David Cox, Managing Director of Curtin Heritage, says the response to the new Aged Care Industry Labour Agreements program has been “overwhelming”.
The Western Australian Not For Profit aged care provider last week become the first provider to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Government and unions giving migrant staff the option to apply for a fast-tracked pathway to permanent residency.
Curtin Heritage Living Managing Director David Cox told The SOURCE their first priority under the program will be to offer permanent residency to existing employees currently on temporary visas.
Of their 330 staff, about half are on temporary visas. As of Tuesday, one had already been granted permanent residency, and 30 were in the pipeline with their approval for permanent residency expected in the “immediate term”.
Though the immediate priority has been seeking permanent residency for existing staff, Curtin Heritage will also use the program to recruit new staff. It appears to be working already. Last week, Curtin Heritage received 300 applications from hopeful workers.
Curtin Heritage operates two aged care homes, two retirement villages and also delivers home care services through SHINE Community Services.
Read more about the process Curtin Heritage went through to sign the Memorandum of Understanding and their future hopes for the program in our upcoming edition of SATURDAY – subscribe HERE.
