Five Major Visa Changes Introduced By Australian Government To Support International Students During COVID-19 Pandemic

The All these changes are being undertaken to ensure that Australia still remains a priority destination for all international students after travel restrictions are lifted worldwide. It is an undeniable fact that international students in Australia are extremely valuable – they contribute more than $40 billion to the Australian economy annually. Additionally, they are also responsible for the creation of more than 250,000 jobs every year.

What did the government say?

The Australian government said that while the closure of the borders was extremely necessary to prevent the spread of the coronavirus contagion, it has had a detrimental effect on the educational sector of the country. Among the most affected are the international students, who are significantly worse off than their domestic counterparts.

Important News – Existing Migration Protocol to Remain In Place Until Further Notice Says Australian Govt.

Changes to note

To ensure that this does not happen, the Morrison government has instituted the five following visa procedure changes.

1. The Australian government will recommence issuing and granting student visas to individuals located anywhere outside Australia. This basically means that students will already have their student visas and will be able to make proper travel arrangements the moment the Australian travel restrictions have been lifted.
2. International students will also be able to apply for a student visa, free of charge if they are unable to complete their courses/training within the set time-period due to the pandemic and ensuing lockdown.
3. Individuals who currently hold a valid Australian student visa who are currently residing outside Australia because of the COVID-19 pandemic will be able to use their study hours and qualify for the hour’s requirement for a post-study Australian work visa.
4. Graduates from Australian institutions who hold a valid student visa will be able to apply for a post-study work visa from outside the country if they have been forced to leave because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdown.
5. If an applicant resides in one of the places where the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted access to English language certification exams, the Australian government will grant them plenty of additional time so that they can provide their English language results.

Alan Tudge, the Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs said that all these changes were instituted to protect the interests of the international students who are already in Australia and those who haven’t been able to travel because of the travel restrictions and the ensuing lockdown. According to Mr. Tudge, “We are a welcoming nation with a world-class education system and some of the lowest rates of COVID-19 in the world. Students want to study here and we want to welcome them back in a safe and measured way when it is safe to do so.”

Latest News – New Changes in Australian Visas For International Students & Skilled Migrants: July 2020 Migration Update

Statements of the Education Minister

Dan Tehan, the Minister of Education in the Morrison cabinet also said that these changes would allow international students to make visa arrangements in a confident manner. These changes would also ensure that there are no major disruptions in the lives of the students so that they can make plans to pursue their higher studies in Australia when it is completely safe to do so. The Australian government has previously enacted legislation that relaxed restrictions for international students currently employed in the healthcare, disability, and aged care sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdown. There have also been a lot of flexibilities where the pandemic has prevented students from attending their classes in person.

Important News – New Changes Updated To The Western Australia Skilled Migration Occupation List 2019-20

Contact ISA Migrations for further information

If you want additional information and expert guidance in student visa matters, Migration Agent Perth at ISA Migrations will always be there to extend a helping hand.