Sports, leisure and recreation provider – subclass 500 (schools) visa procedure

Audience

Education Queensland International staff (EQI staff), school staff, Overseas students, EQI homestay providers, parents/Department of Home Affairs (DHA) approved guardians of Overseas students and their agents.

Purpose

The purpose of the EQI sport, leisure and recreation provider (SLR provider) procedure is to ensure that a high standard and consistent approach is maintained when evaluating the risk of homestay students engaging with non-routine service providers not arranged by the school (that is, not via the OneSchool Excursion Planner).

Overview

EQI manages a register of successful and unsuccessful SLR provider applications. SLR providers on this register are nominated by schools and risk assessed by the Director, EQI for approval. Homestay students will only be approved to participate in sport, leisure and recreation activities serviced by an approved SLR provider.

This procedure outlines how to identify potential SLR providers for the register, as well as the processes for completing, submitting, assessing and monitoring approved SLR providers on the International Student Programs (ISP) SLR provider register (DoE employees only). This procedure should be read in conjunction with the Non-routine travel and activities for homestay students – subclass 500 (school) visa procedure.

This procedure does not cover:

• School excursions and international school study tour (Department of Education ‘DoE’ procedure applies)
• Managing risks in school curriculum (DoE procedure applies).

Responsibilities

Director, EQI

• risk assess ISP SLR provider application form (DoE employees only) and effect decision
• notify and liaise with EQI staff regarding decision.

EQI staff

• update the ISP SLR provider register (DoE employees only) with provider details, including approval status, date approved, review date and nominating school
• notify school staff when annual reviews of SLR provider application and documentation are required
• provide advice and support to the school principal and school staff implementing this procedure.

Homestay provider

• identify and notify school of potential SLR providers
• notify school of any incidents or potential safety or welfare concerns encountered with SLR provider services.

School staff

• identify and liaise with SLR providers
• manage SLR provider applications
• notify homestay providers of approved SLR providers
• review SLR provider application and documentation for approval by Director, EQI at least annually
• initiate accelerated review of SLR provider and notify EQI of any incidents or potential safety or welfare concerns of approved SLR provider services.

SLR provider

• liaise with schools to complete SLR provider application and supporting documentation as requested on the application.

Process

Image 1 – Sport, leisure and recreation provider flowchart

1. Identify SLR provider

School staff, homestay provider

• potential SLR providers can be identified as providing services with the following qualities:
  • high risk and/or the capacity to cause serious injury if not properly mitigated (refer to Curriculum Activity Risk Assessment for risk ratings and hazards)
  • provider requests parental consent and or supervision to participate
  • involves water activities.

2. Complete and submit SLR provider application form

School staff

• access ISP SLR provider application form (DoE employees only) on the ISP Teamsite
• liaise with SLR provider to collate supporting information, as outlined on the SLR provider application form
• submit the completed ISP SLR provider application form (DoE employees only) to EQI, along with the required supporting documentation as outlined on the application form.

EQI staff

• review the ISP SLR provider application form (DoE employees only) and liaise with school staff if further information is required
• submit the completed ISP SLR provider application form (DoE employees only) to the Director, EQI for approval.

Director, EQI

• risk assess the completed ISP SLR provider application form (DoE employees only) and supporting documents as per Curriculum Activity Risk Assessment and Enterprise risk management framework (DoE employees only)
• ensure that the SLR provider maintains expected standards of practice to mitigate potential risks, as determined on the ISP SLR provider application form. (DoE employees only)

3. Approve SLR provider

Director, EQI

• approve or reject the ISP SLR provider application (DoE employees only)
• advise EQI staff of the ISP SLR provider application (DoE employees only) decision status and controls for managing risk (for example, teacher supervision, EQI adult supervision).

EQI Staff

• communicate ISP SLR provider application (DoE employees only) status to nominating school staff
• provide school staff with additional feedback including controls for managing risk (for example, teacher supervision, EQI ISP approved adult supervision).
• record the provider on the ISP SLR provider register (DoE employees only) with the new SLR provider details, including approval status, review date, nominating school and any conditions (for example, specific supervision requirements).

School staff

• communicate EQI decision to SLR provider
• ensure homestay providers and homestay students are made aware of any updates to the ISP SLR provider register. (DoE employees only)

4. Monitor SLR provider and SLR provider register

School staff

• review ISP SLR provider application form (DoE employees only) and supporting documentation at least annually for currency and accuracy, and submit to EQI for assessment
• conduct an accelerated review and notify EQI of an incident or potential safety or welfare concerns in relation to an approved SLR provider
• notify homestay families of any changes or updates to the ISP SLR provider register. (DoE employees only)

EQI staff

• direct schools to review original ISP SLR provider application form (DoE employees only) along with the required supporting documentation as outlined on the application form annually, or more frequently when high-risk activities are identified  
• monitor accelerated review of SLR provider if notified of any incidents or potential safety or welfare concerns of approved SLR provider services
• remove expired or non-compliant SLR providers from the ISP SLR provider register. (DoE employees only)

Homestay provider

• notify school staff of an incident or potential safety or welfare concerns in relation to an approved SLR provider.

Definitions

Legislation

• Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (Cwth)
• National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 (Cwth)

Delegations/Authorisations

• Nil

Other resources

• Curriculum Activity Risk Assessment
• Child and Youth Risk Management Strategy
• Student protection procedure
• Enterprise risk management framework (DoE employees only)
• EQI - ISP Team Site (DoE employees only)
• ISP standard terms and conditions
• ISP travel and activities request form
• Managing risks in school curriculum activities procedure
• School excursions and international school study tours procedure
• Student visa conditions
• Welfare arrangements for students under 18
• Working with children authority procedure

Superseded versions

Previous seven years shown. Minor version updates not included.

Nil