Families moving to regional NSW to fill skills shortages will be able to access a free public education for their children as the NSW Government removes costly tuition fees for parents holding Temporary Skill Shortage visas.

Tuition fees for public schools, previously costing some visa holders up to $7400 a year, will be waived for parents in regional areas holding a Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482), taking effect from day one Term 1 2025.

Students with a temporary resident visa will also be entitled to enrol at the in-area public school for their home address.

These changes will ensure workers who relocate to regional NSW will not face additional financial strain when enrolling their children in school. Workers granted visas to address skills shortages in the regions include enrolled nurses, veterinarians, dental technicians, landscape gardeners, farriers, and industrial designers.

As part of a range of commonsense changes to enrolment policy, schools will also be required to prioritise non-local enrolments from siblings of current students in mainstream and support classes.

The change responds to parental concerns over a 2019 decision by the former government to restrict out-of-area enrolments for siblings.

There was also no priority given to non-local enrolments for siblings of students in support classes over other applications. This meant some families were forced to send younger siblings to a different school, splitting up siblings and creating a double drop off for families.

Improvements for out-of-area enrolments for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students based on kinship or cultural need will also be introduced. Consultation is underway with the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group to develop and implement this change.

Taking effect from day one Term 1 2025, the changes could benefit more than 3500 students and their families, making enrolling in public schools easier and giving parents and carers confidence in their children’s education into the future.

This is part of the NSW Government’s work to rebuild public education in NSW, after more than a decade of neglect by the former government. This includes a record $8.9 billion investment to build and upgrade schools in the areas of greatest need, and the largest yet investment in public preschools in the state’s history.

Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“We are making it easier for skilled regional visa holders to enrol their children in their local public school. These workers are helping plug skills gaps, and work across a wide range of industries, including nurses, veterinarians and dental technicians.

“These commonsense changes will mean skilled workers moving to the regions save thousands of dollars every year and have a smoother transition to school for their children.

“Families will also have the security of knowing all their children will be prioritised for enrolment at the same public school, even if their local enrolment boundaries shift throughout their education.”

Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan said:

“These changes will help make NSW a more attractive destination for those skilled workers we need to plug critical skills shortages while we rebuild our local workforce to address key priorities such as housing, aged and disability care and local manufacturing.

“I have received strong feedback from employers in regional NSW particularly, that the lack of free access to public schools meant families were choosing to go to other states and not help NSW to fill key workforce needs.

“For many regional temporary migrant skilled workers, being able to give their children a free world-class education in the NSW public system will be an incredible drawcard.”