, Regional Coordinators from the Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business (formerly Department of Jobs and Small Business) and inspectors from the Fair Work Ombudsman will ensure all employers maintain compliance of the SWP program through regular and unannounced visits.

The Australian visa relevant to this program, Temporary Work (International Relations) Visa (Subclass 403) Seasonal Worker Program Stream, will allow the holder to stay until up to 9 months.

It allows seasonal labourer in selected industries to work for approved Australian employers who are facing difficulties sourcing local market and are approved to be Temporary Activities Sponsors.  

As an applicant you will need to meet the criteria for applying this visa, which includes:

• Healthy and fit for the work specified. 
• Over 21 years old when applying this visa.
• Genuine to enter Australia for seasonal work only.
• Returning to your home country after the employer ends your contract. 
• Invited by an approved Australian company that will be your sponsor.
• Outside Australia when you apply or when the decision is made.
• Having a good character.
• Having enough funds to support yourself while you are in Australia.

As a sponsor, the company: 

• Must be an approved Temporary Activities Sponsor to sponsor an applicant for this visa.
• Must recruit workers for eligible industries.
• Must be an Approved Employer in the Seasonal Worker Program.
• Must be a body corporate, partnership or unincorporated association lawfully established in Australia. Individuals and sole traders are not eligible to sponsor a worker for this stream.

The dos and don’ts of this program

As is the case with all temporary visas to Australia, you must be a genuine visitor and do not have any intention to overstay or get involved criminal actions.

Here are what you can do and you cannot do while working under this visa.

The dos:

• You work as a seasonal laborer in selected industries for Australian employers who can’t source for local labour.
• You can only work in the industry under this visa.
• You must obey all conditions in the visa.
• You must adhere to the Australian laws and regulations.
• You may be able to travel outside Australia and return during the validity of your visa because this visa is granted with multiple entries.

The don’ts:

• You cannot include family members in your application.
• You should not work for yourself or anyone else except for your sponsor (sponsoring company).

If you are considering applying for this visa to Australia, or considering applying to become a sponsor for this visa, do not risk a refusal by handling it yourself.

We highly recommend using a professional and trusted migration agent to avoid rejection of the visa. ONE derland Consulting has decades worth of experience. 

Indah Melindasari, our principal migration agent, is an experienced agent with one-decade worth of experience dealing with working and employer-sponsored visas.

As a registered Australian migration agent with the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA), we are regulated in our professional practice and are bound by the profession’s Code of Conduct issued by the Migration Agents Registration Authority.

Don’t be shy, we will help to make your dreams come true.

Get in touch through email to [email protected] or via phone to 08 9477 5831 (Perth), 02 9188 2065 (Sydney) & 03 9088 4114 (Melbourne). Talk to our experienced team member of any queries you may have.