Australia has released a list of eligible professions and courses for extended post-study work rights, which will be implemented from July 1. The selected courses respond to worker shortages in key sectors, such as health, technology, education, and construction. Eligible international higher education graduates will be able to access an extra two years of post-study work rights, and the work hours cap for international students will be increased from 40 to 48 hours per fortnight.
The eligible qualifications include 226 courses in medical and nursing, professional health, diagnostic, allied health, teaching, engineering, ICT, agriculture, and more, which will be monitored and reviewed annually. The extension is on top of the existing additional one to two years of post-study work rights for those in regional Australia.
Doctoral degree graduates will see their work rights increased from four to six years, as they represent a highly-skilled cohort with significant potential to contribute to Australia’s economy and society. The move aims to address Australia’s current skills crisis and retain more international students who generate $40.3 billion in economic activity.
