The Government has announced a temporary Specific Purpose Work Visa (SPWV) subcategory to make it easier for employers to hire some seasonal workers for upcoming peak periods.
The SPWV subcategory is a time-limited, streamlined pathway and while employers still need to advertise, they will not need to apply for a Job Check.
To be eligible, the seasonal work must be directly impacted by weather changes, such as harvesting, ski instructing, or tree planting. The role must also start on or before 31 May 2025, and be for no longer than 9 months. Horticulture, viticulture, and fishing crew work covered by other visas is excluded.
Applications from migrants, or their advisers, must be received on or before 31 March 2025.
Employers will need to:
hold employer accreditation
pay at least $29.66 per hour for a minimum of 30 hours per week
advertise the role beforehand, and provide evidence of this to the migrant to include in their application.
Read more on this SPWV criteria
This is a temporary measure while consideration is given to potential longer-term visa options for seasonal work, as part of the ongoing review of the Accredited Employer Work Visa scheme.
Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme changes
The Government has announced an increase in the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) cap and initial improvements and other changes to the RSE scheme, following the policy review carried out in 2023.
These changes will take effect from 2 September 2024. Learn more about the changes to RSE scheme here.
