The McGowan Government is extending access to subsidised training to support refugees and asylum seekers from Ukraine and Afghanistan as they seek to take up job opportunities in Western Australia.
The new initiative will support these new and often vulnerable members of the WA community to gain skills and sustainable employment, as well as efforts to build a pipeline of skilled workers to take up job opportunities in occupations experiencing skills shortages in coming years.
Access to subsidised 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).
These groups will have access to free and low-fee skill sets, and 210 qualifications in key industries with course fees reduced by up to 72 per cent under the State Government's highly successful 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 State Government launched a Skilled Migrant Employment Register to connect skilled migrants with WA jobs. All migrants with work rights can also access the register, which can be found via the Migration WA Portal, to help them find jobs.
For more information and to access the migration portal visit www.migration.wa.gov.au
As stated by Acting Education and Training Minister Rita Saffioti:
"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.
"The recent arrival of Ukraine and Afghanistan nationals granted a Temporary Humanitarian Stay Visa 449 presents an opportunity to expand access to subsidised training to support their successful settlement in Western Australia.
"This initiative will support these new and often vulnerable members of our community, as well as our efforts to build a pipeline of skilled workers ready to take up job opportunities in areas with skills shortages moving forward.
"It builds on the large range of initiatives that the McGowan Government has put in place to train Western Australians for local jobs and support a skilled workforce into the future."
