Elderly Australians from multicultural backgrounds can now receive support from overseas workers with specialised skills such as fluency in two languages, following special visa arrangements announced by the federal government last Friday. 

Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs David Coleman said aged care facilities are now able to access a personalised visa arrangement to hire employees from other countries with skills needed for helping older residents within Australia’s migrant communities. 

“Australia has a long and proud history of migration. Aged care providers have identified a need for bilingual carers, as elderly people or those with dementia may revert to their native language or lose the ability to speak a second language,” Mr Coleman said.

As part of the new visa arrangements, aged care facilities can request a company specific labour agreement to sponsor skilled overseas workers either for a Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa or an Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa. However, they must demonstrate that Australian employees cannot fill the identified skill shortages and that standard work visa programs do not apply under the circumstances. 

Mr Coleman said the visas will give these facilities access to previously inaccessible skillsets and occupations. 

“Company specific labour agreements will enable aged care providers to deliver specialised services that better understand a resident’s cultural needs,” he added.