Direct Entry Visa
The AEAWA have received St John WA’s response to our visa enquiry. While they’ve clarified their current policies, significant concerns remain for our Direct Entry paramedic members.
Key Points:
St John maintains no policy changes on second 482 visa sponsorships. They acknowledge the significant personal and financial challenges faced by Direct Entry paramedics working under temporary visa arrangements. They’re currently reviewing whether visa transitions scheduled for 2027 can be brought forward into the 2026 budget framework
Our Response: The AEAWA will continue to strongly advocate for members experiencing ongoing hardship due to prolonged temporary visa status. We’re pushing St John to prioritise bringing forward these visa transitions into their 2026 budget to provide much-needed certainty and relief. While this response provides some clarity, it doesn’t address the immediate financial and healthcare access issues our members face daily. We remain committed to fighting for concrete solutions and timelines. We’ll keep members updated as discussions progress and continue working to ensure St John honours its commitments to the skilled professionals who relocated to serve our community. Light Rigid License Requirements for Direct Entry Paramedics We’ve written to St John WA regarding the contractual requirement for Direct Entry Paramedics to obtain a Light Rigid (LR) driver’s license within three months of starting work.
Our Position: St John should cover the full cost and provide paid time for this license because:
- The LR license is not required for routine ambulance operations Paramedics perform
- It’s only needed for rare Complex Patient Transport duties
- This requirement primarily benefits St John’s operational flexibility, not the employee’s career
- Under Fair Work Act provisions, employers shouldn’t require staff to pay for costs that mainly benefit the employer.
What We’re Requesting:
- St John covers all costs (training, testing, application fees)
- Paid time off to attend required training and testing
This is about fairness. Mandatory license requirements which exist after employment has commenced and which are for the employer’s convenience rather than being essential for the role, should be funded by the employer. We believe this approach aligns with both Fair Work Act requirements and good industrial practice. We’ll keep members updated on St John’s response.