Fee waivers for Asylum Seekers - TAFE courses

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Organisation/Service/Project: South West TAFE

Telephone/Email: See below for details

• Training/Workshops:

TAFE SWSi – Eligibility and Fee Waivers for Asylum Seekers and Refugees from 1 January 2017

New funding is available for asylum seekers / refugees under Smart and Skilled. If you client is eligible and their training commences on or after 1 January 2017, they will have access to fee-free training for qualifications up to Certificate IV level on the NSW Skills List.

Asylum seekers and refugees

If you're an asylum seeker or refugee, you are eligible for Smart and Skilled training from Certificate I to Advanced Diploma level if you meet the criteria below. If you are eligible and your training commences on or after 1 January 2017, you will have access to fee-free training for qualifications up to Certificate IV level on the NSW Skills List.

Who is eligible?

You are eligible if you:

·         are aged 15 years or older; and

·         are no longer at school or its equivalent; and

·         live or work in New South Wales; and

·         hold one of the following visas:

o    Emergency rescue visa

o    Global special humanitarian programme visa

o    In-country special humanitarian programme visa

o    Protection visa

o    Refugee visa

o    Safe Haven Enterprise visa

o    Temporary Protection visa

o    Woman at Risk visa

or

·         hold one of the following visas where your training commences on or after 1 January 2017:

o    Bridging Visa A

o    Bridging Visa B

o    Bridging Visa C

o    Bridging Visa D

o    Bridging Visa E

o    Temporary Humanitarian Concern visa

o    Temporary Humanitarian Stay visa.

(Please note that these visa categories are correct as at 23 November 2016. Visas are subject to change at any time by the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection.)

Fee-free training

If you are eligible and are undertaking a Certificate I, Certificate II, Certificate III or Certificate IV level qualification on the NSW Skills List and your training commences on or after 1 January 2017 you will not pay any course fees under Smart and Skilled.

(Note: Training providers may still charge fees for 'incidental expenses' such as for essential tools or for field trips. Training providers must let you know of any additional fees for incidental expenses prior to enrolment.)

Proof of eligibility

You should advise your training provider that you hold an eligible visa.

Your training provider will ask for your visa and will confirm that it appears on the list above.

• (Please note that these visa categories are correct as at 23 November 2016. Visas are subject to change at any time by the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection.)
• Fee-free training: If you are eligible and are undertaking a Certificate I, Certificate II, Certificate III or Certificate IV level qualification on the NSW Skills List and your training commences on or after 1 January 2017 you will not pay any course fees under Smart and Skilled. (Note: TAFE may still charge fees for 'incidental expenses' such as for essential tools or for field trips and will let you know of any additional fees for incidental expenses prior to enrolment.)
  
  As these students will now meet the personal Smart and Skilled eligibility requirements they will also be eligible for TAFE managed Targeted Priorities part qualifications (fee-free). This is an excellent opportunity to arrange local programs that provide additional literacy and numeracy support to assist these students.
• For more information on this please visit the Smart and Skilled Website: https://smartandskilled.nsw.gov.au/for-students/students-with-additional-needs/asylum-seekers-and-refugees

·        
Fee-Free Course updates:
We have a number of fee-free study options commencing across the institute that you and your clients may be interested in – the eligibility requirements and full course list is available on our website at: http://swsi.edu.au/fee-freecourses/  You can enrol directly into any course or call TAFE on 13 7974 for more information.


Local Community Engagement Coordinators:
If you want more information about the above opportunities, please contact your local Community Engagement Coordinator:

Bankstown / Padstow / Lidcombe:
Deborah Neill - 0476 836 526  - Deborah.Neill@tafensw.edu.au
Myriam Bahari - 0419 214 933 - myriam.bahari4@tafensw.edu.au

Campbelltown / Macquarie Fields:
Carly Cosmo - 0476 830 111 - carly.cosmo@tafensw.edu.au
Christina Roberts - 02 4620 1770 - christina.roberts8@tafensw.edu.au

Liverpool / Miller:
Cristian Soto Hernandez - 0476 830 110 - Cristian.SotoHernandez@tafensw.edu.au
Mersaline Monteiro - 0435 118 408 - Mersaline.Monteiro@tafensw.edu.au

Granville / Wetherill Park:
Eva Atkins - 0476 836 527 - eva.atkins6@tafensw.edu.au
Kerry Sinnerton - 0476 824 998 - Kerry.Sinnerton@tafensw.edu.au