Australia announces visa rebates to international students & workers

The rise of the omicron variant has pushed the Morrison government to provide cheaper visas to international students and workers.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison did not specify how the rebate would work, but he said that it would be effective for the next eight weeks for students and twelve weeks for working holiday visa holders. The scheme is expected to cost AU$55 million ($39.5 million), with Treasurer Josh Frydenberg estimating that up to 175,000 people will apply.

Bitten by a critical workforce shortage, the Australian Government hopes new workforce arrivals with this decision, especially in the agricultural and hospitality sectors.

Australia’s economy has gone through a rough patch with increasing pressure in the recent months, with Omicron making the situation even worse. As a result, the workers were forced to isolate themselves, leading to a nationwide labour shortage.

While several foods and logistics firms witnessed a workforce shortage of between 10% -50%, few supermarket shelves remained empty for a long time.

Bottomline  

Although the unemployment rate declined in November, the rise of Omicron can lead to several negative consequences.