The Hunter River Times

BY ALEX TIGANI

A $250 visa card will be available for regional apprentices and university students in 2023.

The card will be available for apprentices in February and university students by the end of April.

Deputy Premier Paul Toole and Member for Upper Hunter Dave Layzell announced the new initiative at Muswellbrook’s DK Heavy Plant Services before apprentices Aidan Edwards, Mitch Comerford and Riley Gimbert.

“This is a small way of assisting them,” Mr Toole told The Hunter River Times.

“I want these apprentices and university students to be concentrating on their careers and not having to worry about those additional dollars to be able to pay for cost when it comes to travel.

“These are for the tradies, technicians and teachers of the future.”

DK Heavy Plant Services’ Dave and Jane Komacha welcomed the news as they gave their special guests a tour of their large facility.

“Dave and Jane said they are feeling the crunch in terms of making sure that they can get the work force,” Mr Layzell added.

“A policy like this where we can help apprentices make life a little bit easier is a great policy to help businesses like this go out and get more apprentices.”

To be considered eligible a participant must:

• Meet relevant citizenship or permanent residency requirements  
• Reside in a regional location outside Greater Sydney and the Newcastle and Wollongong City Council boundaries
• Be between the ages of 16 and pension age (currently 66 and 6 months)
• Be undertaking an active apprenticeship or traineeship registered with Training Services NSW or an undergraduate university course. Courses must be full-time and face-to-face.
• Be enrolled in an eligible campus.