COVID-19 INFORMATION AND GOVERNMENT UPDATES

𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗚𝘂𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗻, 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗲𝗿

The Tasmanian Government’s number one priority is to keep Tasmanians safe from coronavirus and we will also not turn our back on temporary visa holders in our State.We understand there are a significant number of temporary visa holders in Tasmania who have lost their jobs due to the restrictions in place to protect Tasmanians, and we know they are experiencing hardship and income loss as a result.

We have an estimated 26,000 temporary visa holders in Tasmania including students, fruit pickers and skilled workers such as chefs and health workers. In some cases due to business closures and the restrictions we have in place their incomes have now been stopped or have been severely curtailed.

Whilst not all temporary visa holders are in this position a number are and therefore to ensure temporary visa holders are also supported at this time, I am announcing a four step process to assist those who are affected.

Firstly we will immediately extend the eligibility for Pandemic Isolation Assistance Grants, if they can demonstrate genuine financial hardship as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. This will provide an 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 $𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗿 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 $𝟭𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆.

Secondly, we will provide additional 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱.

Thirdly, whilst many of these visa holders will be unable to return to their home country due to border restrictions this is not the case in every circumstance, and for those whose country is safe to return to we will 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘀𝗼.

Further, we will work with industry sectors or employers who want to 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 in the State for when their business is able to start up again and provide additional support in partnership with them so that we don’t lose skilled workers that we need.

𝗨𝗽 𝘁𝗼 $𝟯 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲.

We know that many Tasmanian businesses have benefited from employing temporary skilled visa holders, and those on other types of temporary visas also make a significant contribution to our economy, particularly to the tourism and education sectors.

The impacts of coronavirus have been widespread and there are many people doing it tough right now. We are committed to further consultation with key industry sectors to determine if there are any additional needs, because we strongly believe the support we provide to temporary workers and international students now will directly affect how these sectors recover post-pandemic.

For information on emergency support, such as the Pandemic Isolation Assistance Grants, visit: www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/…/emergency-support-for-vulnerab….

To register your interest in support to return to your country of origin, call the public health hotline on 1800 671 738 by 23 May 2020.

Source: https://www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/…/support-for-temporary-…

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