Australian Government’s recent announcement that fully vaccinated eligible temporary and provisional visa holders may enter Australia without a travel exemption from 1 December 2021.
This will assist temporary visa holders including students and skilled workers to enter Australia without restrictions.
Current visa holders on subclass 482 (TSS) visa in short term stream, and subclass 457 visa holders no longer meet age requirement are supposed to benefit with the new announcements made by the Minister. The TSS and 457 visa holders currently employed in health, hospitality and other critical sector, including in regional Australia are the main beneficiaries under the relaxation. They may get better options for Permanent Residency with a pathway to Aus. Citizenship.
The Government will also extend visas for skilled regional (provisional visa) holders (subclass 489, 491 and 494) who has been adversely affected by COVID-19 related travel restrictions.
The Government will also extend by a further six-months Visa Application Charge waivers for new Visitor visa applicants overseas where their visa expired, or will expire, between 1 January 2022 and 30 June 2022.
For more info: https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/AlexHawke/Pages/visa-changes-to-support-the-reopening-of-australia.aspx
Exciting News for 485 Visa holders and Students
Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa holders who have been unable to travel to Australia as a result of COVID-19 international border restrictions will be able to apply for a replacement visa. This is available to current and former Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa holders whose visas expired on or after 1 February 2020 to re-apply for a new subclass 485 visa of the same duration as their original visa.
Currently, applicants are limited to just one initial subclass 485 visa in a lifetime and a further visa is only available on the basis of regional work and study.This would be changing and 485 visa holders who lost time in Australia due to travel restrictions, will now have the opportunity to apply for another subclass 485 visa.
Graduates whose visas have expired will be able to apply for a replacement visa from 1 July 2022.
Other significant changes in 485 visa regime are :
1. The stay period on the Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa for Masters by Coursework graduates, will increase permanently from two to three years.
2. As a Concession to Covid-19 impact, stay period for Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa Graduate Work stream increased to 2 years. Also, NO occupation needed to nominate for the visa application.
3. Changes to Temporary Graduate visa take place from 01 December 2021,and removal of skilled occupation list effects from 01 July 2022.
For more info: https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/AlexHawke/Pages/covid-19-concessions-for-offshore-temporary-graduate-visa-holders.aspx
Prathap Lakshmanan, Immigration Lawyer, Brisbane
