The Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, today announced the federal government will provide a fee rebate to any students or backpackers who come back to Australia in the next few months.
The fee, which is around $600, will be rebated for international students who arrive anytime in the next eight weeks and for backpackers on working holiday-maker visas who arrive within the next 12 weeks.
“That is a thankyou to [students] for coming back and continuing to choose Australia, but we also want them to come here and be able to be filling some of these critical workforce shortages,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.
“Particularly those who are working and being trained in healthcare, aged care, those types of sectors, that will be incredibly helpful.”
Mr Morrison also encouraged backpackers to come and both work and holiday in Australia to help the country’s hard-hit tourism industry.
“My message to them is — come on down,” he said.
“Come on down now because you wanted to come to Australia, you got your visa, we want you to come to Australia and enjoy a holiday here in Australia.
“Move all the way around the country, and at the same time join our workforce and help us in our agricultural sector, in our hospitality sector, and so many of the other parts of the economy that rely on that labour, on that workforce right now.”
Study Sunshine Coast will communicate how students can receive this refund once the federal government has announced the details.