Safe Haven Enterprise visa pathway to PR

You will meet the Safe Haven Enterprise visa (SHEV) pathway requirements if, for a total of 3-and-a-half years (42 months) while on a SHEV, you have been:

• employed in a SHEV regional area and not received certain social security benefits (Special Benefit payments), unless COVID-19 concessions apply, or
• enrolled and physically attending full-time study in a SHEV regional area (unless COVID-19 concessions apply), or
• a combination of the above

If you meet these requirements, you may be able to apply for visas in Australia, including permanent visas (but not a permanent Protection visa 866).

You may also be able to apply for one of these visas if a member of your family unit, who is also a SHEV holder, meets the pathway requirements and you apply for one of these visas together.

SHEV regional Australia

See the list of postcodes included in the SHEV regional area.

The list of areas participating in SHEV arrangements could change, so we recommend that you monitor our website for information about the postcodes that are part of SHEV regional Australia.

It is your responsibility as a SHEV holder to find employment or full time study in a SHEV regional area if you want to meet the SHEV pathway requirements. This is subject to the COVID-19 concessions.

Work and full time study undertaken by SHEV holders in a SHEV regional area before and after that area commenced SHEV arrangements will count towards meeting the SHEV pathway requirements.

If you begin working or studying in a SHEV regional area, but the state or territory later removes that postcode from SHEV arrangements, you can continue to work and study there. Any work or study you complete in the area will still count towards you meeting the SHEV pathway requirements.

State and territory government information

See more information about services, support and opportunities for SHEV holders in regional Australia available in the following states and territories:

• New South Wales
• Tasmania
• Queensland
• Western Australia

Meeting the SHEV pathway work requirement

The primary intention of the SHEV is to support growth in regional Australia.

To meet the work criteria of the SHEV pathway requirements, you need to do work that is:

• lawful
• paid
• in a SHEV regional area (unless COVID-19 concessions apply), and
• full-time, part-time, temporary, casual or seasonal (or a combination of these)

The work does not have to be continuous. If you have breaks between periods of work (such as doing seasonal work), each calendar month that you work will count towards the SHEV pathway requirements.

You can work in full-time, part-time, temporary, contract, casual or seasonal jobs. As long as you do not receive Special Benefit payments (unless COVID-19 concessions apply) during your periods of part-time, casual or seasonal employment, those periods will count towards meeting the work requirement.

To meet the work requirement, you must earn sufficient income from your regional employment so that you do not need income support through social security benefits (Special Benefit payments), unless COVID-19 concessions apply.

Help finding employment

To help you find employment, you have access to jobactive, a network of organisations funded by the Australian Government to provide employment services to job seekers and employers. This assistance includes:

• help with looking for work
• help with writing a resume
• help with preparing for interviews
• referrals to jobs in your local area.

When you get a job, you will need to provide a tax file number. This is a personal reference number used in Australia’s taxation and superannuation systems. You can get information about applying for a tax file number from the Australian Taxation Office.

It is your responsibility as a Safe Haven Enterprise visa holder to find employment in a SHEV regional area if you want to meet the work requirement.

Evidence of work

Evidence that you meet the work requirement includes, but is not limited to:

• payslips
• letters of employment
• contracts
• Australian bank statement covering period of work

Self-employed SHEV holders

Self-employed SHEV holders are considered to be engaged in employment in the following scenarios:

• as the owner of a retail business that sells goods
• as the owner of a retail business that sells a service or
• as a self-employed trades person who provides a service

The types of evidence of self-employment include:

• Pay stubs
• Self-employment ledger documentation
• Bookkeeping records, including receipts for allowable expenses
• Bank statements (personal & business)
• Signed time sheets and receipt of payroll, if you have employees
• Profit and loss statements
• Invoices, credit card and check copies

Your periods of self-employment can count towards meeting the work requirement only if you worked in a SHEV regional area and you did not receive any Special Benefit payments during those periods of employment (unless COVID-19 concessions apply).

Do not provide any evidence of work that includes a Tax File Number (TFN).

If you wish to provide a copy of your tax returns or any other document including a TFN you will need to remove any reference to your Tax File Number from the document.

Social security benefits

Services Australia delivers a range of social and health-related payments and services.

Special Benefit payments

You are eligible to receive Special Benefit payments, but any work undertaken while receiving Special Benefit will not meet the work requirement (unless COVID-19 concessions apply).

For more information about Special Benefit payments in a range of languages see Special Benefit for Temporary Protection Visa and Safe Haven Enterprise Visa holders factsheet available at Services Australia website.

Benefits that you can receive and meet the SHEV pathway

The benefits that you can receive while working and still have that work count towards the SHEV pathway requirements are:

• Family Tax Benefit A and B
• Single Income Family Supplement
• Double Orphan Pension
• Parental Leave Pay (work test requirements)
• Dad and Partner Pay (work test requirements)
• Health Care Card (Family Tax Benefit)
• Child Care Benefit/Child Care Rebate
• School Kids Bonus
• Child Dental Benefits Schedule
• Jobs, Education and Training Child Care Fee Assistance
• Stillborn Baby Payment
• Low Income Health Care Card

Meeting the SHEV pathway study requirement

To meet the study criteria of the SHEV pathway requirements, you need to physically attend study that is either:

• at the campus of an education provider located in a SHEV regional area  and accredited by the Australian Qualifications Framework, including a maximum of one course leading to a Certificate I and one or more courses leading to a Certificate II or above.
  • The study must involve physical attendance at the education provider in a SHEV regional area.
  • Periods of online study are permitted (for example, during COVID-19) but the study may not be conducted wholly online or otherwise on an external study basis.
• at a primary school, high school or college in a SHEV regional area for a minimum of 161 weeks
  • Must be (consistent with three and a half standard academic years) of full-time registered study.
  • Online study is permitted as long as your physical location is in a SHEV regional area.

If you would like to count this study towards the SHEV pathway, check with your service provider and make sure the course you are attending is a nationally recognised Certificate I, or above course. If you are enrolled in more than 1 course leading up to nationally recognised AQF, only one course may be considered as full-time study.

If your educational institution which is accredited by the Australian Qualification Framework does not determine full-time study, your study must involve at least 20 contact hours a week.

Safe Haven Enterprise visa holders are able to participate in apprenticeship schemes in some states and territories. Access to apprenticeships for Safe Haven Enterprise visa holders is subject eligibility requirements in each state and territory. Contact the relevant state or territory training authority to find out if you are eligible.

Adult Safe Haven Enterprise visa holders have access to 510 hours of the Adult Migrant English Programme (AMEP). AMEP is delivered by service providers at sites in every state and territory of Australia. They will assess your level of English and eligibility for the program. We have translated information about AMEP available in other languages.

Evidence of study

Evidence that you meet the study requirement includes, but is not limited to:

• electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCOE), which details the type of course, the course provider, the duration of the course and the type of qualification offered
• proof of meeting course requirements, including attendance certificates or records
• evidence of satisfactory course completion (certificates, diploma attained or degrees awarded) or any other requirements for that course, including apprenticeship and work placement
• academic transcripts

Financial assistance while studying

As a SHEV holder, you are not restricted from studying in Australia.

School-aged children are able to attend and complete primary and secondary schooling.

SHEV holders are not eligible for Commonwealth funding for post-secondary study. If you want to study at a university or TAFE, you will have to pay international student rates.

Any full-time study that you undertake (that meets the study criteria) in a SHEV regional area while receiving financial assistance, for example a scholarship (if eligible) will count towards meeting the SHEV pathway requirements.

Full-time students would not normally qualify for Special Benefit payments.

Information on benefits available to temporary visa holders studying in Australia is available at Centrelink.

Keeping a record of your work and study in a SHEV regional area

You can record details of your work and study history in SHEV regional areas using Form 1465 SHEV Employment and study record (300KB PDF). This form provides a document for you to keep a record of your work and study activities in a SHEV regional area.

You should keep evidence of your work and study in a safe place over the years, so that you can provide it to us when you think that you have met the SHEV pathway requirements.

You may need to contact your employer or educational institution to make sure they give you the evidence you need.

To determine whether you meet the pathway requirements we might disclose your personal information to Services Australia, the Department of Social Services, the Department of Education and Training, and other government agencies and third parties where required.