Overseas students working in ECEC

Members will recall the temporary relaxation of working hours of overseas students during COVID pandemic. That relaxation was due to end on 30 June 2023. And the recent Federal Budget on 9 May 2023 reconfirmed this and extended the working hours per week to 24 hours instead of 20 hours.

This return to the limited working hours per week for overseas students was obviously been championed by:

1. the international education providers based in Australiia;
   
2. the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) (as a national tertiary education regulator); and
   
3. the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) (as another national tertiary education regulator).
   

From their perspectives, the return to limited working hours per week would restore overseas students' attendances and academic progress rates. In parallel, the Federal Labor Government had also been concerned about these overseas students on a range of aspects, including their mental health, completion success and international reputation (so as to attract new overseas students).

It was therefore surprising when the Federal Labor Government allowed another temporary continuation of the exemption on student workers for aged care until 31 December 2023.

Given the Federal Labor Government considers the aged care sector and the early childhood education and care sector as being part of the care sector, ACA NSW would like to explore this Federal Government's willingness to emulate the temporary continuation of the exemption on student workers for aged care for the early childhood education and care sector.

In light of the existing severe labour shortages, ACA NSW therefore invites members and non-members to register their interest in this issue via the form below so that ACA NSW can ascertain the number of affected services as well as the number of overseas students working in our sector. ACA NSW will also liaise with the ACA National Committee too.

Members can contact the ACA NSW team via 1300 556 330 or nsw@childcarealliance.org.au should you require any further information/clarification.

PUBLISHED: 15 MAY 2023