International students working in Australia’s hospitality and tourism sector may soon be allowed to work more hours. Australia’s federal government is considering lifting the cap of 40 hours of work a fortnight by providing more visa flexibility during the pandemic, reported the Financial Review.

This new measure will be included in Australia’s federal budget on May 11 to offer hospitality and tourism operators some relief. Some 350,000 foreigners are in Australia on student visas.

The report adds that temporary visa holders will be able to shift to the COVID-19 “pandemic event visa” for a year if they take up jobs in hospitality or tourism. The hospitality and tourism sector have also joined agriculture, food processing, healthcare, aged care, disability care and childcare as critical sectors that allow workers to be eligible for the 408 visa subclass.

Temporary visa holders working in — or intending to work in tourism and hospitality — will be able to apply for the COVID-19 visa up to 90 days before their existing visa expires and then remain in Australia for up to 12 more months.

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke was quoted saying in SBS News that the move will help fill staffing gaps in these sectors and support Australia’s economic recovery. “Government has listened carefully to the states, territories and industry and is introducing these changes to support critical sectors for Australia’s COVID-19 economic recovery,” he was quoted saying. The decision also comes after international students, including those working in these sectors, were among the worst impacted by COVID shutdowns at the height of the pandemic last year.