Blog

Temporary changes to the Working Holiday Makers Visa conditions may be of benefit to Vets currently working in Australia from overseas – and to their clinics!

From 19 January 2022 to 31 December 2022, the 6 month work limitation has been temporarily relaxed.

Until 31 December 2022, Working Holiday Makers ​no longer need permission from the Department to work for the same employer for more than 6 months.

This allows employers to retain trained staff.

Working Holiday Makers can work in any location, occupation or industry while in Australia. Under Condition 8547, work with any one employer is generally limited to 6 months. From 19 January 2022 to 31 December 2022 the 6 month work limitation has been temporarily relaxed. The Condition 8547 does not apply until after 31 December 2022.

Normally, Working Holiday Makers cannot stay in the same position in the same location with one employer for more than six months by using different employment agencies, business affiliates or sub-contracting arrangements. The 6 months starts from the day they start work. It includes full-time, part-time, casual, shift and voluntary work. It is based on the length of time that has passed since they started working, not how many hours or days worked. However, they do not need to ask (Immigration) permission to work with the same employer for up to 12 months if working in different locations and work in any one location does not exceed 6 months.

For more information visit the Home Affairs website: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/work-holiday-417/6-month-work-limitation

Author:

Wendy Nathan
Kookaburra Veterinary Employment

This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.

There’s good news for Australian vets and vet nurses seeking to work in the UK, and vice-versa, with the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (A-UKFTA). 

For UK passport holders who apply for Australia’s Working Holiday visa, the new arrangements will see an increase in the eligible age range and removal of specified work requirements.

• Since 1 July 2023, UK passport holders have been able to apply for a Working Holiday visa between the ages of 18 and 35 years. This is a five year increase from the current maximum age of 30 years inclusive. 
• From 1 July 2024, UK passport holders will be eligible to be granted Working Holiday visas up to a total of three years without having to meet any specified work requirements. (such as work in a rural or regional area )
• There is currently an exemption to the six-month work limitation per employer  – From 1 January 2024, you can work for the same employer in Australia for more than 6 months without asking permission if you work in different locations for the same employer, as long as work in any one location does not exceed 6 months. In addition, if you submit a request for permission to work longer than 6 months for the same employer, Home Affairs may give you permission if you 
  • have applied for a visa allowing ongoing full time work and are awaiting the outcome of your application, or
  • undertake work that is critical to your employer, and have attached a supporting letter from your employer to your request.

Similarly, for Australian passport holders who apply for the UK’s Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS), the new arrangements will also see an increase in the eligible age range and the ability to stay in the UK for up to three years.

• From 31 January 2024 Australian passport holders will now:
  • be able to apply for a YMS visa between the ages of 18 and 35 years. This is a five year increase from the current maximum age of 30 years inclusive; and
  • extend their YMS visa for a third year if they choose. This also applies to New Zealand passport holders.

Author:

Wendy Nathan
Kookaburra Veterinary Employment

This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.

This article covers information specific to working in Australia as a locum vet, and is taken from fact sheets produced by Kookaburra Veterinary Employment.

Registration as a Vet

You need to register in each State in which you want to work* (see information below about National Recognition of Registration), and you must be registered prior to your first day of work. The contact details for all the Vet Boards are listed on our website at http://www.kookaburravets.com/Australia/Ozlinks.htm on the links page. The requirements vary from State to State but basically you’ll need to fill out the forms, pay the fee, provide proof of your ID and degree certificate, and probably provide a letter of good standing from the last place you were registered with. The fee varies a lot, contact the state boards for current pricing. Some States have pro rata registration which is really handy for locums, and WA has temporary registration on a month to month basis (maximum 3 months).

Most vets doing locum work register in just one State to start with until they see where they want to work, and then register as required in others. It doesn’t usually take very long in any of the States (a couple of weeks at most).

Note that in WA you have to present in person at the Board Office in Perth in order to register.

You will get a registration number, and it’s good practice to print the number with your signature when signing any forms in Practice.

*NB: There is currently National Recognition of Registration in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and the ACT – Veterinary surgeons who currently hold primary registration and reside permanently in another Australian state or territory are entitled to practise as a veterinary surgeon in these States on a part-time, casual or locum basis without having to register with the local Veterinary Board. In Northern Territory, secondary registration is now free of charge although vets intending working in the NT should still fill the paperwork out to apply for secondary registration.

Tax

Contact your accountant or the ATO for advice regarding the most tax effective way for you to work as a locum.

Casual Employee

You have to fill out a form notifying your TFN (tax file number) to each employer when you start work, and they then deduct tax from your pay. You have to fill out a Tax Return at the end of the Financial year (June 30), and you may get a tax refund.

Your employer should also pay Superannuation (a compulsory pension) for you into a Super fund, of your choice. From 1^st Nov 2021 employers are required to check with the ATO whether the employee has a “stapled fund” (ie. their preferred existing fund). Super is currently 10% of salary.

Contractor/Self-Employed

Australian locums have historically worked as self-employed contractors, however, you have to register as a business and get an ABN – Australian Business Number. You must provide this ABN to the clinic before they can pay you as a contractor/self employed locum. The clinic then pays you in full, and you sort out your own tax. You can find more info at www.ato.gov.au You may also have to register for GST. Unless you are a registered company, for normal locum work it’s likely that the clinic should also pay superannuation for you under the Superannuation Guarantee – consult your accountant or contact the ATO for more information. However, even if you supply the clinic with an ABN and an invoice for your work, it is still possible that for both tax and superannuation purposes you should be treated as an employee. You can find more info and an online calculator to assess whether you are an employee or a contractor at www.ato.gov.au/business/employee-or-contractor/how-to-work-it-out–employee-or-contractor/

Pay Rates

Locum rates range from $35 to $80+ an hour (average $55-65/hr) at the moment (November 2021). If you do out of hours work you should get paid an on call allowance for having the phone for each period up to 24 hours, and then get the relevant hourly rate if you do any calls. Some clinics still pay a % of the professional fee for any out of hours calls. Quite a lot of city practices use out of hours emergency centres now so there’s no OOH duties. Minimum employment conditions are set by the Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2020 – you can find copies online by Googling the Award name.

To see 2019 Salary Survey Results compiled by Kookaburra, visit https://www.vetsuppliersdirectory.com.au/2019-salary-survey-results-part-1/

Professional Indemnity Insurance

The Practice Insurer may cover all vets working at the practice – locums should ask the clinic to check. However, it is a good idea to have your own PI Insurance. If working in South Australia, any vet must be covered by either their own or third party PII arrangements as a requirement of registration – and this also applies to vets practising under interstate registration.

Providers include:

• Veterinary Defence Association 02 8355 9900 info@vetdefenceco.com
• Guild Insurance 1800 810213
• Petplan Professional 0411 265746 petplanpro@petplan.com.au

Workcover Insurance

Workcover comprises work health and safety and workers compensation laws. Work-related injuries should be covered by the compulsory insurance required for every employer. Contractors may be covered also, depending on their working arrangements.

Other Professional Registration

Radiation

State legislation requires vets to be licensed in order to use Radiation Equipment. The process varies from State to State – ask the clinic that you are going to be working at. There is now a Mutual Recognition Act that may cover applications for a licence in other States or Territories.

• NSW epa.nsw.gov.au/your-environment/radiation/radiation-user-licence/user-licence-introduction
• ACT https://health.act.gov.au/businesses/radiation-safety/apply-radiation-licence
• Qld https://www.health.qld.gov.au/system-governance/licences/radiation-licensing/apply/licences/veterinary
• South Australia https://www.epa.sa.gov.au/business_and_industry/radiation
• Victoria https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/radiation
• Western Australia http://www.radiologicalcouncil.wa.gov.au/Pages/Licensing.html
• Tasmania https://www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/publichealth/radiation
• Northern Territory https://nt.gov.au/industry/licences/radiation-licences-for-medical-and-dental-practitioners

Microchipping

Some States have compulsory microchip identification of companion animal cats and dogs, and implanters are required to be licensed in Qld, NSW and Victoria. You may also be required to be licensed to implant microchips in horses.

• NSW https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/public/dogs-cats/information-for-professionals/
• Queensland business.qld.gov.au/industries/service-industries-professionals/service-industries/veterinary-surgeons/microchipping/laws-implanters
• Victoria https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/livestock-and-animals/animal-welfare-victoria/domestic-animals-act/registration-legislation-and-permits/microchipping-of-dogs-cats-and-horses/microchipping-for-authorised-implanters

Author:

Wendy Nathan
Kookaburra Veterinary Employment

This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.

To work as a locum, vets should have a minimum of 2 years’ experience, and preferably over 3 years for sole charge practices. Not only is locuming a great way to finance travel, it is also a good way to gain additional experience working with different people, in a wide variety of different conditions, and improve your veterinary skills.

In major cities, although there are more clinics in a smaller geographical area, there is usually more competition for locum work, therefore to be assured of a constant supply of work, locums should be willing to travel – and you can miss out on amazing experiences if you don’t consider travelling to work in more rural and regional areas. Country jobs will usually supply accommodation and maybe a vehicle for work and private use, however, city practices very rarely supply either accommodation or a vehicle.

Locum vacancies can range from a single shift to 5 or 6 months’ work, and include full time and part time hours. Locums help cover for temporary staffing shortages, illness, periods of leave and holidays, and parental leave. Jobs can be advertised up to 4 months in advance, however, they can also be listed at very short notice (next day). On average, locum jobs listed with Kookaburra Vet Employment are to start within 1-2 months.

Work

Most clinics require a locum with a minimum of 2-3 years’ experience who doesn’t require direction for most clinical judgments, but who will ask for help if it’s required or if they get out of their depth. Surgical experience is necessary – you must be able to do at least routine surgery including desexings in a timely manner (ie. not take too long).

It can be important to stick to clinic protocols, within a perceived duty of care. Clinics may see a high proportion of particular types of cases – eg ticks; snake bite; poisonings – ask the regular vet before they go away if there is a clinic protocol or for any tips on these type of cases.

Record keeping is extremely important – the locum may move on, but the clinic owner or regular vet then has to continue with ongoing care. Make sure that your handwriting is legible, and you use any computerised system to keep comprehensive clinical notes. Locums should try to fit in with existing staff and not rock the boat!

Make sure that you stick to practice pricing – please don’t undercharge just because you perceive the practice prices to be excessive.

Try not to put things off until the regular vet gets back.

Conduct

Practices expect a locum to be honest, punctual, friendly, polite, and able to take direction if required without taking offence. Derogatory, sexist, and discriminatory behaviour and comments are absolutely not acceptable.

If a work vehicle, or a vehicle for private use is supplied, it should be kept clean on the inside (if not the outside!), and driven with due care and attention. Establish the protocol for paying for petrol before commencing work.

If accommodation is supplied, it should be left clean and tidy. Talk to the employer about any use of private items or groceries if you are staying in their own house BEFORE you use anything, and establish whether you are expected to replace any items used.

CVs and References:

You should be prepared to send your CV to clinics when you apply for a vacancy. It should contain up to date information and be accurate, particularly with up to date contact information for you including a mobile number preferably with a message bank. Include contact details for recent referees, and email addresses, particularly if your referees are overseas.

Contract

Although practices and locums may not decide to formally enter into a contract, it is a good idea to set down terms of employment and working conditions in writing prior to the start of the locum period. Things to consider include:

• Pay rate;
• after hours remuneration;
• days off;
• overtime;
• normal hours of work;
• type of payment arrangement and when the vet is to be paid;
• type of employment (casual employee, contractor);
• Superannuation; GST;
• Travel Costs;
• Professional registration costs;
• Responsibility for keys – for the clinic and for scheduled drugs
• Accommodation and responsibilities of the locum with respect to the accommodation and use of facilities if applicable (eg phone, internet, food in the pantry);
• provision of vehicle for work – and private use – and fuel costs;
• any provision for short term cancellation of the locum period by either party.

This list is by no means exhaustive. Contact the AVA HR Hotline for more information – 1300 788977 or email avahrhotline@whr.com.au  (you need to be an AVA member (Australian Veterinary Association).

Author:

Wendy Nathan
Kookaburra Veterinary Employment

This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.