From January 2023, access to free training and over 210 low-fee qualifications will be extended to humanitarian migrants (refugees and asylum seekers) from Afghanistan and Ukraine as they seek to take up job opportunities in Western Australia. Announced today by Acting Minister for Education and Training Rita Saffioti, this WA State Government initiative will support these new and often vulnerable members of the Western Australian community to gain skills and sustainable employment; and continue to build a pipeline of skilled workers to take up job opportunities in occupations experiences skills shortages in coming years.
Access to free and low-fee training will be made available from January 2023 for the following visa holders.
- Ukraine nationals holding a Humanitarian Stay (Temporary) visa (subclass 449) or a Temporary (Humanitarian Concern) visa (subclass 786);
- Afghanistan nationals holding a Humanitarian Stay (Temporary) visa (subclass 449); and
- bridging visa holders with both study and work rights who have applied for a permanent Protection visa (subclass 866).
This includes free and low-fee job ready skill sets, and over 210 qualifications with course fees reduced by up to 72 per cent under the Lower fees, local skills initiative.
This latest expansion of subsidised training follows changes to WA's migration program, to coincide with an increased allocation of 8,140 places for WA for 2022–23 in the Commonwealth Government’s State Nominated Migration Program.
In July this year, the McGowan Government launched a Skilled Migrant Employment Register to connect skilled migrants with WA jobs, accessible through the Migration WA website. All migrants with work rights can also access the register to help them find jobs. For more information about the register, and to access the migration portal, please visit migration.wa.gov.au.
“Western Australians are known for their compassion, and this is just one of many reasons that our State is the most attractive place in the world to live, work and study.“ said the A/Minister.
Read the full media statement here