Fronditha Care has entered into a direct labour agreement between the Australian government to sponsor bilingual Greek-speaking overseas workers with qualifications in aged care.
The agreement, launched yesterday, will give Fronditha the ability to hire 20 people a year under the 457 working visa to supplement their staff shortages.
Currently, Fronditha is seeking bilingual and qualified personal carers and nurses.
New concessions for the agreement will see that those sponsored by Fronditha will be able to stay in the country for four years instead of the two normally given with 457 visas.
Those who are successful will be able to bring their families with them, and apply for permanent residency after the four years.
Launching the program at Fronditha’s Thornbury facility, the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Michaelia Cash said the labour agreement program will form a small but important part of Australia’s overall skilled migration program.
“Fronditha is the only organisation providing a range of residential and support services to the Greek speaking elderly in Victoria, and on any given day the organisation is likely to provide care for more than 2000 elderly, employing more than 560 personnel,” she said.
“This agreement highlights the government’s consideration of the nice requirements in some areas of the health and community services sector and how skilled migration can support its contribution to caring for Australians now and into the future.”
The agreement will also help those here on student visas with the right qualifications get working positions, with their visa situation being transferred to 457 visa status if successful.
To be successful, people must have high English language levels, with only people passing a level 5 proficiency test deemed eligible.
The agreement will be in affect for three years, and will be extended by the government if it is deemed successful
Fronditha president, Mike Zafiropoulos says the staff that come to Fronditha from the agreement will be dispersed around all five facilities and in the home care system.
Hiring Greek speaking staff is at the heart of the agreement says Mr Zafiropoulos.
“The need to recruit Greek speaking staff is essentially to give linguistically and culturally appropriate care for our elders who can only communicate in the Greek language,” he said.
“After many years of hard work, our elderly deserve the best care even if they have limited or no English.”
Senator Cash visited Fronditha on June 4 to tour the facility.