The Australian Government has continued to implement a variety of visa upgrades in order to promote Australia’s COVID-19 economic growth.
Eligible Skilled-Recognized Graduate (Subclass 476) visa holders who were unable to enter Australia due to Coronavirus international travel bans and border restrictions will find their visas extended for 24 months. This allows them to reside and study in Australia. This will provide qualified visa holders with the standard visa period plus an extra six months.
According to Alex Hawke, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services, and Multicultural Affairs, this will allow previous and present Skilled-Recognized Graduate visa holders to visit or reside in Australia until April 2024.
Minister also mentioned that “This policy recognizes the significance of competent engineers to Australia’s economy, especially as we try to maintain the COVID-19 recovery.”
Vaccinated Students, Temporary Graduates, and Skilled-Recognised Graduate visa holders will be allowed to cross Australia’s international border beginning December 15, 2021.
More than hundreds of holders of Skilled-Recognized Graduate visas have missed out on time in Australia owing to travel limitations. Officials expect this extension to take effect in April 2022, subject to revisions to the Migration Regulations 1994. They will notify eligible visa holders directly of the extension and allow them entry into Australia after that date. It will also apply to persons whose visas have already ended, as long as they could use the whole duration of their original visa owing to COVID-19 foreign travel limitations.
More information will be accessible on the Department of Home Affairs website.
Training Visa Holders (Subclass 407)
During the epidemic, the Current Administration has helped Australian companies by enabling Student visa holders to continue working extra hours in vital areas.
Due to the lack of present labor, the administration is temporarily extending this arrangement by lifting the cap on secondary Training (subclass 407) visa holders’ working hours in all aspects of the economy.
This policy will be evaluated in April 2022 for existing and new secondary Training visa holders.
COVID-19 Pandemic Event Visas (Subclass 408)
Foreign holders of temporary visas who can work will be allowed to apply for the COVID-19 Pandemic Event (Subclass 408) visa. This visa is valid for a six or twelve-month period under one condition. They must work in any area of the Australian economy.
The COVID-19 Pandemic Event visa is now accessible with no Fee for a 12-month period for anybody working in, or with an offer to work in areas such as:
- Agriculture
- Health care
- Food processing
- Disability care
- Tourism and hospitality
- Elderly care
- Child care
The new provisions will be accessible for Pandemic Event visa applications submitted on or after February 21, 2022, by:
Visa holders who have been in Australia prior to February 21, 2022; and visa holders who arrive in Australia after February 21, 2022, but hold work rights or have been offered work by a Commonwealth-supported aged care service at the time of application.
Foreigners who hold a temporary visa and are working or intending to work in any sector of the Australian economy can apply for the Pandemic Event visa for up to 90 days. These sectors include Commonwealth-funded aged care. Foreigners must apply for their visas before their existing visa expires. Then, they need to remain in Australia if working or intend to work in the country.
- They can stay for up to 12 additional months for key sectors.
- They can stay for up 6 months for any other sector.
Key sectors are:
- Agriculture
- Health care
- Food processing
- Disability care
- Tourism and hospitality
- Elderly care
- Child care
Removing the sector restriction for qualifying for the COVID-19 Pandemic Event visa will give further assistance to Australian businesses and a method to maintain temporary migrants working or working in a variety of industries throughout the economy. These options are being reviewed on a regular basis.
“With unemployment at an all-time low, the government is offering tailored incentives for talented workers to stay in Australia,” Minister Hawke stated.
“Currently, there are more jobs in Australia than there were before the COVID-19 outbreak, and businesses across all areas of our economy are desperate for talented individuals to fill critical roles,” he added.
“The government has attentively listened to the requirements of our sectors, and we are implementing these adjustments to help Australia’s COVID-19 economic recovery.”
“The Government is dedicated to helping Australian jobs and sectors, as well as constantly changing our migration rules to make sure that support is targeted,” Minister Hawke said.
