Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Trade and Diaspora, Seán Crowe TD, has expressed his growing concern about the negative impact the proposed new $4000 school fee, on 457 visa-holders in Western Australia, will have on the Irish community there.
The 457 visas are a temporary work visa which grants skilled workers, and their dependents, who are sponsored by an employer, residency rights in Australia for up to four years. Crowe said that the new visa demands will mostly affect those Irish who have moved to Australia for purely economic reasons and are not in any position to be able to afford this huge additional financial burden.
Deputy Seán Crowe said:
“There are now more than 4,000 Irish 457 visa-holders in Western Australia, and many of these have children of school age. They will be hugely affected by the state government’s plan to introduce a fee of $4000, per child each year, to attend a public school.
“I have expressed my growing alarm and concern about the potential economic impact this new fee will have on Irish families in Western Australia, particularly those with a large number of children of school going age.
“Most have moved to Australia for purely economic reasons and are not in any position to be able to afford this huge additional financial burden.
“This new measure is especially unfair considering that the fee will also apply to existing 457 visa-holders, as well as those who arrive in the future on this type of visa.
“The Irish community in Western Australia has expressed their understandable concern about this move and are urging the state government to re-think there harsh decision.
“The Irish community in Western Australia has set up an online petition against the fee, which has attracted almost 1000 signatures in under a week, and is planning a protest next week.
“I would encourage all those concerned to sign this petition, which can be viewed be clicking on the link below.”
ENDS