Employers can now employ overseas visitors on Working Holiday Maker visas (Subclasses 417 and 462) to assist in bushfire recovery work. This includes people on second and third working holiday visas.
Bushfire recovery work must be undertaken in specified local government regional areas affected by bushfires occurring after 31 July 2019 and before 1 March 2020.
Bushfire recovery work is defined as work undertaken, including work undertaken on an employed or volunteer basis, to assist with bushfire recovery efforts in an area specified in the relevant instrument for each subclass and includes:
- construction, farming, or any other work in association with recovery or restitution of land, property, farm animals or wildlife; and
- providing support services or assistance to people living, working or volunteering in the affected areas.
